MASON, Ohio — As the Western & Southern Open comes to a close, the financial impact the tennis tournament has will last much longer than a week.
Katie Haas, CEO of the W&S Open, said the tournament brings in millions each year to the Greater Cincinnati area. She said people start bringing in money as soon as they get off their plane into town.
“There’s actually great welcoming messaging at CVG this year as a partner of ours the airport is," Haas said. "As soon as those fans, those players step off the plane at CVG that’s really when the tournament experience starts and they go and get their rental car, and they go and check into their hotel room, and then they go and spend money in the restaurants, so that economic impact is starting as soon as they land."
Haas noted they don’t have a total of how much money the tournament has generated this year, but added that this past week has been the highest rate of occupancy for hotels in Warren and Butler counties.
It’s the final day of the Western & Southern Open. There are still some tickets left, but there aren’t many. The first finals match starts at noon.
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In 2017, the tennis tournament conducted a study and found the regional financial economic impact was $65 million during the week of the Western & Southern Open. Haas added the tournament has also donated millions to charity.
“This tournament has donated close to $12 million for local non-profits in the community, and that’s a tradition we take great pride in and we’ll continue again this year,” Haas said.
Some of the funds generated go to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the Barrett Cancer Center and Tennis for City Youth.
Haas said they saw a 30% drop in attendance last year because of COVID but said six days into the tournament that 150,000 people have attended.
“We have ticket buyers from all 50 states and 30 countries, so we really do welcome the world to Greater Cincinnati every year for this event, not only are spending money at hotels they’re spending money at restaurant, shops,” Haas said.
She said their furthest season ticket holder travels from South Africa to attend the tournament.
The first finals match for the tournament is set to start at noon.
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