Cayce PPA Challenge Tour Tournament: A major pickleball tournament in Cayce, South Carolina, brought over 300 players from across the country, contributing to local businesses and tourism. The pickleball event, held at the newly constructed courts in Henry C. Moore Park, provided athletes with an opportunity to earn professional points and prize money.
Pickleball Community Gathers in Cayce
The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Challenge Tour event attracted 305 competitors, all hoping to advance in their professional careers. Tanner Groff, Vice President of the PPA Challenge Tour, highlighted the tournament’s significance.
“Professional points (are) at stake, we have a purse for players to win and an opportunity for players to make it into the larger PPA Tour events.” – (Groff)
The newly built 16-court facility in Cayce was a key reason the tournament was hosted in the area. Groff noted that the local pickleball scene was already thriving, making it a prime location for an event of this scale.
“We’re looking to find upcoming professionals here locally, regionally, and across the country. We recognized this as a place that had a large pickleball community that was really thriving, and this facility is brand-new, so it gave us a great opportunity, 16 beautiful courts, to run a great tournament.” – (Groff)
Economic Impact and Tourism Growth
Lexington County invested $1.3 million to build the courts, with hopes of drawing major events. Brian Clary, who oversees tennis for the Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission, had previously estimated that the PPA tournament could bring around 1,000 visitors and generate an economic impact of $3.5 million.
Alexandra Mouton of the Cayce Pickleball Complex saw registration increase significantly after marketing efforts.
“As we started picking up some of our marketing, we watched those numbers skyrocket. It’s very interesting to see the types of people that we’re getting in, and the reach that the PPA has had in bringing in tourism for Cayce and the Columbia area.” – (Alexandra Mouton)
Scott Powers with Experience Columbia SC Sports estimated that players alone would have spent approximately $150,000 in the local community during the tournament.
Players and Spectators Share Experiences
Players like Masha Venta, who traveled from Nashville, praised the sport’s accessibility and fast pace.
“You get to meet a lot of people, and the game is really dynamic. It’s really fast. And if you’re coming from tennis, you start at a high level and then you just get better really fast.” – (Masha Venta)
Spectators also appreciated the opportunity to explore the area. Monica Speights-Evans, a visitor, enjoyed her time in Cayce.
“We’ve been coming to Columbia for a while. We visit the zoo and downtown all the time. It’s just nice that pickleball has brought us here as well.” – (Speight-Evans)
Future Prospects for Cayce Pickleball
Though the courts in Cayce have only been open for a month, this tournament was already the third major event hosted at the facility. Officials from the Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission believe the investment in pickleball infrastructure is paying off and will continue to attract large-scale competitions.
News in Brief: Cayce PPA Challenge Tour Tournament
The PPA Challenge Tour event in Cayce, SC, brought over 300 pickleball players to Henry C. Moore Park, boosting the local economy. With professional points and prize money on the line, competitors traveled from across the U.S. The tournament highlighted Cayce’s surging reputation as a premier pickleball destination.
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