GLVC Fans Fill Downtown Evansville And Area Hotels
By: Casie Mason
Updated: March 7, 2013
The Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship returns to the Tri-State today, bringing along basketball players, fans, and hopefully money. With such a large event in the area, many restaurants and even hotels are doing their best to keep up. Teams have been battling in out all day. Many in the stadium are here in support of their favorite GLVC school meaning many traveled far to get here. As fans cheer tonight, the hotels housing them are taking a breather from all the business.
Today the city of Evansville is home once again to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Basketball Tournament. College basketball teams are facing off for a tourney championship and an automatic bid to the division two tournament, but behind every slam dunk are the fans who follow in support. "So far everything is smooth. We haven't ran into any trouble with travel or hotel check in." Chasity Gouard's husband is the head coach of the University of Indianapolis, one of the teams in the tourney. She says coming to cheer on her Greyhounds has been made easy. "We actually drove in from Indianapolis last night. Check at the hotel has been great. They have taking care of us, been extremely nice, and had our room all set for us. They had little coloring books and little snacks for my daughter, so we really feel as though we've been given celebrity treatment here. It's been good," says Gouard. She has traveled to many cities to support her husband's team, and she says Evansville knows how to host. "I think the city has definitely been prepared and expected for the traffic that's been coming in for this event, and just very well prepared," says Gouard. So with all these people, how are the hotels holding up? "We only have one room available tonight," says Hampton Inn Manager Ricky Struck. Employees at the east side Hampton Inn are relieved their guests are happy. "Its a big relief for us to know they are enjoying it that much, especially being, we are so busy. You need more staff. You need lots, and lots of people. But, even with our small staff here, we've managed to make it work." With the beds made and the baskets dunked, all that is left to say is, "Good luck to the teams, and may the best one win."
Today the city of Evansville is home once again to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Basketball Tournament. College basketball teams are facing off for a tourney championship and an automatic bid to the division two tournament, but behind every slam dunk are the fans who follow in support. "So far everything is smooth. We haven't ran into any trouble with travel or hotel check in." Chasity Gouard's husband is the head coach of the University of Indianapolis, one of the teams in the tourney. She says coming to cheer on her Greyhounds has been made easy. "We actually drove in from Indianapolis last night. Check at the hotel has been great. They have taking care of us, been extremely nice, and had our room all set for us. They had little coloring books and little snacks for my daughter, so we really feel as though we've been given celebrity treatment here. It's been good," says Gouard. She has traveled to many cities to support her husband's team, and she says Evansville knows how to host. "I think the city has definitely been prepared and expected for the traffic that's been coming in for this event, and just very well prepared," says Gouard. So with all these people, how are the hotels holding up? "We only have one room available tonight," says Hampton Inn Manager Ricky Struck. Employees at the east side Hampton Inn are relieved their guests are happy. "Its a big relief for us to know they are enjoying it that much, especially being, we are so busy. You need more staff. You need lots, and lots of people. But, even with our small staff here, we've managed to make it work." With the beds made and the baskets dunked, all that is left to say is, "Good luck to the teams, and may the best one win."
