The local economy got a big boost this weekend from high-school wrestlers and supporters in town for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletics Association state wrestling tournament.
Several businesses in the State Street area reported increased or doubled sales due to the tourists. Kyle Schaible, an employee at Steve and Barry's University Sportswear, 636 State St., said the store sold twice as much as it does on the average weekend.
\We had pretty good sales over these past two days and today's pretty good still, so it really helped business this weekend,"" Schaible said, adding that numerous kids in letter jackets came into the store to buy T-shirts and ""a lot of wrestling stuff.""
Maureen Malloy, a manager at Noodles and Company, 232 State St., also saw crowds in cheerleading outfits and letter jackets. Malloy said the visitors increased Noodles' normal weekend business by 10 to 15 percent.
The tourists kept employees at the Chocolate Shoppe, 468 State St., scooping twice as many cones as usual, said owner Steve Heaps.
""This time of year it helps a lot because not too many people have ice cream this time of year,"" Heaps said.
Although official numbers will not be ready until Monday, organizers said the tournament drew thousands to local hotels, shops and restaurants. The Kohl Center Events Manager Nancy Bee said the facility sold out Saturday night. The sell-out crowd is not unusual, according to Neenah High School wrestling Coach Dave McCarthy.
""This is one of the hotter high school state tournament tickets,"" he said. ""The semis and finals sold out way, way in advance.""
McCarthy brought five wrestlers to the tournament. The athletes and their friends and families took up 30 local hotel rooms, and McCarthy took the team out for three meals where he fed the kids, he said, ""as much as they can eat.""
McCarthy said his team is typical among the 560 wrestlers and thousands of fans as far as spending goes.
""We try to take the kids down [town] probably at least once,"" he said. In addition, ""The fans do a lot of shopping,"" he said.
Income from this and other Kohl Center events gives local businesses a shot in the arm, especially in years like this when the economy is poor, said Sandy Torkildson, president of the Greater Madison Business Association.
""This year has not been good for a lot of people,"" she said. ""The economy has definitely affected lots and lots of people.\
