Tennis tournament brings city $200,000
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on November 11, 2013 1:46 PM
The U.S. Tennis Association singles tournament held in mid-October brought close to $200,000 to Goldsboro's local economy through tourism spending, city officials said.
The tournament fell short of the projected $300,000 largely because of the wet conditions throughout the weekend, officials added.
"With the rain, it is to be expected that the impact would be lessened somewhat," Travel and Tourism Director Betsy Rosemann said.
A rainy weekend and difficulties finishing work on the Herman Park courts did not slow the tournament down much though, Ms. Rosemann said.
Alternate courts at Mount Olive College were used to make up for many of the wet courts as well as Greene County courts.
The tournament brought more than 300 players to Goldsboro and the surrounding area to play for the North Carolina Singles League State Championship.
"An average traveler commuting will spend about $50 a day here and about $150 on an overnight stay," Ms. Rosemann said.
The tournament was expected to bring hotel stays to Goldsboro as well as Mount Olive.
The tournament hosted competitors from 85 teams across the state for the three-day event.
Recruiting the tournament was part of a concerted effort to bring more weekend tourism business into Goldsboro.
Goldsboro has strong Monday to Wednesday travel stay business but hotel stays are light on the weekend, Ms. Rosemann said.
She said the tournament would help to offset the void left after the Air Force reservist weekend was canceled because of the partial government shutdown.
The reservist weekend fills the city hotels one weekend a month.
The tournament was the first of a two-part bid that will bring the tournament back around for a second time in 2014.