2024 US Open in Pinehurst expected to inject $500M to North Carolina
PINEHURST, N.C. (WTVD) -- The countdown is on to the 2024 US Open, which is returning to Moore County -- and the iconic Pinehurst No. 2 -- for the first time in a decade.
On site, large grandstands, hospitality and merchandise tents, and other tournament infrastructure are well into construction as tournament officials expect hundreds of thousands of people to descend on the town during US Open week. That includes an estimated 35,000 fans per day of golf, plus the media, traveling parties, staffers and more.
"This community, golf is so much a part of the fabric," said Reg Jones, the USGA's Managing Director for US Open Championships. "I think the comparison to St. Andrews is a really good one, because everyone here, golf is so much a part of their life and the support that we get here is just amazing."
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In total, USGA officials estimate hundreds of millions of dollars in total economic impact for the greater area.
"For the state of North Carolina it's about a $500 million impact. For this community, about $200-250 million. In this immediate community. That's huge for businesses. It brings a lot of folks here, it lifts up a lot of business and we're very proud of that," said John Bodenhamer, the USGA Chief Championships Officer.
Due to the recently implemented "anchor site" strategy implemented by the USGA, that money will keep flowing into the area. The anchor site concept means the US Open will return to Pinehurst every 5 or 6 years -- starting next in 2029 -- through at least the 2050s. Pinehurst No. 2 was the organization's first anchor site selection when launching the strategy.
On Monday, reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark paid a visit to Pinehurst as part of a trip to North Carolina for this year's Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte. He called No. 2 one of the iconic US Open venues.
"You think of the classic golf courses, and definitely Pinehurst is in that," he said. "It's one of the iconic places in golf to travel to for destination golf, I mean there's 30 golf courses in this area, so yeah, I definitely think about it a lot."
The US Open at Pinehurst officially tees off on June 13th.
