Drawing out crowds – and dollars

As I stood by the counter after waiting in a longer-than-normal line at my go-to local coffee shop in East Lake, I overheard the busy staff discussing how the business had already made double what they normally would on a typical Sunday. It was only 11 a.m., but clearly PERC Coffee, located at the intersection of Hosea William Drive NE and Second Avenue, had been serving a steady stream of customers all morning. 

The Sunday I’m describing took place during the TOUR Championship, the final event of the four-tournament FedEx Cup Playoffs, when anyone anywhere near East Lake Golf Club is bound to see fans dressed in polo shirts and khaki shorts, traveling from all over to watch the action in person. 

Those fans traveling to East Lake are not just spending all their time and money on the golf course, of course. They were out and about patronizing PERC Coffee and a slew of other local restaurants, retailers and more.  

It is clear that sporting events draw out crowds. Folks flocking to cheer on their favorite player on the green or joining other fans to watch a World Cup soccer match means more dollars for local businesses. 

I’m no golf fanatic, but I am saddened by the recent announcement that, after 23 years, the tradition of teeing off at East Lake Golf Club annually is set to come to end as PGA TOUR officials plan to rotate the TOUR Championship among several different courses beginning in 2028. 

I hope the absence of such a major event will not impact surrounding businesses negatively. Perhaps Fulton and DeKalb Counties can work together to try and draw in more sporting events – and revenue- in the East Lake area and beyond.