Carp Tournament ImpactsLocal Businesses

WADDINGTON - A 2005 study showed the Carp Anglers World Championship Tournament generated $462,245.16 for the local economy in approximately five days.

The returns may not be as high this time around, but organizers say the impact of the tournament on the St. Lawrence River between Massena and Ogdensburg is still significant.

Pre-registration for anglers takes place this week and fishing begins Sunday. The turnament winds down Sept. 30.

Carp Series spokeswoman Kathleen Kelly-Ori said the 2005 event drew nearly 100 teams, but this year only 65 will be competing. She said the lower turnout is due, at least in part, to the downturn in the global economy.

Despite the decrease in participants, she said area is already feeling an impact from the tournament as people from all over the world have been trickling into St. Lawrence County over the past few weeks.

Mrs. Kelly-Ori said the 2005 study was great tool for tracking the impact on the economy, but the numbers do not represent the true amount of money generated by the tournament.

"It's very hard to quantify. And the reason is we already have people up here spending money," she said.

She said members from the Holland teams arrived early in September to do scouting and enjoy the area in preparation for the tournament. Russian and Ukrainian visitors have also arrived.

"When we did the study, we really focused on the five days, but there is a lot more economic activity that occurs," she said.

Mrs. Kelly-Ori said the excitement generated by the tournament also tends to increase local carp fishing activity from anglers who do not enter the tournament.

"It's kind of a weird quirk, but what happens is, they know we bait the area, and they come out and take advantage of that. You will also see sportsmen fishing spots that pulled in the biggest fish during the tournament for several days after," she said.

While it my be hard to put a firm number on the economic impact, there seems to be agreement throughout the area that the event is a boon for local businesses.

More fishing means more purchases at local grocery stores, bait shops and gas stations. Ogdensburg Parks and Recreation Director Matthew J. Curatolo said he expects the city to be a little busier while the tournament is under way.

"We have some of the pegs right here in the city. I would think that our local stores will see some kind of an impact from the tournament. I'm sure people will be spending money on food, lodging, restaurants and fishing supplies," he said.

Mr. Curatolo said it's not just the anglers who come for the tournament. Family members and friends often travel to support the contestants, and that means even more spending at local retailers.

"We're are excited the tournament. We'll have the Dobisky Center open for the anglers so they can use our facilities," he said.

Mrs. Kelly-Ori said local feed shops have been selling corn to fisherman and hotels are seeing some of the early arrivals.

"People are already talking about it. A lot of these people are from other countries, and people notice when some one is dressed differently or has an accent. It creates a buzz," she said.

Alison M. Power, county Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman, said the success of events like the World Junior Carp Tournament and the Carp Anglers World Championship played large roles in the chamber's FISHCAP initiative, which aims to make the St. Lawrence River the fishing capital of the world.

"These events are huge for our local businesses. We've lost a lot of business up here, but this is what we have. And, if we are good about it, these resources will always be here," she said. "These tournaments are a way to showcase our community and our river."

Mrs. Kelly-Ori said the event also generates a bit of a media frenzy for the area, which helps spread the word about what the county has to offer.

"We have press coming here from the Baltimore Sun and the Associated Press. We have television crews coming from Greece. It makes you proud that we have been able to establish ourselves a one of the greatest spots for carp fishing," she said.