Less than a month ago, the Carolina Women's Billiard Classic event was in doubt but according to the tournament's host, PrimeQuest Association, this event will be held at the Gateway Convention Center in Rocky Mount, NC on Feb. 21-25, 2007.
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http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/09/14/06/pooltournament.html
Gateway center to host pool tourney
By John Ramsey
Rocky Mount Telegram
Thursday, September 14, 2006
The Carolina Women's Billiard Classic will move to the Gateway Convention Center in Rocky Mount in 2007.
PrimeQuest Association – the tournament's host – announced Wednesday that the Women's Professional Billiard Association's first major tournament of 2007 will take place inside the city, switching venues from the previous two years, when it was held at Nash Community College.
"Now that we know it can be at Gateway, it's a win-win for Rocky Mount," said Jimmie Hinton, president of the PrimeQuest board of directors. "We would really like to thank Nash Community College for their cooperation in the past.
"The Gateway Convention Center lies within walking distance of restaurants and about 600 hotel rooms, which should increase walk-in traffic for the tournament, which will be held Feb. 21-25, Hinton said.
Because of the center's size, the seating capacity for the tournament will drop from 800 to 900 people per session to between 500 and 540 people per session. But last year the event did not fill up Nash Community College.
ESPN televises the final rounds of the tournament, which means great publicity for Rocky Mount, said Eddie Baysden, chief executive of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce. Baysden said the publicity from the tournament, which attracts the top women players from around the world, may work to promote the city the way that the Atlantic Coast Conference Golf Tournament did during the 1980s and 1990s when it was held at Northgreen Country Club.
"For some time, we have sought a branding special event that would keep the name of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in the national spotlight," he said.
Less than a month ago, the tournament's future in Rocky Mount was in doubt.
PrimeQuest had raised less than half of the $50,000 hosting fee for the event, and lost $100,000 off the tournament during the last two years.
But a $20,000 grant from the Nash County Tourism Development Authority, matched by $20,000 from the Community Foundation, helped secure the tournament's place in Rocky Mount in 2007.
"Now that we've secured the bulk of the finance, now we've got to get out and really sell the event to the community," said PrimeQuest board member Bill Lehnes, owner of Chick-fil-A at Cobb Corners. "We're going to have folks out knocking on the business community's door."
The tournament is secure in Rocky Mount for 2007, and for as long as PrimeQuest fulfills its obligations to the WPBA, Hinton said.
If the community steps up to support the tournament and makes it financially viable, it will be in Rocky Mount for many years to come, Hinton said.
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http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/09/14/06/pooltournament.html
Gateway center to host pool tourney
By John Ramsey
Rocky Mount Telegram
Thursday, September 14, 2006
The Carolina Women's Billiard Classic will move to the Gateway Convention Center in Rocky Mount in 2007.
PrimeQuest Association – the tournament's host – announced Wednesday that the Women's Professional Billiard Association's first major tournament of 2007 will take place inside the city, switching venues from the previous two years, when it was held at Nash Community College.
"Now that we know it can be at Gateway, it's a win-win for Rocky Mount," said Jimmie Hinton, president of the PrimeQuest board of directors. "We would really like to thank Nash Community College for their cooperation in the past.
"The Gateway Convention Center lies within walking distance of restaurants and about 600 hotel rooms, which should increase walk-in traffic for the tournament, which will be held Feb. 21-25, Hinton said.
Because of the center's size, the seating capacity for the tournament will drop from 800 to 900 people per session to between 500 and 540 people per session. But last year the event did not fill up Nash Community College.
ESPN televises the final rounds of the tournament, which means great publicity for Rocky Mount, said Eddie Baysden, chief executive of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce. Baysden said the publicity from the tournament, which attracts the top women players from around the world, may work to promote the city the way that the Atlantic Coast Conference Golf Tournament did during the 1980s and 1990s when it was held at Northgreen Country Club.
"For some time, we have sought a branding special event that would keep the name of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in the national spotlight," he said.
Less than a month ago, the tournament's future in Rocky Mount was in doubt.
PrimeQuest had raised less than half of the $50,000 hosting fee for the event, and lost $100,000 off the tournament during the last two years.
But a $20,000 grant from the Nash County Tourism Development Authority, matched by $20,000 from the Community Foundation, helped secure the tournament's place in Rocky Mount in 2007.
"Now that we've secured the bulk of the finance, now we've got to get out and really sell the event to the community," said PrimeQuest board member Bill Lehnes, owner of Chick-fil-A at Cobb Corners. "We're going to have folks out knocking on the business community's door."
The tournament is secure in Rocky Mount for 2007, and for as long as PrimeQuest fulfills its obligations to the WPBA, Hinton said.
If the community steps up to support the tournament and makes it financially viable, it will be in Rocky Mount for many years to come, Hinton said.
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