KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffSouthern Illinois Town Lands World Coon Hunting Championships
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SALEM, IL -- (KFVS) One Southern Illinois community is preparing for a sudden population spike of nearly fifty percent. The town's temporary growth centers around hunting dogs, bragging rights, and a lot of cash.
These days business at the Courtyard Coffee Shop in Salem, Illinois is slow.
"My business is down. I'm going to say 60% from September last year," Owner David Dial said.
Therefore, for small business owners like Dial any sort of boost to the cash registers is welcomed.
"Well there's going to be a bunch of extra people that got some money to spend and need a place to hang out. It will be really good for my business," Dial added.
That bunch is some 3 to 4 thousand people expected in Salem for the Professional Kennel Club World Coon Hunting Championships.
"The dog in the box is Melvin Manheim," Owner David Dia said.
Melvin is Dial's coon hunting dog. Dial is one of many helping to plan the world championships at the Marion County Fair Grounds. While it is Dials' first time to be involved with the event at home, he is no stranger to the competition.
"I've been going to Aurora, Kentucky for 20 some years. It was a great spot, we'll miss it dearly along with a lot of other people," Dial said.
However, the President and CEO of the Profession Kennel Club Roger Carnegie tells Heartland News an ice storm damaged much of the hunting area in Aurora this past winter. So they needed another site, Salem Illinois.
"Had an association with coon hunting for several years with other events. We've held the nationals for several years," Bob Haney Chairman of the Salem Tourism Board said.
Throughout the ten day event, competition hunters will go to the fair grounds. There hunters will learn their group and where they will compete in a 60-mile radius. This for some might be close to where they are staying.
"We've also had to rely on places like Centralia and Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon had 14 hotels," Haney said.
Still in a town of some 8,000 where unemployment is in the teens, more than just the hotels are bound to make some much needed extra dollars.
Organizers expect the event to bring in between two to three million dollars.
"This will be a real boost," Courtyard Coffee House owner David Dial said.
The ten-day event runs from October 22 to the 31st.
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