Greater Springfield, Massachusetts, tourism officials say a new three-on-three basketball tournament planned for next summer could attract major tourism dollars to the area.
Hooplandia will be held at the Big E fairgrounds in West Springfield, and is a partnership between the fair's operators and the Basketball Hall of Fame. Tournament organizers project having 2,500 teams compete in the three-day event.
Mary Kay Wydra heads the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. She says holding the event in late June, right at the start of the summer travel season, will be a boost to the area's tourism industry.
"We've calculated with about 1,500 room nights, 10,000 players and about 25,000 visitors total, we've estimated the impact for the economy to be about $12 million," Wydra said.
As for the players, the event is open to anyone — from youth to pro.
"This is an event where everyone can participate," said Basketball Hall of Fame CEO John Doleva. "Men, women, wheelchair — the entire spectrum of people that love basketball, at any skill level, can descend upon Springfield and participate in this event."
Organizers said they are patterning Hooplandia after a similar, larger event, in Spokane, Washington.
At a press conference Thursday announcing the tournament, officials from the Eastern States Exposition and the Hall of Fame said they plan to have courts all over the Big E grounds, on blacktop surfaces outdoors, and even indoors in places like the coliseum.
Some games will also be played at the Hall of Fame in Springfield. Organizers pointed out that unlike the Spokane event where many blocks are closed off for the event and infrastructure has to be brought in, that won't have to be the case on the fair grounds.
Doleva said the plan is to make Hooplandia an annual event.
