Pocono News Section

Business Booms With LLWS In Town

Business Booms With LLWS In Town - Friday, August 21, 2009 at 6:15PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Friday, Aug 21, 2009 @ 06:15pm EST
South Williamsport, Lycoming County-

As much fun as the Little League World Series is for the players involved, it also provides quite a shot in the arm for the local economy.

An estimated 40,000 people showed up in downtown Williamsport Thursday night for the Grand Slam Parade. And to the delight of business owners throughout the region, they came to central Pennsylvania armed with cash to spend.

Just a few hundred feet from the Little League International Complex is a great place to be- especially if you're in the business of selling baseball cards.

Bud Haynes has been here at Dixie's Card Shop on Route 15 for nearly 30 years.

Haynes recalled, "Even back in the '80's it was big. But now with the pins exploding- and we do have pins here- it's been great for us."

Workers here say Friday's rainy weather brings people indoors looking for things to do.

But it's not just baseball cards. Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses are all seeing the benefits of this global event.

At the Bridge Tavern, the Little League crowd takes over for the regular customers, who sometimes shy away during tournament week.

Co-owner Alex Kadenas said, "Well, the children are the main thing. They're all excited. They're very good. We get the parents and the teams, the whole teams and everything."

Just north over the bridge into Williamsport, we're told the Genetti Hotel gets booked up as soon as teams start qualifying.

So how big of an effect does that have? General Manager Marc Schefsky noted, "The answer is that it affects us tremendously. It's where we make our hay, so to speak, for the year."

And although fans come in from around the world for the Series, Schefsky believes some folks closer to home are missing out.

He explained, "A lot of people that are local haven't been to the Little League World Series. They should do that and not miss out on it. And it's free, you can't beat free."

According to a governor's report, the Little League World Series pumped $16 million into the regional economy back in 2005. And the event has only grown since then.