FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Louise Heine
Destination Marketing Director
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 109 or louise@yorkpa.org
Brent Burkey
Communications Specialist
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 103 or bburkey@yorkpa.org
YORK, PA-The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau will welcome USA Wrestling's Cadet National Duals and approximately 1,000 elite youth wrestlers annually for three years beginning in the summer of 2015.
Next year will be the first time Pennsylvania will host this prestigious event, which is a precursor to USA Wrestling's annual Cadet National Championships. This year, the Cadet age group includes wrestlers born in 1998 and 1999.
The Cadet National Duals features top state-level teams of wrestlers from across the country competing in the two Olympic styles: Greco-Roman and freestyle. The mission of the event is to provide a low-cost opportunity for individuals to get the widest possible exposure to national-caliber competition prior to the individual National Championships.
The York County CVB and the Pennsylvania Amateur Wrestling Federation made the announcement at a press conference today at the York Expo Center. Diane McGraw, Executive Director of Pennsylvania's Office of Travel, Tourism and Film, joined representatives from the York County CVB and the Federation at the announcement event.
"The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is perfectly positioned to leverage its central location, welcoming communities and outstanding athletic facilities to attract and host national sporting events such as the Cadet National Duals," McGraw said. "The Corbett administration is proud to support the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau and we look forward to showcasing our many unique attractions as visitors from all across the U.S. make their way to Pennsylvania's Dutch Country Roads region."
The York County CVB's effort to attract the Cadet National Duals to York County and Pennsylvania goes back a decade, and the CVB is elated to bring the event to the York Expo Center.
Over the three years, the tournament will generate more than $3 million in direct economic impact including spending by visitors at lodging, dining and retail attractions. The York County CVB additionally anticipates approximately $5.5 million in total economic benefits. This broader measurement includes business-to-business purchases such as when hotels and restaurants increase their own buying from vendors because they are serving more customers.
"Bringing this national competition to York County is the culmination of an effort showing the York County CVB's tenacity to pursue and win events that are a great fit for our county's expansive list of premier sports facilities, and produce positive returns for our community's economy," said Anne Druck, President of the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Pennsylvania Amateur Wrestling Federation will be the host organization for the event, which will take place in the York Expo Center's Utz Arena in 2015 and in the Expo Center's Memorial Hall in 2016 and 2017.
"Pennsylvania and its neighbors are dominant states in amateur wrestling, so bringing the Cadet National Duals to this region for the first time expands the opportunity for top Cadet wrestlers to compete in this elite showcase," said Van Plocus, State Chairman of the Pennsylvania Amateur Wrestling Federation, which is the state affiliate of USA Wrestling.
USA Wrestling is the central organization coordinating amateur wrestling programs across the nation, working to create interest and participation in these programs. As the National Governing Body for wrestling in the United States, it is the sport's representative to the United States Olympic Committee.
The Cadet National Duals was most recently hosted last month in Daytona Beach, Fla. Pennsylvania took second place in freestyle wrestling and third place in Greco-Roman wrestling. This year's Cadet National Championships will take place July 19-26 in Fargo, N.D.
The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Sport York program is a dedicated brand designed to recruit events and generate additional economic impact in York County, PA. Sport York positions York County as Pennsylvania's Premier Sports Destination, highlighting the area's dynamic facility packages and central location on the East Coast. For further information about Sport York, visit www.yorkpa.org/sports.
The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. The York County CVB's Vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact; and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 1-888-858-9675 or visit www.yorkpa.org.