PGA Tour Wyndham Championship Pledges To Help Create Local Jobs

Wyndham Championship Pledges To Help Bring Jobs To Triad

The PGA Tour Wyndham Championship has “pledged some proceeds to help bring jobs to the Triad," and a group of business leaders will "meet soon to work out the details,” according to Richard Barron of the Greensboro NEWS & RECORD. Triad Charitable Golf Foundation Chair Bobby Long, whose group runs the event, and BB&T President & CEO Kelly King said that the event wants to “go beyond charities and donate money to local programs that can build jobs.” The event has earned between $300,000-400,000 annually, and Wyndham Championship BOD member Jim Melvin said that he “hopes that about half that money could go into economic development projects.” Long said that he “wants the golf championship to have a bigger impact on the region than it has in the past.” Melvin and Long said that “two priorities are helping" the Piedmont Triad Partnership "continue a work force preparedness effort after a federal grant runs out next year and, also, to promote this region worldwide.” It is “not clear whether the Piedmont Triad Partnership or some other group would handle the Wyndham’s contribution,” but Melvin said that he “isn’t interested in creating more bureaucracy than necessary.” Long added that “aerospace, high-tech science research and home furnishings offer prime opportunities for an economic revival.” Long: “We can spread the word worldwide through the golf tournament. Most communities struggle like crazy to find one project that can be a game changer and we’ve got three” (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 8/28).