The magical world of Hogwarts is coming to Macomb. The city was chosen over Ames, Iowa to host a regional tournament for the not-so-fictional sport of Quidditch.The Midwest Regional Quidditch Tournament is scheduled for November 21 and 22 at Veterans Park. Park District Superintendent Rachel Lenz said she found out about the league on YouTube.
“U.S. Quidditch is this real, live organization. This sport is growing and thriving and becoming an opportunity for young athletes to do something different and get engaged and involved in a team sport,” Lenz said.
Lenz teamed up with Nikki Gray of the Macomb Area Convention and Visitors Bureau in the quest to bring a tournament to the city. They said the process involved certification as well as a field inspection.
The self-proclaimed "Harry Potter nerds" hosted U.S Quidditch representatives in July as they considered cities for the event. Gray said it was that visit that ultimately led to Macomb being selected.
“They were really impressed with our facility out of Veterans Park. They were impressed with all of our community involvement and how good and connected we all are and how much we work together and promote each other together,” Gray said.
Gray noted that league representatives provided them with the potential economic impact of the tournament. Their predictions:
- 100-200 hotel room nights for athletes and officials
- 500 spectators
- $350,000 in tourism revenue
The tournament is only open to teams that are registered with the league, but attendance is free for wizards and muggles alike.
Gray and Lenz say more information will be provided during the August 17 Macomb City Council meeting and at a community Q&A session the following night.
