photo by: Derek Redd
TJ’s Sports Garden Restaurant was busy Thursday for lunch. Local restaurateurs say the annual Super Six state football championships are a boon to their bottom lines.
WHEELING — As high school football players hit Wheeling Island Stadium’s turf today and Saturday, business owners across the Ohio Valley anticipate an increase in customers during the Super Six state championships.
With no local teams participating this year, Ohio County Commissioner and Ohio County Development Authority President Randy Wharton views the tournament as a major tourist opportunity. Future revenue and visitors are what Wharton believes the championship will bring to the city after the last whistle Saturday.
“Many of the visitors may be in Wheeling for the first time, so they will go to attractions like the Capitol Music Hall, The Highlands and the Wheeling Island Casino,” explained Wharton. “They come here, get that experience, spend some money and hopefully come back.”
Beyond attractions, hotels and restaurants will be filled with fans this weekend. An estimated 25,000 visitors will hit the city, bringing with them an economic impact of about $900,000, according to Wheeling Convention & Visitors Bureau Marketing Director Olivia Litman.
“There’s going to be a great crowd and good games, which is what you want,” said Litman. “No player is going to ask their grandparents, uncles and everybody else to come down when they’re going to get clobbered, so having competitive games on the schedule attracts more people in from out-of-town.”
This year’s title games are Princeton against Martinsburg in Class AAA, Fairmont Senior and North Marion in Class AA and Greenbrier West and Williamstown in Class A.
Earning repeat customers through the Super Six has become the name of the game for local eateries. Restaurant owners reap the benefits of hungry fans and players who seek them out every year their team is in the tournament.
Establishing relationships with several schools that frequent the finals has created a big boost in business for Generations owner Michael Duplaga. On top of hosting the Martinsburg football team every year they are in the tournament, the Greenbrier West football team will have dinner there this year.
“In addition to the teams, we get a lot of foot traffic from the fans throughout the state of West Virginia,” noted Duplaga. “Between the Super Six and the Mountain East Conference Basketball Tournament, it’s helped us become a state name.”
Anticipating 75 to 100 extra patrons on top of the teams they will host, Duplaga has had to turn down larger groups coming in from games in years past as they were unable to fit in any more guests on top of the December Christmas party crowds.
“We always like to see the local teams in the tournament, but with the out-of-town teams, it does bring more people to the area,” added Duplaga. “We get a lot of repeat customers and people that refer us to the new visitors coming into town.”
Beau Catalano, who wears two hats as the co-owner of the Alpha Tavern and Undo’s Restaurants, feels the impact of the Super Six on both sides of the Ohio River at his restaurants.
“We have a lot of people from the tournament who frequent the original Undo’s in Benwood,” said Catalano. “When the hotels in Wheeling are full from the tournament, and people choose to stay in St. Clairsville, then we see more customers at Undo’s West.”
Also hosting visiting teams for dinners at the restaurants, Catalano adds that whenever a team comes in, “parents and siblings normally follow,” spelling out even more tables filled. To handle the extra crowds anticipated for this weekend, he explained extra servers are on the schedule.
“It fills up the hotels near us, and the people staying in them have to eat,” said Catalano. “That’s where it helps us out.”
T.J.’s Sports Garden Restaurant has also been preparing staff to handle an influx of 300 to 350 extra customers that owner T.J. Radevski estimates they will receive each tournament day.
“The Super Six has a great impact on the Ohio Valley, and for T.J.’s especially,” noted Radevski. “We’re grateful to be a sponsor and welcome everybody to T.J’s and the stadium.”
With plenty of places to eat in the valley, hotels that provide a place to stay during the tournament are another big revenue stream the Super Six brings.
The Hampton Inn on National Road in Wheeling begins taking reservations for the tournament 50 weeks in advance, as yearly tournament goers are eager “to book early and get the best rate,” said assistant manager Valeria Schumacher.
What makes the Hampton Inn a hotspot for bookings is its location as the closest hotel to the stadium and the free shuttle the hotel offers to games. These perks pay off for the establishment, as they were sold out for the tournament a month in advance.
“We’re always sold out this weekend,” noted Schumacher. “The Super Six is definitely one of the biggest events for us, so it’s going to be a busy weekend.”
Services Marketplace – Listings, Bookings & Reviews
