LPGA an ace for city coffers

PRATTVILLE -- The River Region is banking on an upcom­ing LPGA golf tournament to score a hole in one, financially speaking.
The Navistar LPGA Classic is returning to Prattville for the third year in a row later this month. Despite the sluggish economy, the tournament's di­rector expects this year's event to match -- or exceed -- last year's estimated $7 million eco­nomic impact.

"We are ahead in ticket sales and sponsorships now from where we were at this time last year," said Jonathan Romeo, tournament director. "This is the third year of the tourna­ment, so it's becoming a destina­tion location."

The Navistar LPGA Classic will roll into Prattville on Sept. 30 through Oct. 4, with play days Oct. 1-4. A full field of 144 of the best women golfers in the world will test their skills on the Sena­tor Course at Capitol Hill, which is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

An estimated 50,000 fans came out to watch the action last year.

"The golf tournament is going to be a tremendous boost to the local economy," said May­or Jim Byard Jr. "Already our hotel rooms in Prattville are booked up, and the tournament is still three weeks away. Hotel rooms throughout the region will be filled. That means we will see a weeklong surge in lodging tax collections. Our res­taurants and retail stores will see increased traffic and sales.

"There is no way you can place a value on the amount of national and international expo­sure Prattville will be receiving. The tournament has already provided more credentials for members of the media from Ja­pan, South Korea and China than they provided last year."

The pull of the tournament goes far beyond the 144 players, said Connie Bainbridge, presi­dent and director of economic development of the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce.

"You have caddies, the media, clients that Navistar will bring in and crews from The Golf Channel," she said. The Golf Channel will broadcast tape-delayed coverage of the play.

"We are hoping for a great gallery this year. Anytime you have 50,000 people come to your community in a week, it's going to be good for local businesses.

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"These visitors don't place a great strain on our city services. They are here for a short period of time, and they spend a great deal of money."

The ripple effect of the tournament will stretch across the region, said Anna Buckalew, senior vice president of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

"The impact of the Navistar tournament is far more than hotel room nights and increased local spending, which is in and of itself substantial," she said. "But when you look at the enormous value this event brings in terms of transforming the image of our city, region and state, it is absolutely priceless. We simply could not afford the tremendous media exposure and perception-changing impact that is generated by the tournament.

"The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail opened up a world of new potential for Alabama by changing negative perceptions and establishing tourism as a major economic driver in the state. Montgomery and the River Region are reaping enormous economic and quality of life benefits as the hub of the RTJ Trail, and the Navistar LPGA tournament is truly a jewel in the crown of our Capital City."

That jewel is drawing fans from surrounding cities and states again this year, Romeo said.

"We have seen many repeat ticket sales from the Atlanta area, and from surrounding states," he said. "We have marketed the tournament more this year in the Birmingham area, and sales are going very well.

"And you can't argue with the field. Any day tickets are $10 each, which is a tremendous value when you consider the level of talent that is going to be on display in Prattville."

The field promises to be a good one, with 18 of the top 20 money leaders committed, 18 of the 20 world rankings committed, and 18 of the 24 Solheim Cup players coming, said Bill Lang, who handles media relations for the tournament. Michelle Wei, Natalie Gulbis, Kristy Kerr, Christina Kim and Lorena Ochoa have committed. Ochoa, the top woman golfer in the world, is the defending tournament champion.

Among area golf fans returning this year will be Michael Knight of Millbrook.

"There's a group of guys that play golf together, and we've gone the last two years," he said. "The crowd has gotten bigger each year. And I think the level of players is the main draw. These ladies can hit a mile, and they hit 'em straight. And as far as professional athletes go, no one is more open and approachable than players in the LPGA.

"We struck up a conversation with Christina Kim last year, as she was coming off the course after finishing the first day. She was laid back and very pleasant. She's 'our' golfer now. We pull for her, kinda like LPGA meets NASCAR."

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