ALBANY, NY - This summer, the Baseball Hall of Fame will induct Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, Ivan Rodriguez, John Schuerholz, and Bud Selig - and hundreds will travel through Albany to see it.
Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACCVB) is preparing to welcome visitors to Albany for Induction Weekend at the National Baseball Hall of Fame July 28-30, bringing more than $1.2 million in spending to the area. Because of its close proximity, and convenient access to airport and rail, Albany is a natural arrival point for baseball fans and players alike.
"With sports fans from around the world wanting to attend the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction each year, Albany is the closest gateway city to Cooperstown, with an international airport and plenty of quality hotels for Sports Travel and Tours' travelers to access easily," says Jay Smith, President of Sports Travel and Tours, the official licensed travel company of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame members are expected to return to Cooperstown to honor the Class of 2017 as well. Returning Hall of Famers include Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Cal Ripken, Dave Winfield, Wade Boggs, Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Piazza, Rod Carew, and Joe Torre.
Fans will have a chance to greet many of these players at the Albany International Airport. Each year, fans show up in droves to get a glimpse of their favorite athletes, and they're rewarded with autographs on their baseball cards, balls, and bats.
According to the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Event Impact Calculator, a tool that measures the economic value of an event and calculates its return to local taxes, the 2016 event accounted for:
• 1,415 room nights at area hotels in Albany County
• $794,973 in direct spending at hotels, transportation, business services, etc.
• $459,583 in indirect spending at gas stations, restaurants, etc.
• $57,291 in local tax revenue for Albany County
About the ACCVB:
The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. was established in 1976 to promote the civic and commercial progress of the community through increased development of conventions and tourism. ACCVB currently represents more than 300 member businesses and assists each year in hundreds of regional meetings. ACCVB also operates the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, Henry Hudson Planetarium, and the Albany International Airport Information Center. For more information, call 518-434-1217 or 800-258-3582 or visit www.albany.org.
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