Hot Springs Loses Sun Belt Conference Championship Hosting
By: Karoline Wightman, KARK 4 News
Updated: February 6, 2013
A big moneymaker is moving out of Central Arkansas.
The Sun Belt Conference announced it's leaving Hot Springs after this year's basketball tournament, much to the disappointment of area businesses.
Restaurants and hotel managers say during the Sun Belt Conference, people come from all over the country, filling up restaurants, packing bars, and blocking out hotel rooms.
Daniel Haynes is the manager at the Porterhouse Restaurant and says hundreds of people will take millions of their dollars away from the tourist town. "It's a big loss for Hot Springs. I will be devastating for the hotels and restaurants. A lot of people eat out, shop, and spend money on entertainment downtown during the conference so it's going to be a big impact on a lot of people."
Businesses owners say they won't be able to make up for the lost profits of having the tournament in town, so without those tourism dollars, many business owners fear the will be forced to go out of business.
The Sun Belt Conference announced it's leaving Hot Springs after this year's basketball tournament, much to the disappointment of area businesses.
Restaurants and hotel managers say during the Sun Belt Conference, people come from all over the country, filling up restaurants, packing bars, and blocking out hotel rooms.
Daniel Haynes is the manager at the Porterhouse Restaurant and says hundreds of people will take millions of their dollars away from the tourist town. "It's a big loss for Hot Springs. I will be devastating for the hotels and restaurants. A lot of people eat out, shop, and spend money on entertainment downtown during the conference so it's going to be a big impact on a lot of people."
Businesses owners say they won't be able to make up for the lost profits of having the tournament in town, so without those tourism dollars, many business owners fear the will be forced to go out of business.
Comments
Just a thought....but if a business owner in Hot Springs thinks they will go out of business in March---during the height of the Oaklawn season because the Sun Belt tournament is going away....probably doesn't have much of a business to begin with. C'mon.
Matt M.
February 6, 2013 at 12:08 pm
