Fort Wayne is giving a $20,000 sports development grant to the city’s tourism agency. The grant will go toward four sports tournaments, which the city estimates will bring in nearly $800,000.
One of those tournaments is the Blind Athletes National Goalball Championship. It’s the first time a Paralympic championship will be held in Fort Wayne.
Mike Mushett is the head of Turnstone, which offers services to people with disabilities in the Fort Wayne area. He says the designated Paralympic Sports Club in Turnstone is the main reason the city was chosen to host the tournament.
“I think it’s huge. It really puts us on the map,” Mushett said. “We’re in a great location to host a lot of events with our geography here at the center of the Midwest.”
Other tournaments include hockey, bowling and pickleball. The city estimates the four tournaments will bring in about 3,000 people.