HOOPLA Economic Impact Touted By Organizers
Things might be slow for some local businesses but this weekend there is going to be a lot of rebounding both on and off of the basketball court.
HOOPLA, the provincial high school basketball championship tournament, tipped off on Thursday evening and brought with it hundreds to Moose Jaw.
Hundreds that at the end of the tournament on Saturday evening will deliver a major economic boost to the local economy.
The North Battleford Vikings and Saskatoon’s Holy Cross Crusaders hit the court Thursday evening as the HOOPLA tournament got underway. Both teams are staying overnight in the city - MJ Independent photo
HOOPLA commissioner Roger Morgan said a year of planning for the event is paying off not just for the players but the community as well.
HOOPLA has brought 48 basketball teams into Moose Jaw. Teams from every corner of the province.
Morgan said the event has brought about 1,000 people just from the teams themselves to Moose Jaw.
A large portion of these players, coaches and other people associated with the teams are staying overnight in Moose Jaw. When you add in the parents, grandparents and fans who made the trip means there are no hotel vacancies this weekend in Moose Jaw, he said.
“There’s not a hotel room to be found within 50 kilometres of Moose Jaw.”
It’s not just the players who are happy with HOOPLA getting underway the officials are also all smiles - MJ Independent photo
Morgan said the economic impact of Hoopla is significant for the city.
“We know it has a massive impact because two years ago when we didn’t have it and we lost two nights the reaction of the business community was significant,” Morgan said, adding “and they wanted it back here so quick. Their talking about seven figures, millions of dollars, of impact in the community.”
Two years ago HOOPLA was suppose to be held in Moose Jaw but as part of a job action the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) cancelled the tournament. After immense public pressure the STF relented and allowed a one day tournament to be held. Things such as hotel room bookings were cancelled as a result of the STF job action.
“The entire city’s hotel rooms are booked for two days. Everybody coming in is eating out.”
Morgan said one good thing about HOOPLA is teams play once a day and then they have a chance to be spectators and tourists.
“We’re expecting the tunnels will get some visits. We’re expecting them to take time and eat out and have team meals and family meals. It should have a significant impact,” he said.
Visitors snap a collector’s photograph at a free booth at Peacock Collegiate - MJ Independent photo
Morgan said he expected the restaurant sector to benefit the most will be sit down restaurants and not fast food establishments.
“They want to get together and they want to sit down as a team, as a family. They are looking for a more intimate experience not just fast food.”
HOOPLA has hundreds of volunteers to make the event happen. A total of 350 volunteer t-shirts were purchased.
“It’s significant it’s about 80 people per venue.”
HOOPLA is being held at four venues - Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Riverview Collegiate, Peacock Collegiate and Vanier Collegiate.
The only funding HOOPLA received from within the city was Visit Moose Jaw (VMJ). VMJ is largely made up of hotels who contribute to a fund to help fund local events.
The committee decided not to ask local businesses as they had two years ago because many lost money staffing for an event that never happened, he said.
“We didn’t tap into that group again. We did this to support them.”
The City of Moose Jaw and the Province did not contribute to HOOPLA financially.
A volunteer - one of the hundreds - cleans the court during a timeout. Volunteers giving their time is key to the event’s success - MJ Independent photo
Asked if he thought having HOOPLA here might encourage more kids to get involved in basketball Morgan said he wishes it would. But there were more dynamics in play when it came to participation.
He pointed out how Moose Jaw especially on the boys side was actually better than some schools in Regina and Saskatoon when it came to attracting students onto teams.
“Even the biggest schools in Saskatoon and Regina that have three times the population as Peacock can’t create three basketball teams like Central Collegiate and like Peacock (Collegiate) can.”
Morgan said he would like to thank @the number of phenomenal people in this city that make this come together is incredible.”
He pointed out how the same people who helped make HOOPLA possible also made provincial track and field last year, regional curling and provincial curling playdowns happen.
“It’s all the same people that are coming out of the woodwork to support this event,” Morgan said.
