LAFAYETTE — In the fall, volleyball and basketball championships took over Lafayette. In the spring, April showers brought May flowers for the final rounds of softball and golf.
"The really cool thing is to have everything located in Lafayette centrally located in the state", says Robert Boudreaux of the LHSAA. "The state teams can come throughout the state and come to lafayette fairly easily. It's also a large economic boost to the city of Lafayette and the Lafayette community. Staying in hotels, being in restaurants buying gas at a gas station with economic impact is insurmountable.
And why not Acadiana?
Ben Berthelot of Lafayette Travel says that Lafayette is a prime location with top notch facilities and the food may have swayed some folks to the area.
"We're very fortunate to have these wonderful facilities and people recognize that. In addition to that, they love our food, and our music and our culture. So they're coming here, it's a great time and we're very affordable.
For the "new money" coming into the area:
-Volleyball raised the most funds with about 1.1 Million
-Select boys basketball totaled $500,000
-Select softball raised $350,000
-Boys and girls golf championships raised $150,000
That's a total of 2.1 Million over a 6 month span.
"2021 we were a little bit unique. I think in our area, we had our highest year on record for hotel and motel receipts and the same thing for retail sales for the parish with the highest on record. Restaurant sales were the highest on record also, if I'm correct. So that's pretty unique to our area.
Ultimately, the economic impact and positive feedback may keep state championships in our backyard.
"Yes, a great, great town. It's it's got plenty of restaurants and plenty of hotels and the people here are just so good and so friendly", says Ruthie Dugal with the LHSAA. "I think people enjoy coming here."
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