Tuesday morning, a dozen staffers at the Bogey Inn were busy dragging around tables and chairs, setting up cash registers, and making other last-minute preparations on the bar鈥檚 sprawling backyard.
Last year鈥檚 tournament went ahead without fans and Bogey鈥檚 General Manager Mark Dombek thinks that hiatus might prompt an even bigger turnout than usual.
鈥淔riday and Saturday we鈥檒l usually have anywhere between 4.000 to 6,000, sometimes 7,000 people in here at a time,鈥� Dombek said. 鈥淚 think this year鈥檚鈥攚ell, we hope鈥攊s going to be a little intensified just because it鈥檚 been weird this last 14 months. I just think that people are ready to go, ready for a big party.鈥�
He doesn鈥檛 have to look far for an example of their expanded preparations.
鈥淭he whole tent in the parking lot鈥攗sually we use that for parking,鈥� he explained. 鈥淔ridays and Saturdays between five and midnight, it鈥檚 hard to move, it鈥檚 that busy. So we鈥檙e hoping this creates some more space in case we do get a little bit more influx of people this year.鈥�
Last month tournament organizers announced they鈥檇 sell weekly passes to people on their waitlist. Depending on the response, they expect they鈥檒l see between 50 and 75 percent of their typical capacity.
Spectators who are fully vaccinated will able to move freely without a mask, but organizers want those who are not vaccinated to wear a mask indoors or when they can鈥檛 maintain distance. The memorial website says they鈥檒l provide masks for those who don鈥檛 have them.
The tournament is also teaming up with OhioHealth to provide vaccinations on-site Friday through Sunday.
After a year marked by capacity restrictions, cancellations or delays for big events in the area, Dombek hopes the Memorial will provide a shot in the arm for local businesses.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very big event to help inject some capital into the local economy for small businesses,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a real big thing that was missed last year as well as other big events like the Arnold and the Irish Fest, but this is up there with them, and we鈥檙e sure looking forward to it this year.鈥�
