WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — The prestigious LIV Golf tournament is expected to make a substantial economic impact in August and attract 75,000 golf enthusiasts and sports fans, generating an estimated economic impact of nearly $30 million for Westfield and the greater Indianapolis area.

Westfield Mayor Scott Willis said about the Wednesday’s announcement, “Just ecstatic! We’ve been holding this news for several months. We knew in August that we had landed this, and it’s been challenging to keep this from the public, but now that it’s announced, we couldn’t be more excited. Westfield will be on the international stage for that 3-day weekend, and I couldn’t be more excited!”

Karen Radcliff is vice president and chief strategy officer of Hamilton County Tourism, a government-funded board promoting the area. She said, “I think it’s going to be honestly more than what the city is. It’s going to be all across Hamilton County. We are currently looking for hotels that might want to become involved. We’re also looking for volunteers who might want to become involved to make this event the best it can be.”

The economic impact of the Aug. 15-17 event will extend beyond the golf course as businesses, organizations, and vendors will be encouraged to get involved. City officials emphasized that the work have begun. The Republican mayor said, “Well, it starts today! We have a lot of work to do there, and we’re not allowed to talk about it, so we’ve been chomping at the bit to get started and get those organizations engaged. But we’ve been strategizing how we are going to reach out — if not today, by sometime next week.”

As Westfield prepares to welcome the golfing elite, the city is poised to leverage this event to drive tremendous economic growth. The mayor said, “My hope is that we do a great job highlighting/showcasing our community, which will lead to businesses coming to Westfield and residents looking to Westfield as a destination, and that will take us to the next level. Usually, when you host an event like this, if you do it well, there are long-term positive impacts on your community.”

Westfield city government, he said, is working to solidify its reputation as a premier destination for sports tourism. “You know, first, we announced FIFA earlier this year, and now we’ve got LIV! It’s like what’s next!” Willis said.