The 2017 Toyota East-West Football All-Star Classic will be held in Clarksville, Tennessee at Austin Peay State University on Friday, December 8, 2017. The All-Star Classic is organized by the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association (TACA) and is made up of the state’s top 88 senior football players who are selected from more than 400 nominations.
“During the process of competing for the TSSAA state championship, we captured the attention of folks at TACA,” said Visit Clarksville Executive Director Theresa Harrington. “They were impressed with our presentation and with the facilities at Austin Peay. As we began talking about things the players could do during their time here in Clarksville, they became extremely impressed with the opportunity for the players to visit Fort Campbell and interact with soldiers.”
Athletes, coaches and family members will arrive on Tuesday, December 5 for daily practices prior to the Friday game, which will air on ESPN-3. Maybe most important for players, and family members, is that college coaches from multiple states will attend practice sessions throughout the week.
“This is a huge opportunity for us to have these top players see our campus and see the commitment our leadership has to our football program,” said APSU Head Football Coach Will Healy. “I played in this game as a senior, and it is truly a premier event. We are all about the type of experience the guys on the field have. We are also privileged to share this great city with them -- no other OVC site can do that.”
Harrington estimates that the event will generate over $88,000 in direct revenue to the community. This impact includes lodging, meals, gas, and other miscellaneous expenditures, which means about $13,000 new dollars in local sales tax revenue.
“Beyond the expenses that support our local tax base, the greatest benefits are showcasing the fine campus and facilities we have in Austin Peay to these senior students and having both Austin Peay and Clarksville featured on a national broadcast,” she says. “That’s priceless.”
“The City of Clarksville is proud of this community’s ability to attract the 2017 Toyota East-West All Star football game in December, and we look forward to showing our fellow Tennesseans how much Clarksville has to offer,” Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan said. “APSU’s recently redesigned and expanded Fortera Stadium will be an outstanding venue, and Clarksville has the amenities and motivation to be an excellent host. We appreciate the hard work by Visit Clarksville and APSU to bring this event to Clarksville.”
Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett concurred, “We are excited to have been chosen as the host site for the 2017 East-West All Star game! This will not be something new to us, as we have hosted several state and national championship sporting events over the years. We look forward to this event giving people from across our state an opportunity to visit Montgomery County, and for them to see what a true treasure this community is.”
About Visit Clarksville
The Clarksville-Montgomery County Tourism Commission was established by the State of Tennessee in 1979 to positively influences tourism in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area by promoting tourist attractions, hosting conventions, group tours and engaging in large-scale marketing efforts. In 2015, the organization adopted the Visit Clarksville brand. Visit Clarksville is governed by nine board of director members who are selected jointly by the City of Clarksville and Montgomery County Mayors and is funded by a portion of the local hotel-motel tax.
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