Newsmakers: Gus Macker Basketball Tournament Returns for Second Year in Brooklyn Park
A major national 3-on-3 basketball tournament is coming back to North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park in August.
The 51-year-old outdoor tournament is for anyone age 8 and older. People can form four-member teams with their friends or family members.
Previously, it was held in Minneapolis and St. Paul before taking a five-year hiatus from Minnesota. Last year, it arrived in Brooklyn Park. Leslie Wright, the CEO of Minneapolis Northwest Tourism, said Brooklyn Park really embraced the tournament when it arrived last year.
“I don’t think anyone knew how big it was until it was there,” said Wright. “We… get the actual community involved. We advertise it to people to just come and have a good experience so they could have fun and watch basketball, or participate if they’d like!”
Last year, the Twin Cities Tournament raised $37,500 for local nonprofits. Six nonprofits benefited, including the Minnesota CHILL Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters. That helped keep the funding in the community.
“The beauty of it is most of these organizations, if not all of them, benefited youth athletics and academic reward. So, we wanted to make sure that we got our local nonprofits involved, right here in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center,” Wright said.
The event also helps the local economy; Wright said hotels and restaurants benefit from people coming to visit from across the region.
Wright said the event is largely made possible by sponsorships. There’s still room for more sponsors, volunteers and even beneficiaries. People can learn more about the tournament and sign up at Minneapolis Northwest Tourism’s website.
