By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
An estimated 10,000 visitors from four states received a hearty Yukon welcome during a four-day Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) regional event.
Some 2,500 athletes ages 4-18 competed June 22-25 during the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Region 16 Track & Field Championship at Yukon High School’s Miller Stadium, 1777 S Yukon Parkway.
Participants and attendees came from Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas – filling hotel rooms, restaurants and stores across the Yukon area.
“It was a new experience for Yukon,” Yukon Chamber of Commerce CEO Pam Shelton said. “It was very beneficial, and we hope the return on investment will be evident soon.”
A good indication will come this August when Canadian County municipalities receive sales tax disbursements from the Oklahoma Tax Commission based on June sales.
Yukon Chamber member businesses rolled out the red carpet for the AAU spectators and participants.
“Yukon was very hospitable,” Shelton said Monday. “They praised Yukon on how much people welcomed them to town.
“They were very impressed with the city of Yukon and our facilities.”
YHS parking lots were full of vehicles during the four-day special event – and were “packed” on Friday and Saturday, Yukon’s chamber chief pointed out.
“Our chamber-member food trucks knocked it out of the park,” Shelton added. “They were very pleased.”
Several Yukon school sports organizations also reported brisk sales at their concessions stands on the event grounds.
COMPLIMENTARY OF YUKON
Bryan Daniels, sports director for Oklahoma AAU Track and Field, said the Region 16 championship featured a “full four-day schedule” with events running Thursday through Sunday.
Top finishers in nine age divisions have advanced to the AAU Junior Olympics National Championship set July 30 to Aug. 5 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Daniels worked for months with Yukon Public Schools’ Athletic Director Brian Hinson and Shelton to plan this major amateur athletic competition.
“The AAU committee and board were a great group of people to work with,” Shelton added. “They were very complimentary of the Yukon Chamber, the city and our schools.”
The Yukon Chamber enlisted businesses that were highlighted on an event map – featuring food and drink establishments, shopping and recreation venues.
The maps were passed out to attendees, who were encouraged to visit these participating merchants.
The goal was to generate economic benefits to the City of Yukon and Yukon Chamber members, Shelton noted.
Spanish Cove Retirement Village provided a shuttle bus to take AAU regional meet attendees from the YHS campus to shop at retail corridors along Main Street and Garth Brooks Boulevard.
Many visitors got to enjoy touring Yukon on this bus.
Yukon’s INTEGRIS Canadian Valley Hospital offered medical help as needed for athletes and spectators throughout the four-day track and field championship at Miller Stadium.
Yukon’s hospital staffed a medical tent with registered nurses and medics.
