U.S. Open Set to Bring $140M to Bethesda Area

Montgomery County officials predict spending will generate numbers similar to last year’s open at Pebble Beach.

According to the Washington Examiner, the U.S. Open Championship is expected to bring in $140 million in spending when the world’s top golfers tee off in Bethesda this week.

The tournament, played at Congressional Country Club, is expected to sell out with a total of 250,000 spectators through next Sunday. And Montgomery County’s 10,000 hotel rooms are sold out for the entire week, although the tournament itself doesn’t kick off until Thursday and Monday marks just the beginning of practice rounds.

With tickets going for more than $100 per day and hotel prices inflated to $400 per night, the men’s national golf championship is the county’s version of the Super Bowl.

The tournament is a boon to other local businesses and workers, too. For example, Bethesda caterer Ridgewells has said it plans to hire 400 to 700 people for the tournament.

Montgomery County officials predict spending will generate numbers similar to last year’s open at Pebble Beach—roughly $74 million in direct benefit and an additional $68 million in indirect benefit, according to Kristina Ellis, spokeswoman for the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development.

Following the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional, the estimated $100 million in spending brought about $400,000 in county tax revenue and $3 million in state sales tax revenue.

Tags: Congressional CC Congressional Country Club U.S. Open U.S. Open Championship