2010 Gymnastics National Championships

[The Voice of Reason]

It seems as though Hartford will be hosting a major sports event in 2010.

I do not know much about this kind of thing but I can only assume this would be an absolutely huge event for the city.

the arena will be pretty well packed I would assume for several days. the competitors as well as their families friends fans and organizers will be filling our hotels.

the streets will be filled with tiny people wearing sparkley clothes and walking around with ponytails

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-usgymnast...0,4033584.story

Very cool that this will include events at Uhart, XL, and the industry trade show at the convention center.

they say 25000 visitors. thats a very good number

[HartfordTycoon]

This is truly a huge deal for Hartford based on the article in the Courant. They will have events at the XL Center, UHart, and a convention at the Convention Center. This will be a tremendous economic boost for the region and an opportunity to improve the Hartford brand that does not come along too often.

Hartford Courant

USA Gymnastics' 2010 national championships and main world championship qualifier will be held at the XL Center in Hartford Aug. 11-14, 2010. The announcement will be made today.

The Visa Championships are a coup for Hartford, which hasn't often hosted nationally prominent sporting events.

The Davis Cup, the international tennis championship, took place in Hartford in 1987, with Boris Becker, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. The NCAA men's basketball tournament was last in town in 1998, and the women's NCAA regional was held at the Civic Center, now the XL Center, in 2004. Skate America, an international figure-skating competition, was held at the Civic Center in 2006.

"From my perspective, when I look at the number of visitors coming to Hartford for this, the TV exposure and the overall impact on the economy, this appears to be one of the biggest events Hartford has ever landed," said Chuck Steedman, senior vice president and general manager of the XL Center.

The 2009 Visa Championships, which will take place next month in Dallas, feature Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin and silver medalist Jonathan Horton.

[HartfordTycoon]

This event sounds like it will be truly massive. I'm not personally into Gymnastics but might go if the wife is interested.

Hartford Courant

The XL Center, as well as the Chase Arena at the University of Hartford, will be used for the competition, while the Connecticut Convention Center will be used for the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show

[beerbeer]

I'm curious who the driving force behind this was. You can bet it wasn't the mayor. It proves there are folks around who can get things done. It's also more vindication (if any was needed) for the Convention Center.

This is really a feather in the city's cap. Front street should be done or almost finished by next August, it would be nice it was open and inviting for this event. Now if a shop or two on Trumbull would open, we would be looking at some serious momentum.

[MadVlad]

Imagine all the people that will be eating at the rotating restaurant at the space needle.... oh, sorry.

[HartfordTycoon]

It is truly a testament to the national market potential of this area that this event has garnered its highest levels of corporate sponsorship ever with its first foray into Hartford. If the Whalers events go over well and the Colonials get some support in the market I would have to think that the NHL would be paying attention.

Hartford Business Journal

Hartford the No. 1 market all-time in generating local sponsorship revenue for the national gymnastics event.

“The response from the local business community has been unbelievable,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “We have never had this level of corporate support at our events.” USA Gymnastics has staged national championships in cities that range from Long Beach to Chicago, Jacksonville to Salt Lake City.

[MadVlad]

I got excited just reading that, but I'm insane, so...

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

Wow, there's buttloads o'people wandering around downtown..... looks (sadly) VERY unusual

[HartfordTycoon]

Wow, there's buttloads o'people wandering around downtown..... looks (sadly) VERY unusual

That's great to hear. Makes me really wish I worked downtown.

[HartfordTycoon]

Sounds like the city is really putting on a good face. I was down at my brother's last night in the Hollander Building and there was definitely a lot of people out who I could tell were here for the Championships.

Hartford Courant

"I was talking to some sponsors in town who were from Indianapolis, whose Capitol looks similar except for the gilded dome, who were remarking on how beautiful a Capitol we have," Jensen said. "I've just heard raves about the restaurants, and how many good non-chain restaurants we have in Hartford."

The only restaurant Robin Heim and her 9-year-old daughter Heather had eaten at so far was Dunkin' Donuts. They came from Brentwood, N.H., to watch the competition. She said the family has been to Hartford's suburbs lots of times, visiting close friends. She and her husband and other daughter are staying with them. "I didn't realize Hartford has as much to offer as it does," she said. While she and Heather watch the gymnasts, her husband, other daughter and their friends will go to the Connecticut Science Center on the riverfront.

Julie Brinkman, of Ulster Park, N.Y., a national judge, said she has been to Hartford many times, visiting an old college roommate and judging competitions. She's staying with a local judge. She said she hopes the championships return to Hartford in the future.

"Oh, my gosh, they've really got the red carpet out," she said. "It's been lovely."

[MadVlad]

Our Capitol is better, just sayin'...

[The Voice of Reason]

Saturday night I think after midnight I saw this on COX chanel 803 "universal sports"

watched it for a little while with wife and her friend. kinda cool to see the civiccenter like that. it was a good crowd too. the place was not full, but certainly was more than half full my the look of things.

[Hartfordfan]

Saturday night I think after midnight I saw this on COX chanel 803 "universal sports"

watched it for a little while with wife and her friend. kinda cool to see the civiccenter like that. it was a good crowd too. the place was not full, but certainly was more than half full my the look of things.

Article

They had about 11,000 saturday night.

[Luca Brasi]

Saturday night I think after midnight I saw this on COX chanel 803 "universal sports"

watched it for a little while with wife and her friend. kinda cool to see the civiccenter like that. it was a good crowd too. the place was not full, but certainly was more than half full my the look of things.

It was shown on ESPN yesterday afternoon as well. I turned on the TV, went into the kitchen and heard "...we are back in Hartford Connecticut"