The Cincinnati Open is worth nearly twice as much to the local economy as previously estimated, according to a new study released ahead of the tournament's Aug. 11 start at Mason's Lindner Family Tennis Center.
A June 2026 report by Tourism Economics pegs the tournament's annual direct and indirect economic impact at more than $150 million for Warren County, the Dayton Daily News reported. That nearly doubles the $80 million impact we cited in our Aug. 2 coverage of the tournament.
"It's like we are having close to four Major League Baseball All-Star Games every year," Warren County Commissioner Dave Young said. The 2015 MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati generated $60 million to $70 million in economic impact, according to Major League Baseball estimates cited in the report.
Where the money goes
Attendance at the 2025 Cincinnati Open topped 200,000 visitors, with an estimated 65% coming from outside Warren County, according to the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Visitors came from all 50 states and 40 countries.
That's a dramatic shift. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, 85% of attendees at the then-named Western & Southern Open came from the Cincinnati area.
Phil Smith, president and CEO of the WCCVB, said the tournament drives the largest week of hotel occupancy for Warren County hotels, with visitors spilling into neighboring Butler County. Tournament spending flows into hotel and sales taxes, area restaurants, Kings Island and Lebanon's Broadway antique shopping district, according to the Tourism Economics report.
Ripple effects beyond the obvious
The tournament's reach extends to businesses most fans never see. Valley Laundry, a commercial laundry facility in Franklin owned by Eric Grassman, has held the Cincinnati Open's laundry contract for 13 years. During the 16-day event, the facility processes more than 32,500 towels and 800 bundles of player laundry.
To handle the workload, Grassman expands his operation from a 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Monday-through-Friday schedule to 5 a.m.–10 p.m., seven days a week, bringing on additional staff, often family members of current employees. His 17 full-time employees normally serve restaurants and national airlines, and the tournament fills a revenue gap when summer dining and travel business slows.
Global exposure, local payoff
Worldwide broadcast viewership rose 55.7% in 2025 to reach 89.9 million people, with 75% of that audience outside North America, according to tournament organizers. Social media content generated more than 401 million views.
Commissioner Young linked that global visibility to economic development, noting Warren County is now home to 50 international companies. He called the connection "circumstantial evidence" of a correlation between the tournament's broadcast reach and corporate investment decisions.
