The Midwest Presidents Cup Soccer Tournament , held June 14-18 at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls for the first time, drew a crowd of approximately 6,000 to 7,000 visitors, including players from 186 teams, their families, coaches, officials and more.
The tournament pumped an estimated $5,515,674 into the area economy, filling hotels in Sioux Falls as well as Brandon, Brookings, Hartford, Sioux City, Sioux Center, Worthington and Vermillion, according to Teri Schmidt, CEO of Experience Sioux Falls .
The “Party off the Pitch” event, held June 14 to promote downtown Sioux Falls for arriving soccer teams, drew roughly 2,000 attendees. The event was hosted by Experience Sioux Falls and the South Dakota Youth Soccer Association .
More: Sunny’s Pizzeria paves the way for Salas Salsas' growing business, new restaurant
For two hours, Phillips Avenue was blocked off between Ninth and 10th streets, a soccer pool, cornhole, Jenga and Teqball games for players to enjoy, as well as music provided by DJ SieffStyle Entertainment and food trucks suck as Get’cha Coffee? and Let Me Be Frank .
More: Take a look at the first 'Feeding the Homeless' event hosted by Sioux Falls food trucks
“We wanted to keep it very low key and encourage them to visit the other businesses, go out to dinner, go see a concert at the Levet. That was the whole goal,” said Executive Director of SD Youth Soccer Association Polly Dean. “And I think that's why downtown Sioux Falls was a massive help with this.”
Jared Indahl, event coordinator for Downtown Sioux Falls , said, “The downtown area was alive with activity, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
A big thank you to all the United States Youth Soccer (US Youth Soccer) players and families who made our Party Off the...
Posted by Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. on Monday, June 17, 2024
Nearby businesses such as the Philips Avenue Diner saw an increase in business. Ginger Robinson, general manager of Philips Avenue Diner, mentioned, “We were busier than usual during the day, and it’s great for both sales and publicity.”
Jessica Beier and her family from Sioux Falls enjoyed time on the Phillips Avenue Diner’s patio while supporting her son in the games. Beier’s husband, Ryan, is also one of the coaches.
“It’s great to have the tournament in our hometown. We loved eating out on the patios downtown and spending time with our soccer family,” said Beier.
Brandon de Jong, co-owner and founder of The Hello Hi , a classic bar that offers tiki beverages, said the patio and bar indoors were busier than usual between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and they had to have additional staff help out.
“Overall, I think our location was really convenient for adults to come grab a beverage while their children participated in all the fun activities that lined the streets,” de Jong said.
De Jong also remarked that they would welcome closing off Phillips Avenue more often for more events to bring in more pedestrians. Sales from Friday’s event were up 15%, according to de Jong.
Dean said many parents visited the second-floor patio at PAve , where they could still see their kids and enjoy a beverage.
WoodGrain Brewing co-owner Steve Hartman shared, “Our patio was full, and we had one of our best weekends in a long time, thanks to the tournament.”
Hartman estimates the brewery made 90% more revenue compared with an average night, despite a water main break on Philips Avenue and Ninth Street right before the event.
A girls’ soccer team from Westside United Soccer Club in Avon, Indiana, near Indianapolis, where the population is over 880,000, said they were surprised by what Sioux Falls had to offer.
Lila Randall said her expectations weren’t high coming into South Dakota for the tournament, given the abundance of rural fields on their way here.
“But then I got to this area and saw the waterfall and it was like way cooler…We went to an ice cream place downtown and it was very good. … It’s more interesting than I thought it would be,” Randall said.
Tsehai Webb said the field they played on was “surprisingly very nice.” Many members of the team expressed excitedly how they had been to the falls, with one commenting on her wish to see bison.
“South Dakota Youth Soccer’s mission is community through soccer, and that's always our goal,” Dean said. “They're here for the games. They're here to win but let's have a lot of fun in between. Keep them engaged. And make them remember why they love doing it.”
Experience Sioux Falls, which had a tent on the field during the games, said visitors had no complaints and plenty of words of praise for the community’s hospitality. Schmidt remarked, “We heard nothing but ‘we love it here. This is so awesome. The fields are beautiful. Everyone's so friendly.’”
Schmidt also praised Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation , saying they did “a fabulous job and the upkeep was exceptional throughout the tournament.”
Frank Gurnek, Head of Dakota Alliance Soccer Club , expressed his gratitude for the community's support, saying, “The partnership between Experience Sioux Falls, Sanford Sports and the Parks Department was crucial in making this event a success.”
“Everybody just seemed to be very welcoming of the guests in our city, and it's a testament to who we are as a community,” Gurnek said.
From the tournament, two Dakota Alliance Soccer Club teams will advance July 12-16 to the National Presidents Cup in Witchita, Kansas: the DASC U13 2011 Girls' team and the DASC U15 2009 Girls’ team.
Looking ahead, Experience Sioux Falls is already planning to bid for the tournament again in 2026. The city aims to continue attracting such events to bolster its economy and showcase its hospitality.
Schmidt notes that Nyberg’s Ace Hot Classics Nights on July 27 continues to bring in more and more people. Other events referenced were Riverfest on Aug. 17 and Pheasant Hunting Season in October.
More: 30 summer festivals to attend in and around the Sioux Falls area
“I just am so proud of Sioux Falls for rolling out a warm welcome for all of these people from all over the country. And it just really went well,” Schmidt said.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Soccer tournament pumps $5.5 million into the Sioux Falls-area economy, officials say
Most Popular
Comments / 0