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Bob Long, St. Paul Mayoral Candidate Announces Plan to Make St. Paul the Tourism Capital and "Tournament Town Year Round"

SAINT PAUL, MN - Bob Long, former city council member and candidate for mayor announced today his first of a series of tourism initiatives to bring new business to St. Paul. His announcement came on the first day of the state high school hockey tournament which just recently returned to St. Paul. Long welcomed the players and fans back to St. Paul.

"Tournament Town, Year Round would be an incredible boost to St. Paul's Economy", Bob Long said. "St. Paul has the facilities to host major tournaments in hockey, soccer, basketball, wrestling, gymnastics and baseball with the new Xcel Energy Center and the fields and gymnasiums located at our high schools, recreation centers and our many college campuses," continued Long.

Long, the chief author of St. Paul's one-half cent sales tax that financed the city's portion of the new Xcel Energy Center will work with youth athletic organizations, the Parks and Recreational Department and St. Paul schools and colleges to host year round "Capital City Classic" youth and amateur sports tournaments in basketball, wrestling and gymnastics.

"The parents and players of youth and amateur sports teams spend millions of dollars each year at out of town tournaments. St. Paul needs to begin capturing more of these tournament dollars", Long said.

"I pledge to work with the St. Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, the St. Paul School Board, private schools and our five major colleges to bring youth and amateur sport tournaments to St. Paul", said Long.

Long pointed out that according to the St. Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau, the average high school student spends $22 a day during tournaments. Adults spend about $32 per day. Over $8 million will be spent in St. Paul this year during the High School Tournaments. "These dollars will bring prosperity to large and small neighborhood businesses," said Long. "The partnership of business, youth sports and the city will be a win-win situation for both youth athletic programs and our cities economy", added Long.