Bass tournament to boost Tri-City economy

Unsuspecting bass swimming in the waters of the Columbia River this morning are putting smiles on the faces of the 400 anglers about to catch them.

And tourism officials also are grinning about the exposure the Tri-Cities is gaining from the Wal-Mart FLW Series National Guard Western Division Tournament, and the money visitors will spend while they're here.

The visiting anglers participating in the four-day tournament will stay an average of seven nights, filling about 1,200 hotel rooms during that time, according to the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau.

Using a conservative estimate of $95 that visitors will spend each day on food, supplies and other needs, you get a total of about $350,000 in visitor spending, said Kris Watkins, the bureau's president and CEO.

"This tournament is bringing new money into our community," she said. "And it's money that will continue to circulate around our region long after the anglers have gone home."

Jayme Gordon, communications specialist with FLW, said tournaments like this generate visitor spending and media coverage worth $2 million to $4 million for host communities.

That includes a two-minute "Around the Town" segment about the Tri-Cities, as well as website hits and more.

There are about 81 million FSN subscribers around the world who potentially could learn about the Tri-Cities from the tournament.

"We couldn't afford (to buy) that kind of exposure," Watkins said.

Area businesses said the tournament gives sales a boost.

One fisherman staying at the Courtyard by Marriott in Richland came from Japan, said hotel General Manager Kathy Moore. She said they are booked for the week with anglers and golfers.

"We're primarily a business travel hotel ... so with an event like this, it carries us through the whole week," she said. "It's a clean group, they're great people. They're serious about their sport."

That dedication drew several anglers to Island View Market & Deli in Richland last year to get advice about the best fishing gear to use.

"It's kind of neat because these guys come in and they're professional fishermen but they ask me what I use," said owner Lonnie Cargill.

And while pre-tournament business hasn't been as big this year, Cargill's still hoping it will pick up.

Jeremy Robbins, service manager at Sundown Sport & Marine in Richland, said he sold more oil than usual last year during the tournament last year.

"I was ordering midweek," he said. "Hopefully everybody got a piece of the pie."

One issue that has tournament officials wriggling this year is the price of fuel.

"Boats have to have gas and you have to travel ... normally with big pickups ... to pull those boats. It's tough," Gordon said.

FLW is looking at shortening some tournaments and shrinking some of the fields next year, she said.

But the Tri-Cities is a venue many anglers liked last year and Gordon said the support the tournament got from local officials was "overwhelming."

The tournament is expected to air Nov. 23.