By Rebecca Carballo for The Charleston Gazette-Mail
Photo by F. Brian Ferguson
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The combination of FestivALL and the U.S. Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships proved to be a profitable one for Charleston-area businesses, including some that experienced record sales last week.
Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango said the soccer tournament, held at the Shawnee Sports Complex, in Dunbar, and the Barboursville Soccer Complex, in Cabell County, brought in about $20 million to the Kanawha Valley. This includes money spent at hotels, restaurants, convenience stores and other businesses.
Forty-one hotels were sold out to accommodate 4,500 athletes and their families, Salango said. He estimates there were 20,000 visitors to the area over the course of seven days. …
