The Radisson hotel off Bush River Road in Columbia is nearly at capacity as golf fans arrive for the Masters in Augusta.
COLUMBIA (WACH) - It's Masters week in Augusta and the Columbia Radisson's General Manager Matt Ricker is looking at his scorecard and liking the results.
"When people see the impact of Augusta, they start spreading out and looking for bargains, they'll start coming to Columbia," said Ricker. "We were 80 percent a couple weeks ago, but everyday we pick up more and more."
That includes Tom Hayes, who flew into Columbia from the United Kingdom this week with golf on his mind.
"What the Masters has got is magic. It's sheer magic," Hayes says. "It's a place of beauty, it's played on the same course every year."
Hayes, a veteran Masters patron, says he plans on following Phil Mickleson this year. He chose the Radisson Columbia because of its proximity to Augusta and the hotel staff's hospitality.
"The people are very nice around here, I've been here many times and I'm very privileged to have stayed at this hotel on more than one occasion," Hayes adds.
"We're right here on I-20, it takes 53 minutes to get to the border and one more mile from Washington Street and you're there."
President of the South Carolina Restaurant Hospitality Association Tom Sponseller says the state will also get a boost from upcoming events including the Heritage Golf Tournament, the Southern 500, and a tennis tournament in Charleston.
Are you attending the Masters? Are you paying attention to the game or don't you care? Leave your comments below to weigh in.
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