Thousands expected to spend millions in region at Spring Blast soccer tourney
Mar. 12—A two-day youth soccer tournament is expected to have a nearly $2 million economic impact and draw 10,000 people to Middletown.
The Spring Blast, in its 25th year, is set for March 18-19 at Smith Park in downtown Middletown and on one field at Middletown High School, said Kathy Stites, tournament director.
She said 216 teams from Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia and Michigan have booked 990 hotel rooms from as far away as Interstate 675 in Dayton and Interstate 275 in Cincinnati.
One year, the tournament had 300 teams, but that's when it was held at Smith Park and Jacot Park in Middletown and Franklin Community Park. Stites said it's "easier" to host most of the games on the 26 fields at Smith Park.
The boys and girls range from 8 to 19 years old.
She called the Spring Blast "a great event for the community."
Stites said the Middletown Spring Blast has grown in popularity because it's one of the first tournaments of the year and out-of-state teams like playing on natural grass fields.
The games start at 8 a.m. and end around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, then continue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Stites said. Local businesses should expect a rush around noon as coaches, players and their families look for lunch options, she said.
The two concessions stands at Smith Park will be open and Brent's Smokin' Butts will have its food truck on site, according to Stites.
Jeff Payne, executive director of Downtown Middletown Inc., hopes some of those who attend the soccer tournament patronize downtown businesses. He said information about the tournament has been shared with the city of Middletown officials and local businesses.
Proceeds from the tournament are used to maintain the local soccer fields, purchase equipment and reduce player fees during the soccer season, Stites said.
The tournament has been held every year but 2020 when the Spring Blast and the Midfest Soccer Classic were cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. In the tournament's first year, when there were 60 teams, the players woke up Saturday morning to find three inches of snow covering the fields. The games continued even though players couldn't see the sidelines, Stites said.
