Officials hope Senior PGA Tour event a winner for region's economy

Wade Spees

Jerry Smith (left) and Ken Fournier attach a tournament banner to the media tent for the Senior PGA Championship. This week's event will be broadcast around the world, shining a spotlight on Kiawah Island and Charleston.

Legend has it that in the mid-1990s, a man with a British accent called the front desk of the old Kiawah Island Inn from a nearby marina, asking for a ride to the golf course.

"I'm here to play the Ocean Course. I saw it on the Ryder Cup," the man told the receptionist.

The Londoner needed a ride because he had traveled by boat to the resort barrier island from Great Britain. He proceeded to play 18 holes on the storied layout before shoving off to return home, the story goes.

The tale, if it's true, shows the impact a big-time golf tournament can have on a region's tourism and economic development, sometimes even years afterward.

Many credit the 1991 Ryder Cup for helping put Kiawah on the map as a world-class golf resort and luxury residential community where million-dollar-plus home sales are routine.

Now comes another big event. The 68th Senior PGA Championship, which begins Tuesday with practice rounds, is expected to draw a crowd of golf enthusiasts who will shower area businesses with millions of dollars and once again put an international spotlight on the Charleston region.

While this week's tournament likely won't pack the same long-lasting punch as the Ryder Cup, local leaders are counting on it to raise the area's profile in a positive light and bring some lasting benefits to the region.

Exposure? Priceless

The Senior PGA tournament marks the first time South Carolina will play host to one of the so-called majors of men's professional golf, but it won't be the last. Tour officials also picked Kiawah as the site of the more prestigious PGA Championship, also at the Ocean Course, in 2012.

That's not to say the Senior PGA isn't a big deal in the golfing world, especially as the field of better-known players who made their mark on the regular PGA tour turn 50. Among the big draws is defending Senior PGA champion and South Carolina native Jay Haas.

The contest also will feature several players who competed in the 1991 Ryder Cup and are returning to test their skills at Ocean Course, rated by Golf Digest as the toughest layout in the country.

The potential for drama is not lost on the more than 200 media representatives who are expected to cover this week's event, said tournament Director Brett Sterba. They include a network crew from NBC, which will broadcast play over the weekend in 72 countries.

The images to be beamed around the globe are sure to feature Kiawah — and, by extension, Charleston — in a flattering light, as most of the TV camera stands have been set up to capture the Atlantic Ocean and other picturesque backdrops.

"That type of advertising, you just can't buy it," said Bob Rummel, an agent with Kiawah Island Real Estate.

Longtime residents are quick to point out how interest in Kiawah soared after the Ryder Cup was played nearly 16 years ago. One key reason: The tournament, dubbed the "War by the Shore," featured one of the most thrilling finishes ever, with Germany's Bernhard Langer narrowly missing a 6-foot putt on the final hole to give the U.S. team the victory. Sports commentators still talk about it.

"We saw Kiawah just explode after that both in development and land values," said Kiawah Mayor Bill Wert. "It was the single most important event in turning Kiawah into what it is today."

Schmooze factor

This week's tournament likely won't have such a dramatic impact, because the island is already so well-established, local leaders said.

But in the short run at least, visitors will likely dump millions of tourism dollars into the local economy. A College of Charleston study put tournament-related tourism spending at $23.3 million, a figure researchers called "conservative."

Down the road, the event could generate some new permanent job opportunities. The Charleston Regional Development Alliance, which promotes the region as a business destination, has invited a group of eight executives whose companies are considering bringing jobs to the Lowcountry.

David Ginn, chief executive of the alliance, said events like high-level professional golf outings give his group an opportunity to rub shoulders in person with important prospects. They also give the corporate decision-makers a chance to learn about the local market and its economy in a low-pressure, upscale setting.

Ginn wouldn't identify the executives or their companies but he said they all fit into the organization's five target industries: automotive, aerospace, security, bioscience and creative industries.

Their visit includes a stay at Kiawah's posh Sanctuary hotel. As an added measure, alliance officials have "intentionally sprinkled" the guest list with some local executives.

"It's typically not where a final business decision is made, but it allows for a lot of casual interaction with people in our community that are related to their type of industry," Ginn said.

Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com.