NORWICH – The population in the City of Norwich will more than double this weekend as thousands of basketball fans visit for the 19th annual YMCA Gus Macker three-on-three basketball tournament.

And with that, city merchants are preparing for a welcomed boom in the local economy.

The second weekend in July, dubbed by locals as “Gus Macker weekend,” marks one of the largest event weekends in Chenango County, drawing thousands of visitors to spend money at local merchants including restaurants, gift shops, pubs and overnight accommodations.

“It’s one of the biggest weekends of the year in terms of local economic impact. It draws in nearly 11,000 visitors over the course of the weekend,” said Audrey Robinson, Commerce Chenango Director of Communications and Tourism. “When we’re able to get that many people in one place, they are going to spend money and it’s going to have an impact.”

In fact, Gus Macker has such a large economic impact that it’s comparable to wider known local events, such as the annual summertime Chenango Blues Festival or the Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival in the fall, Robinson added.

“A lot of people see the value of doing this great community activity every year. It’s been such a great success and it’s still going strong,” she said.

For small-time vendors like Susan Wood, owner of Thymely Treasures gift shop in downtown Norwich, Gus Macker weekend is a make-or-break time of year. Wood relies heavily on the influx of business from friends and family of tournament participants who are in town to cheer on their team.

“My sales this weekend are usually triple what they are on a normal weekend,” said Wood, also mentioning Colorscape Chenango and the Pumpkin Festival as other downtown events that drive in business. “These events are vital. Without them, I probably wouldn’t be able to stay open.”