BETTENDORF, Iowa — With summer here, businesses across the Quad Cities are ready for more tourism.
One of the hot spots is the TBK Bank Sports Complex in Bettendorf, where more youth tournaments happen every weekend during the summer, since kids are no longer in school.
On June 9 to 11, more than 80 youth baseball teams came to the complex for the Summer Turf Frenzy tournament.
Events like this mean big opportunities for businesses in the area, like the Cambria Hotel just across the street.
"On any given weekend, especially now that it's summertime... we can see anywhere from 300 to 500 guests," Cambria Hotel general manager Ashlei Shepherd said. "On the weekends, the hotel is completely sold out whenever these tournaments are taking place."
Teams from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Missouri, Michigan and more come every weekend, according to Shepherd.
With the weekends consistently booked out by youth sports teams, that means tight turnarounds to meet the weekend rush.
"The tournaments can begin as early as 10 o'clock on a Friday morning and run until Sunday evenings with a championship game being around 5 p.m. if not later," Shepherd said.
The GM added that the magic truly happens thanks to the staff. "Without them, we would not be able to sell the amount of rooms that we sell here at the Cambria, or in any hotel for that matter," Shepherd said.
It's the same case for Twin Span Brewing, just down the street from the Cambria and TBK. "You have to work together to make a place be successful," Twin Span Brewing head chef and general manager Juan Hernandez said. "There's no way you're gonna do it by [yourself]."
Because of the size of their operation, Hernandez said catering to the youth sports tourism can be difficult. "You got a big table, I cannot get you out of here in 15 minutes [because] we cook everything fresh," he said.
Hernandez said the hard work is worth it, as their business has grown steadily since they opened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I would say 60% more, 60% to 80% more on capacity in the summer," he said.
He added that the tourism is a win for everyone, especially when businesses work to support one another. "The little shops around the street — there's a wine bar right down the street and a couple more restaurants in there," Hernandez said. "Quite cool places — they need some support in this area for sure."
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