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SEC women’s championship brings $3.1 million to the Upstate

Molly Hulsey //March 9, 2020//

SEC women’s championship brings $3.1 million to the Upstate

Molly Hulsey //March 9, 2020//

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The Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament brought 45,093 visitors to Bon Secours Wellness Arena last week.

“We had some great attendance numbers at the arena, and I think the fan experience downtown was also very good as well,” said David Montgomery, vice president of sales at VisitGreenvilleSC. He said the event had an estimated economic impact of $3.1 million.

“Ticket sales were way ahead of previous years,” he added, “so I don’t think we had any impact from the coronavirus.”

Montgomery credits the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, as well as hotels and restaurants for partnering with the SEC. Ten hotels hosted 14 teams for the tournament.

The No. 1-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks won their fifth SEC title, defeating Mississippi State 76-62.

Among Greenville sporting events, attendance trails behind only the NCAA’s 2017 men’s basketball tournament and the 2019 Bassmaster Classic, according to Montgomery.

“Each year, they’ve done a great job of growing this event experience. Originally, there was a focus on just the arena and inside the arena. This year, you saw a lot more activation around town,” Montgomery said.

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