PGA Championship Dir Jason Mengel on Thursday said that sales for hospitality venues at the '17 event at Quail Hollow Club "have been so strong that the tournament is already looking at adding more locations," according to Rick Rothacker of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. He added, "We are looking at expansion plans for hospitality venues. That's almost unheard of at this point." More than 100 companies "are expected" to host guests at the event. The hospitality options range from $40,000 for 10 tickets in the "Champions Club" to $50,000 to host 150 guests at a 17th green village. Packages include "food and beverage, preferred parking and other perks." Mengel noted that there "will be some differences" at the PGA Championship vs. the course's PGA Tour stop, "including new locations and more air conditioning because of the August time slot." PGA Championship Marketing & Promotions Manager Lauren Ries said that the tournament will "construct two of the 100-person chalets on the course, so companies can get a preview of what the locations will look like." During the event, around 200,000 fans are expected to attend, "with around 40,000 per day on the course during each of the four days of competition." Of those daily attendees, about 2,500-3,500 "will attend on hospitality tickets" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/18). Mengel also said, "We're out-pacing any PGA Championship in history by a pretty wide margin." In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg notes advertising for the '17 PGA Championship "will begin" after the Wells Fargo Championship ends this May. A local delegation will go to Baltusrol Golf Club in N.J. for this year's PGA Championship "to get a closer look at how organization there stage the tournament" (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/18 Issue).
