Greenville to host 2028 U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championships

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) — The City of Greenville will host the U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championships in 2028, a tournament that will bring bowlers from around the world to the Upstate.

“[Approximately] 55,000 folks will come into Greenville to compete,” Chad Murphy, the executive director of the U.S. Bowling Congress, said.

The tournament will be held from March until July of 2028. Bowlers are expected arrive to the city in waves with about 400 coming to Greenville everyday for 158 days.

“They’ll stay in our hotels and other local accommodations,” Heath Dillard, the president and CEO of VisitGreenvilleSC, said. “They’ll eat in our restaurants, visit our breweries, play golf and shop.”

The tournament will be the largest tourism event ever hosted in Greenville. It is expected to bring $70 million in tourism revenue into the city. Dozens of jobs are also expected to be created as part of the event.

“Their visitor spending will support not only jobs, it will support local small businesses,” Dillard explained. “They’ll leave behind taxes that our community reinvests in things, like affordable housing.”

The U.S. Bowling Congress considered cities across the county to host the tournament. Murphy said they chose Greenville because it can accommodate the scale of the event and is accessible for bowlers to travel to.

“It’s easy to get to for most of the East Coast but even direct flights from Dallas and some out west,” Murphy said. “If you think about people coming in from 50 states, and even some internationally, how they get here is a part of it.”

As the city prepares to host the massive tournament, Murphy said he is hopeful it will spark a new love of bowling in the Upstate.

“There will likely be some folks that bowl in Greenville that haven’t bowled in a few years or maybe haven’t bowled at all, which just gets them more interested in the sport, tournament and builds a better future for it,” he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.