BILLINGS — Some big sporting events are coming to Billings in the next couple of weeks, which are likely to provide a boost to local businesses.
The Legion Regional Baseball tournament kicks off this week at Dehler Park, and Rodeo Billings will be featured at the MontanaFair starting next week at MetraPark.
Watch this video to hear about the business boost:
Both will bring in visitors to Billings and along with it their business at hotels, retail shops and restaurants.
"In the summer in Billings, baseball and softball are huge money makers," said Visit Billings Sports Tourism Director Casey Conlon. "It means hundreds of hotel rooms, it means probably a couple hundred thousand dollars that's being influxed into this community."
Conlon predicts that the 5-day Legion tournament will be a big boost, specifically for those businesses located in downtown near Dehler Park.
"Wherever an event is being held, you look at the hotels, restaurants, retail stores close in proximity to that location," Conlon said. "People want to stay near where their venue is."
Over at MetraPark, MontanaFair begins this week as well. As is typical, there will be crowds all over the fairgrounds, however there's an extra special event happening this year for all rodeo fans too. Rodeo Billings will be featured starting Aug. 14, bringing back outdoor rodeo to Billings.
Conlon said he expects it to add to the business brought in for the fair.
"Rodeo Billings coming in and being a part of that MontanaFair week, I think there's a lot of excitement around it," Conlon said. "With the new arena, with the new branding of Rodeo Billings, I think it's going to really show that people are a little bit more excited again."
The outdoor rodeo arena is part of a recent push by the city to upgrade sports facilities in an effort to make Billings a more desirable sporting event location. Other facilities include the Signal Peak Ice Arena and sport court facility being built near Amend Park, as well as the renovations taking place at Daylis Stadium.
"Billings is already a regional hub, but it's trying to become bigger and it will become bigger over the next two years," Conlon said.
Conlon said those efforts are already working, and he's looking forward to what the future holds.
"I've been here for 20-30 years, and I've never been more excited for the sports future here in Billings," Conlon said. "We're really going to take a step up, as far as a regional sports destination and it's just going to do great things for the community."
