By Torrence Dunham | KTAR
PHOENIX — The first round of the World Baseball Classic will again be hosted in Phoenix in March, which is expected to provide even more of a boost for the area during a popular time for tourism.
Chase Field from March 11-15 will play host to the United States, Mexico, Canada, Columbia and a to-be-determined qualifier, the same teams as when the venue hosted the event in 2013 and 2006.
“We had great travel across the border, both from Canada and Mexico,” Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “We saw the impact that it had.”
“An economic impact where you can lift $30-35 million and place it into the city of Phoenix when it comes to lodging, food and cars and dining. It’s been a real big success.”
More than 100,000 fans attended the four games at Chase Field in 2013, including just over 44,200 for the United States and Mexico matchup.
Another nearly 5,000 fans attended the one game that took place at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale.
“We’ll expect to see the same sort of turnout, we think we’ll have the same sort of travel which has always been very large numbers,” Hall said.
