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Junior Olympics gives boost to Greensboro businesses

The competition is bringing nearly 20,000 athletes from across the country to the city

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro is hosting the 56th annual Junior Olympic games for the second time since 2019. 

Nearly 20,000 junior Olympians are competing in events at the Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro Aquatic Center, NCAT University, and Wake Forest University. 

"I am very excited like I am so excited to have this opportunity," Wrestler Keira Rosenmarkle said.

Olympians like Rosenmarkle are going for the gold. 

"I think that would be the highlight of my wrestling career," Rosenmarkle said. 

The kids are competing in events like karate, swimming, gymnastics and even speed stacking. 

Greensboro Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau President Henri Fourrier says not only is it a rewarding week for the kids, it's also bringing in a lot of money for the city. 

"19,000 athletes coming in to compete for 13 days which will bring with it eight $38 million economic impact so people are eating in restaurants staying in a hotel shopping in our shops and milling around and spending a lot of money while they're here," Fourrier said.

Haley Saunders one of the managers at Stamey's BBQ across the street from the Coliseum has seen that first hand. 

"So we got an influx of people all at one time of course probably as soon as an event ended everybody was like oh Stamey's so it's never a bad thing when they come but when they come all at once it got a little flustering at first but we ended up handling it like a champ," Saunders said. 

She says it's always nice when Coliseum events bring people to the restaurant. She says it's great for local businesses like theirs. 

"It definitely helps us out getting the name around if you come when you're not from here the first thing people ask you as soon as you ask about a good barbecue place you're gonna mention us and we're just so beyond grateful for that," Saunders said. 

Saunders says Stamey's is making sure to up their staffing to deal with the influx of customers the competition will bring. The Olympics goes until Aug. 6th. 

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