Matthew Santoni, The Examiner
2007-05-30 07:00:00.0
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Havre de Grace, Md. -

Harford County and the city of Havre de Grace are once again gearing up for the flood of golf enthusiasts expected to attend next week’s LPGA tour event at Bulle Rock.

Planners are expecting as many as 95,000 people to attend when the top women’s golf tournament returns for its third year at the golf course at Bulle Rock, and county and city tourism officials are trying to get many of those spectators to spend their money in local hotels, restaurants and businesses.

“This being the third year, we expect things to continue to grow,” said Bridget Layton, Havre de Grace’s director of tourism.

The city will increase its shuttle service to include five stops around town, with a complete route taking about 30 minutes.

Because as many as 65 percent of the spectators come from areas within a few hours’ drive of the city, the biggest push will be persuading them to come back later in the year, she said.

“The merchants understand that the week this is held, they’ll see the increase in areas like the restaurants, but the greater impact is going to show in the months after,” Layton said.

The county made about $5 million last year from hosting the event, between selling additional hotel rooms and spending in local businesses, said Director of Economic Development James Richardson.

“We hope to surpass that this year, not just because things cost more but also through increased sales,” he said. Many of the area’s hotels are almost completely booked, he said.

County Tourism Manager Winifred Roche said the county was using a “dine-around” contest to promote local restaurants: LPGA attendees get a “scorecard” they check after patronizing establishments such as The Bayou, MacGregor’s, Laurrapin Grille or Clarence’s Taste of New Orleans.

Once a customer gets three checks on his or her scorecard, it can be entered in a drawing for a free cruise aboard the Skipjack Martha Lewis, Roche said.

All 12 participating restaurants will also donate a portion of their proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House Charities — the primary beneficiary of the LGPA tour.

The Bulle Rock Championship will be another opportunity for the county to market itself to potential new businesses and residents following federal jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Richardson said. A number of free passes to the tournament were given out at Fort Monmouth, N.J., which will transfer many of its functions to APG by 2011.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com