Elkhart County’s economy is set to receive a boost as two major swimming and diving tournaments take place at Elkhart Health & Aquatics in the coming months.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Swimming & Diving Championships will begin this week, running from Tuesday through Saturday. The GLVC is a Division II college conference with 15 schools across Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. In March, the NAIA Swimming & Diving Championships will follow, hosted by Bethel University. The NAIA consists of 241 schools from across the United States and Canada.
The events are expected to draw hundreds of competitors and their families, bringing a significant economic impact to the area. In 2023, the GLVC Championships brought in $1.1 million in revenue.
Terry Mark, executive director of the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the influx of visitors will benefit local businesses.
“So we’re talking about many hundreds of people staying in Elkhart and the surrounding area for three to four days,” Mark said. “That’s going to have a tremendous impact on our hotels and lodging properties, as well as restaurants and other businesses that serve visitors.”
In addition to the events, visitors will have access to local attractions. Mark pointed to the bureau’s website, which provides detailed information on activities, restaurants, and other points of interest.
“We have a website that’s very searchable, and it breaks it down by types of activity or other events that are going on, places to eat, or other attractions, such as museums or parks,” Mark said.
Mark says with these high-profile tournaments bringing hundreds of visitors to the area, Elkhart County is poised to see a strong economic boost this spring.
