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DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – The wait for the 2024 Credit One Charleston Open is almost over!

Starting on Saturday, and continuing for eight more days, fans from all over will be on Daniel Island for the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America.

“I think people will be really, again, really surprised when they walk through the gates and see how much things have changed. From the beauty of the site to the activities on the site, more opportunities for shade, more opportunities to engage outside the world class tennis,” said Bob Moran, the Tournament Director for the Credit One Charleston Open.

Most of the action will be centered around the Credit One Stadium grounds, but the local hospitality industry altogether is likely to score big over the next few days.

“If you go to Daniel Island, you see the impact with the numbers of people there. So, restaurant sales, hotels, shopping, all of that come into play and it’s certainly concentrated in and around Daniel Island,” explained Doug Warner, the Executive Vice President of Explore Charleston. “So, it’s a great thing for the City of Charleston and all of the rest of the surrounding area because it is that impactful.”

Warner told News 2 there has been a 21% growth in tournament sponsorships since 2022 and a 30% growth in sponsor revenue.

“It’s an opportunity for a small business to get out here and really see a lot of people. You know, we’ll put across about 3,500 pizzas throughout the tournament and so that’s a lot of people to see,” said John Geng, the co-owner of Orlando’s Pizza.

This is the third year Orlando’s Pizza will be on site, serving up their cheese, pepperoni, and margherita pies to the spectators and players. Orlando’s Daniel Island location is not far from the stadium and has seen great turnout during the tournament in the past.

“People that are on the island that break away from the event, they’ll come down and have lunch and dinner down there throughout the week, which is wonderful for us. And we get to see a lot of people from out of town and a lot of locals as well,” Geng said. Opening weekend is also Family Weekend at the tournament.

According to the Credit One Charleston Open website, admission is free for kids 16 and under and adult tickets are $10.

Get to know Tyrek Foster '20, program and outreach coordinator for the Office of Institutional Diversity.

Name: Tyrek Foster ’20

Hometown: Gaffney, South Carolina

Education/Background: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from CofC

Job title: Program and Outreach Coordinator for Office of Institutional Diversity

How long have you worked at the College? This April will make my first year at the College.

What are your job responsibilities? I am the director of the Launchpad for Success program. I work to provide the students with different opportunities that will help ensure their success as students, and prepare students for studying abroad or an internship. I also connect with different offices and departments here on campus to support their DEI efforts and make sure they align with the College’s strategic plan.

What do you like most about your job? Being able to talk and connect with students and supporting them throughout their academic career to ensure that they are successful post-graduation

What question do you get asked most in your job and what’s your typical answer? After I share my job title with someone, I’m often asked, “So, what do you do?” And I reply, “My job consists of a lot of planning and organizing with different people. It also consists of a lot of communication and moving parts. I sit in a lot of meetings and send even more emails.”

What’s your favorite location on campus and why? My favorite location is the Eddie Ganaway Diversity Education and Resource Center. It’s a lovely little room with an amazing view. It’s filled with snacks and drinks and it’s the perfect place to get some work done or enjoy lunch with a few people.

What are your hobbies? My hobbies are going to the gym, playing golf and playing video games whenever I am too sore for the gym or golfing.

What personal and/or professional accomplishment are you most proud of? Working for my alma mater. I knew toward the end of my senior year of undergrad that I would love to work for CofC. When I was presented with the opportunity, I accepted it without any hesitation.

Name a creative work (book, movie, performance, etc.) you enjoyed recently and why? I recently have been enjoying A Real Bug’s Life on Disney+. I believe I enjoy getting to see the world amplified through the different bugs’ perspectives. It’s a great way to disconnect after a long day of work.

What was your favorite TV show growing up? My favorite TV show growing up was Everybody Hates Chris. It was a show my family and I watched together. It was one of the first shows I can remember relating to, and always loved that their family dynamic was the same as mine (mom and dad with two sons and a daughter).

What’s next on your bucket list? To fly out of the country and emerge myself in a culture I am unfamiliar with

What is something your campus colleagues would be surprised to know about you? I have so much anxiety around meeting new people and public speaking. I believe they would be surprised, because this is something I do often.

What was your first job? I was a cook for a Bojangles in my hometown. My specialty was making biscuits!

What’s your favorite Lowcountry restaurant? My favorite Lowcountry restaurant is Gail’s Soul Food. It’s the closest thing to my grandma’s Sunday dinner, and I don’t have to wait until Sunday for it!

Describe your perfect day: The perfect day for me would start with a great breakfast. This would be followed by participating in an activity outside to enjoy the weather and soak up some sun. After this, I would decompress with a nice shower and a movie or video games. Finally, I would wrap up the day with enjoying dinner with friends and their company!

To nominate a faculty or staff member to be featured in the “CofC Faces to Know” series, please send the person’s name and email address to facstaffnews@cofc.edu. Please include “CofC Faces to Know” in the email subject line.

City Lights Eastside, a restored neighborhood cafe, is set to open at 12 Line St. on April 2.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Candace Patterson, who co-owns the cafe with business partner Gregg Lambton-Carr, both of whom were part of the initial team at City Lights Coffee on Market Street. The coffee shop closed in 2021 after a successful 15-year run of serving the community.

Patterson said she loved the former space but ultimately knew its time had come to an end.

“We wanted to be in a neighborhood,” Patterson said. “Not knowing where we were going to go — we put our stuff in storage and started looking.”

At first glance, she described the building as beautiful but in a state of complete disrepair. It was a “let’s do it” moment, yet Patterson never expected it to take two years after approval to finally open.

“In some ways, having two years has been a blessing,” Patterson said. “It’s been really lucky to have all this time, because we wouldn’t have been able to do it.”

Patterson and her husband poured their heart into everything, from building furniture to sourcing antiques for the Barbie-themed bathroom, while Lambton-Carr handled back-end tasks such as costing and acquiring insurance, or anything it takes to “actually run a business.”

With much labor of love and support from friends — this once-vacant building has transformed into a dream space of theirs.

“When you walk in — the old wood, the schoolhouse light bulbs, even the marble bar — it reminds me of sitting in a cafe in Paris,” Patterson said. “I love the juxtaposition of the old world and new together.”

This mix serves as a great representation for what they’ve cultivated in the new space — blending elements from their original coffee shop into the expanded cafe, but with a broader range of choices and opportunities than before.

“We’re trying to be open to everyone,” she said. “We’re going to have regular old affordable breakfast sandwiches, bagels, a breakfast burrito and then we’re also going to have high end items.”

In partnership with Nordic Cooking, a diverse array of vegan and gluten free choices will be offered, including gluten-free bread for sandwiches. Quick grab-and-go options such as salads and acai bowls will be available, along with pastries from Mabel Mae’s Bakery and treats like croissants from Saffron Bakery.

“Come in, get something to-go, chat for a second. But when you have time, come sit down, meet people,” Patterson said.

“We have home, work and if we’re lucky enough, we have that third place that makes us feel just as comfortable as home,” she said. Patterson envisions the cafe will serve as a third space for some and become a gathering ground for the community and its neighbors, long-time residents and newcomers alike, to connect and get to know one another.

Patterson and Lambton-Carr, both artists, saw the cafe as an opportunity for the community to share their creative work. The cafe features a rotating art wall to display the work of local artists and into the night, you can expect to see performances like slam poetry and live music by local talents on the outside patio.

In addition to serving coffee, City Lights also offers a variety of teas and has its own beer and wine program. Once open in full operation, you can enjoy a coffee or mimosa with a bite to eat from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and return later for more of a beer and wine bar vibe with charcuterie options and live entertainment from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on weekdays).

“I am so proud,” Patterson said. “I think we’ve created a space that people will want to come and not leave.”

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The Credit One Charleston Open sold out its premium seating packages more than one month in advance of the tournament, which begins on Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C. on Saturday, and is pacing ahead of its general ticketing targets, according to Bob Moran, Tournament Dir & President of Beemok Sports and Entertainment. Moran said the tournament has exceeded last year’s ticket sales (which he declined to disclose) and is targeting a 10% increase; he hopes to hit that goal ahead of the weekend, adding that the event typically sees an 8-10% ticket sales bump from walk-ups.

The tournament has also seen a sponsorship bump in recent years. Two dozen sponsors are signed on for the 2024 edition, including new partners in Fifth Third Bank and supplement provider Thorne. Fifth Third is the official bank of the Beemok Capital-owned Cincinnati Open and title sponsors two WTA 125 events at LTP Mount Pleasant in March and November. Moran said all the Credit One Charleston Open’s new sponsor agreements pay at least $125,000 annually, and, depending on the deal, include elements such as courtside branding, on-site activations and commercial packages on Tennis Channel (from which Beemok buys ad inventory to package into its partnerships).

“There was a time when we would scramble to get as many partners as we could, as much as we could, just to try to hit revenue numbers. And then we pulled back from that, and under new ownership, it was, ‘OK, let’s get the right partners,’” Moran said, referencing Ben Navarro/Beemok Capital’s purchase of the event (then the Volvo Car Open) in 2018. “It may, to you, look like we’re increasing our numbers. But if you go back from 10 years to now, we’re definitely decreasing. We’re just increasing the level of investment.”

One item on the to-do list, Moran said, is finding a partner for a padel court added to the grounds this year for fan-facing demos. “I’m hoping someone like a watch partner, a timepiece partner, would see that as a good investment,” he said. (Rolex is a Cincinnati Open sponsor, but the Charleston event does not have an official timepiece).

In addition to the padel court, Beemok this year added elevated and shaded viewing areas around the practice courts and enhanced seating outside of Credit One Stadium, replacing the bleachers on the Althea Gibson Club Court and Court 3 -- which have capacities of 2,500-3,000 and about 1,000, respectively -- with chair-back seats. The latter project, completed alongside seating partner Arena Americas, represented a six-figure investment, Moran said. New food and beverage options for 2024 include a slate of Beemok Hospitality Collection properties (Charleston Grill, Sorelle, Meeting at Market, The Palmetto Café) and local flavors such as 167 Raw. Oak View Group, the tournament’s F&B operator, will also introduce the “Charleston Dog” as a new concession item and a new souvenir cup for the event’s signature cocktail in partnership with YETI.

The St. Francis de Sales Knights will face off against the West Ashley Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. St. Francis de Sales will be strutting in after a victory while West Ashley will be coming in after a loss.

St. Francis de Sales has not done well against St. John's Jesuit recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. St. Francis de Sales had just enough and edged St. John's Jesuit out 9-7.

Julien Coleman looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (he also didn't allow any walks).

At the plate, Brady Mitchey and Gabe Lisowski did most of the damage at the plate: Mitchey scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3, while Lisowski scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Derek Dzienny was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.

Meanwhile, West Ashley came up short against Lucy Beckham last Thursday and fell 9-6.

Henry Wood made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was David Stallworth, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.

Even though they lost, West Ashley was hitting in the alleys and finished the game with five doubles. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lucy Beckham only hit no.

St. Francis de Sales' win bumped their record up to 2-0. As for West Ashley, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 2-1.

Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps