The Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament is a positive addition to the city and it is encouraging to see City Council members stepping up to support the new tournament organizer, Pat Smeraldo. The return of the tournament comes with a cost of $20,000 in federal ARPA funding, but it also brings economic benefits to downtown businesses and hotels. Additionally, the tournament creates a general feeling of activity in the downtown area.
However, with the tournament now on its third local host organization and in need of outside funding to continue, there are concerns about its long-term sustainability in Jamestown. It was a challenge to secure the funding for next year’s tournament, and there is uncertainty about the availability of ARPA funding in the future.
The confusion over funding for the tournament and the efforts of Council members to secure funding for the event highlight the challenges and potential limitations of bringing the tournament to Jamestown. It is clear that sustainable funding sources are needed for the tournament to continue in the long term.
If Gus Macker officials want to maintain the tournament in Jamestown, they should work with local officials to find ways to reduce costs. Without sustainable funding and a way to offset the costs, the benefits to downtown businesses may not outweigh the financial burden of hosting the tournament.