SALEM, Va. โ The City of Champions is back to hosting again after the coronavirus pandemic canceled most college sports last year.
Thursday kicked off the NCAA Division III womenโs softball championship at the Moyer Sports Complex. Eight teams and families from as far away as Texas and Wisconsin are in town for the tournament.
Itโs expected to have an economic impact of $1.3 million which city officials said is great news coming out of the shutdown.
โWe look at the teams and where they go to eat, I know Mac and Bobโs had two or three teams go by, Joeโs Deli had food delivered today and two teams went yesterday, Holiday Inn Tanglewood is full because of this event,โ Salem tourism director Carey Harveycutter said.
COVID-19 restrictions were in place Friday but will be relaxed as the Governorโs Executive Order expires. Salem hosted four championships this year, tied for the most theyโve ever hosted in a year.