wcpo
On Tuesday, the Cincinnati Open venue swapped tennis for basketball as four of Ohio's premier college programs competed in the inaugural CareSource Invitational. A temporary court was set up at the recently renovated facility, drawing more than 10,000 spectators to the outdoor exhibition.
In the opening game, the University of Cincinnati secured a 79-68 victory over Ohio State. The nightcap saw Xavier defeat Dayton 82-75.
The event gave many fans an early glimpse of their favorite teams ahead of the college basketball season, which starts next month. 'Ohio is just such a great spot for basketball talent, so this is a great step,' said Matthew Gressel, an Ohio State supporter. 'I'd like to see it come back next year with more teams.'
Beyond the matchups, the invitational aimed to raise awareness for youth mental health and suicide prevention. Organizers dedicated days to converting the tennis complex into a basketball venue.
The CareSource Invitational marks one of the first major non-tennis events at the Cincinnati Open since a $260 million renovation of the grounds. Officials view it as part of a broader vision to make the venue a year-round destination for various sports and entertainment experiences.
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Ben Baumeister, senior director of event strategy for the Cincinnati Open, emphasized the goal of creating unique and memorable events. 'How do we create events that are going to be incredibly unique and be great memories for anybody that comes here?' he said. 'Our goal is really to do events like this throughout the year. Concerts aren't off the table for us.' While future plans remain unannounced, the venue's Sporting Club and restaurant will stay open year-round as the facility expands its offerings beyond tennis.
Originally reported by wcpo.