HUNTSVILLE — It has been a busy summer of sports in the Rocket City.
Six events over the last five weeks have taken place in Huntsville – three national championships, two major swimming events, and a national junior golf tournament that have combined to make a more than $6 million in estimated economic impact on the community.
Headlining this summer was the USA Table Tennis Nationals, bringing more than 1,200 visitors from around the country for the five-day event that produced more than 2,200 hotel room nights with an economic impact of approximately $1.8 million. The Nationals served as the final tuneup for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team members before they headed to Paris to compete in the Olympics.
“This is a big year for major sporting events in Huntsville and summer continued to showcase our place as a world-class sports city,” said Joel Lamp, Sports Development Manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The impact of these events went well beyond the direct economic benefit, as we elevated Huntsville’s stature as a host city and introduced our city to so many new people from across the country.”
The USTA Girls Under-16 Clay Court Nationals completed Sunday at the Athletic Club Alabama, showcasing the top future talent from around the country, with Olivia Traynor defeating Lily Chang in the finals.
The eight-day event produced just shy of $1 million in economic impact, producing more than 1,800 room nights. It is the fifth straight year that Huntsville has hosted this prestigious event, which has become one of the highlighted events on the junior tennis calendar.
“We have been building our portfolio steadily every year and this summer enabled our team to showcase Huntsville to our visitors and provide a memorable experience that will bring them back to visit again,” said Mark Russell, executive director of the Huntsville Sports Commission. “From sending off the Olympic table tennis to Paris all the way to the youth events, it has been an exciting sports summer for our city.”
Additionally, the American Junior Golf Association hosted its annual Huntsville Championship on the The Links at Redstone. Nearly 80 players teed up in the national tour event with Alexis Lamadrid from Phoenix, Ariz., taking home a two-shot win in the girl’s division and Elijah Felty of Chesterfield, Va., holding on for a one-shot win on the boy’s side.
More than 150 players participated in the week-long event, including an open qualifier, bringing in an economic impact of just over $229,000.
Tiger Rock Martial Arts brought its national championship back to the South Hall in the Von Braun Center. The premier youth marital arts event brought in more than 1,300 people and produced more than 1,800 room nights to create a $1.2 million economic impact.
Wrapping up the summer was two straight weekends of major events at the Huntsville Aquatics Center. It started with the annual three-day summer long course swim championship, which brought in just over $1.3 million in economic impact, producing more than 2,000 room nights.
The USA Swimming Futures Championship brought in over $1 million in economic impact. The elite race had 506 swimmers from 11 states who booked more than 1,300 room nights.
This summer continues the pace for a record-setting year in sports tourism that will continue in the fall.
Huntsville will host its first college soccer match at Wicks Family Field this month, the Gulf South Conference soccer championships and the NJCAA men’s and women’s nationals in November.
The year will be capped off with the annual AVCA National Beach Pairs Championship and the NCAA Division II South Cross Country Regional followed by the RunningLane Nationals and Rocket City Marathon in December.
For more information, contact Joel Lamp, sports development manager for the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau ([email protected]), or Brooke Izzo Shaugnessy, director of Marketing & Communications for the Huntsville Sports Commission ([email protected]).
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