Augusta looks forward to rescheduled Masters
The annual Masters Tournament would have started this week at the Augusta National Golf Club amid spring’s beauty and mild temperatures. But the COVID-19 pandemic put the kibosh on the 84th annual event and about a month ago it was postponed. The good news is the club has rescheduled the 2020 Masters for Nov. 9-15, so players and visitors will be treated to autumn foliage in place of azaleas.
Tickets will be valid on the corresponding day for which they were purchased at the originally scheduled tournament. That means a ticket for Monday, April 6, will be valid for Monday, Nov. 9. More information about tickets and refunds can be found on the club’s website.
In terms of economic impact, the rescheduled tournament offers hope for recovering some major losses. The Masters is Augusta’s largest economic event. The city’s population is around 200,000, but according to WalletHub, 250,000 people visit during Master’s week, generating a total estimated impact of $120 million. Airbnb houses typically cost $1,000 or more per night. The bulk of the metro area’s 7,000+ hotel rooms bring in an average of $1.4 million in tax revenues for April. That’s roughly three times the revenue for an average month. Some hotels earn 30% of their annual net income then. Restaurants and bars are bursting at the seams and visitors buying souvenirs keep shops busy. It’s hard to find a local business that doesn’t benefit from the tournament’s economic ripple effect, so the fact that it may take place later is heartening. (Club officials have said future plans will be based on direction from health officials.)
Unfortunately, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur golf tournament, which was to take place last week, has been canceled due to scheduling challenges with NCAA tournaments and other women’s amateur golf events. Players slated to compete in the canceled tournament will be invited back next year as long as they remain amateurs. This year’s ticket purchasers will receive refunds.
The rescheduling of the Masters gives everyone involved something to look forward to.
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