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COLUMBIA (WACH) - The Miss South Carolina Pageant is coming to Columbia.  City Council will spend  $25,000 from the hospitality fund to secure the pageant.

Mayor Steve Benjamin says it's well worth the investment.

"This is a marquee event, this is one that feeds into the Miss America Pageant."  Benjamin says Columbia outbid Greenville and Charleston to host the pageant.

"We expect to have thousands of room night stays as a result of it and people staying in our restaurants."