HOLLAND, Mich. — The excitement was palpable at Griff's IceHouse West as the first day of the Howies Hometown Cup tournament kicked off, signaling the start of a busy hockey season. The action isn't limited to the ice; families traveling for the tournament are providing a significant economic boost to the community.
It was an early morning at the rink for coach David Heflin and his team, the Chicago Jets.
"We played two games already. It's barely two o'clock. I didn't even have to go on the ice, and I'm pretty tired, so I can only imagine how my team feels," joked Heflin. "We're finished for the day, so they will probably enjoy the pool and the arcade room at the hotel."
The team is staying at the Hampton Inn in Holland, where their presence is greatly appreciated.
"From an occupancy standpoint, it's about a quarter of our group business throughout the year. It's a big chunk for us, and it does sustain us throughout that winter period," said Nathan Suchecki, director of hotel operations at Suburban Inns.
Holland is currently in its shoulder season, the time between its busiest and quietest periods.
Suchecki added, "We've been very fortunate to have those things here, and then obviously providing a great product that once the folks come and stay with us, that they're requesting to come back year over year again. So that's great."
The economic impact goes beyond just hotels.
Jupy Honeycutt, sports marketing manager with Discover Holland, explained, "It's the ripple effect, right? So it's not just the hotels, it's also the restaurants. It's also people coming to buy something from the grocery stores. Maybe they're eating at home, or maybe they're getting new shoes or new equipment from one of the stores here in town."
Honeycutt reported that over 45,000 visitors come to Holland for tournaments at Griff's IceHouse West.
"That's an athlete, that's their families, everybody coming in," she said. "And then we have that with swimming as well, which we have a big swim presence here in Holland. So, I think between those two, we are bringing a lot of people in during the shoulder season."
With about 15 tournaments scheduled during the season, local businesses, such as family-owned Don Petrino’s Pizzeria, are preparing to feed thousands of hungry athletes.
Part-owner Fabrizio Vella said, "I don't believe there's much better than pizza when you're trying to feed a family of five, six hungry athletes. $30 maybe $50, makes them happy."
He emphasized the broader economic benefit, stating, "When you come to a mom-and-pop shop, you're not only helping directly the owners, you're also helping me send my daughters to college. You're helping me, you know, get through life. You're not helping a CEO or a president buy his third yacht. It's a family owned business. And we just, we love what we're doing here."
It's a full circle moment for Heflin, who's been contributing to Holland's economy since he was just a kid.
"If you go back far enough in the archives, I actually stayed here when I was nine years old, playing in a hockey tournament as well," Heflin recalled. "It's really good opportunity for the kids, not just to grow as hockey players, but to grow as young kids and helping each other out and getting to know each other as well."
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