BMW Tournament Drives Green to Lemont

Though the champion of this weekend's BMW Championship won't be crowned until Sunday, the golf tournament already has produced one clear-cut winner: the Village of Lemont.

With thousands of fans parading through Lemont for a week of events at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, the economic impact of playing host to a PGA Tour event is significant. For some local businesses, the week provides a major stream of revenue that carries throughout the year.

Just down the road from Cog Hill is Derby Plaza's 3 Corners Grill and Tap, 12371 Derby Road. Having been open only since March, the restaurant is expecting a significant uptick in business during tournament week and is hoping that will create long-term positive effects.

"The more people that come to Cog Hill, both as fans and golfers, the more first-time patrons and potential longtime returning customers we gain," said Kevin Metz, co-owner of 3 Corners. 

The establishment will offer food and drink specials throughout tournament week, and 3 Corners also has an agreement with the Western Golf Association to offer a $10 discount on tickets to the BMW Championship. These offers are in addition to its year-round offer of a 15 percent discount on food purchases with a greens fee receipt or scorecard from same-day rounds of golf at local courses such as Cog Hill, Ruffled Feathers, Gleneagles and Big Run.

Needless to say, 3 Corners is very golfer friendly. Come tournament time, many other Lemont business take on the same strategy. 

"The impact (of the BMW Championship) is nothing less than great," Metz said. "It's great exposure for the town of Lemont and all of its offerings."

D-Lux Budget Inn, located at the intersection of Archer Avenue and McCarthy Road, also experiences an uptick in business when the PGA comes to town. For nearly a year and a half, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this year's tournament week have been booked solid.

"The same people tend to come here every year," said hotel secretary Maria G., who declined to give her last name. "Our goal is to make people happy during their stay."

Maria mentioned that the majority of the hotel's guests during the tournament are fans and media members who can access an alternate entrance to the course just across the street. The inn recently completed an exterior renovation that included repaving the parking lot in preparation for tournament. 

As is the case for many nearby businesses, D-Lux relies on tournament week to provide a year-round boost. Hotel employees realize the importance of this week for all businesses, and try to suggest local restaurants and other destinations to curious visitors, Maria said.

According to Village Administrator Ben Wehmeier, Lemont assists Cog Hill with the logistics of the tournament, posting signs and providing police detail. New traffic patterns are in place to limit congestion, allowing both visitors and residents to move around town with limited disruptions.

"It's hard to quantify the impact of something of this magnitude," Wehmeier said. "The name recognition of the PGA provides tremendous exposure for Lemont."