HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) – Southeastern Conference fans returned to Hoover for the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met bringing thousands of fans to the area.
Alabama fan Mike Wallace tells CBS 42 News he comes to the tournament every year and looks forward to socializing with other fans.
“We’re here with the LSU people we met every year,” Wallace said. “We’ve been doing it with them for ten years now. They do the Cajun food, we do the BBQ and then we switch up to try all the different flavors.”
LSU fan Jerry Gravois also attends the tournament every year and hopes it remains in Hoover.
“I’m not coming if they change it from here, I love it here,” Gravois said. “The atmosphere is beautiful out here everything is in close proximity.”
Local businesses are also benefiting from this week’s tournament. Store manager at Santos Coffee Farmers in Hoover Dorian Cade says business has been really good for their store this week.
“I think baseball tournaments is what hit us the most because they come in and get a massive amount of food a lot of coffee and they come back because it’s right down the street and we’re in a good location,” Cade said.
Others like Cak Effect in Hoover are preparing for a busy weekend with fans.
“Hopefully that will give people a chance to come by and try our new goodies like our donuts that are new our slushies and our signature chicken salad,” manager Terranisha Henderson said.
The SEC Baseball Tournament will remain in Hoover in 2024.