July 17, 2014 - Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry and Visit Fort Wayne officials today announced four new sports tournaments will take place in Fort Wayne and attract 25,000 visitors to the community.
The City of Fort Wayne is providing $20,000 in Sports Development Grant Fund dollars to help make the tournaments possible. Visit Fort Wayne estimates the economic impact to be $4.25-$4.5 million.
Events to be held in Fort Wayne:
*Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour Super Senior Classic & Fort Wayne Classic; July 18-23 at Pro Bowl West; 200 participants; 500 attendees.
*State Wars-U.S. Roller Hockey Championships; July 30-Aug. 10 at SportONE Parkview Icehouse; 270 teams; 2,600 participants; 10,000 spectators.
*USA Pickleball Great Lakes Regional Championships; Aug. 15-17 at SportONE Parkview Fieldhouse; more than 200 participants.
*National United Wrestling Championships; Jan. 8-10, 2015 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum; 10,000 participants.
“Being a leader in sports activities is another example of the unprecedented momentum we’re experiencing in the City of Fort Wayne,” said Mayor Henry. “We’re looking forward to showcasing our community as a destination place for sports, recreation, new jobs and businesses, and an excellent quality of life.”
“Fort Wayne is a prime destination to host premier local, state, regional and national sporting events,” said Visit Fort Wayne President/CEO Dan O’Connell. “Our city’s first-class venues, hotels, and restaurants are ready to welcome in more than 25,000 visitors from these four events. The local economy will feel a generous bump in business as a result of these tournaments.”