MASON, Ohio — One of the biggest tennis tournaments in the country is staying in Southwest Ohio. And not only did organizers of the Western & Southern Open opt to stay in Mason instead of relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina, they’re also expanding the tournament.

Buffalo Wings and Rings in Mason is a go to spot for locals, especially when it comes to watching sporting events. Manager Marco Baraza said the location has a lot to do with it. 

“We have Kings Island, Great Wolf Lodge and the tennis helps a lot,” said Baraza.

And it’s even busier during the summer, thanks to the Western and Southern U.S. Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Every year hundreds of thousands of people come out to Mason to watch some of the world’s best athletes go head to head on the tennis court. That means more money for restaurants like Buffalo Wings and Rings. 

“Twenty-five percent more business than the normal business, so that way for sure it helps us a lot,” he said.

Baraza expects it to be even busier next year. After 44 years at the Lindner Center, and nearly 125 years in the Greater Cincinnati region, organizers signed a deal to keep it here for at least another 25 years. And starting in 2025, the tournament will be extended from 10 days to two weeks.

“My boss called me and told me the good news about them extending it another two weeks, so I was like that’s great,” he said.

City officials said the tournament in its current format brings in upwards of $80 million to the local economy every year. They expect it will only grow when the tournament gets longer. It’s something that already has business managers like Baraza planning for the future.

“Now we have to refocus about what we’re going to do now,” he said. “We have another two weeks and we have to be prepared for those as well.”

It’s a team effort, and he said it’ll take all hands on deck to make sure they’re prepared for next year’s rush.