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COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – An abundance of visitors are expected to make it down to Aggieland this weekend; leaving many businesses hopeful for an influx in customers.
The Texas MS 150 and the Adidas Three Stripes Select Basketball Tournament are two major events happening this weekend.
Jeremiah Cook, Tourism Manager with Visit College Station, told KBTX they’re expecting thousands of people to come from all over the country.
“We have a lot of sporting events coming in. The MS 150, there’s over 5,000 riders, along with people coming to join them,” said Cook. “With the Adidas basketball tournament, there’s over 180 teams and 2,000 players.”
But, Cook said its not just about the twin cities hosting big sporting events, but the economic impact that comes from hosting so many people.
“The cool thing is is that they’re not coming here just to compete,” said Cook. “They’re coming here to eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels, shop in our retail. It’s great for everyone in the community to get a boost from the tourists coming in. The other cool thing about tourists is they don’t cost us anything, from an infrastructure stand point. They’re coming in, leaving dollars in our community and we get to reap the benefit of that.”
Tai Lee is a chef and owner of multiple restaurants, like Urban Table. He knows first hand how busy weekends in Aggieland can benefit his restaurants.
“Now more important than ever a lot of these local stores don’t have a big budget for marketing. We really rely on the local community to support us,” said Lee. “I think I speak for many independent owners when I say, we are always looking for that additional 10 guests. Literally, an additional 10 guests a day makes a difference. We try to make locals and tourists feel good about picking our restaurants.”
Lee said the upcoming weekend is essential to the success of his business.
“Having cyclists come in from out of town to Kyle Field, not only is it really cool to see and for a fantastic cause, but its going to be vital for restaurants as we head into a dip period before graduation comes around,” said Lee. “We do have people from these annual events that visit us each time. It really does something for the hospitality industry and our local economy as a whole. We hope it only gets better each year.”
For more information on the Texas MS 150, visit here.
For more information on the Adidas Basketball Tournament, visit here.
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