Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation is sponsoring the Welcome Tent this fall at the inaugural Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic presented by Sodexo, an official PGA Tour Champions event at the Lehigh Country Club. 
The high-profile event offers LVEDC an opportunity to introduce the Lehigh Valley and what distinguishes it to a large audience, building upon a larger initiative to raise brand awareness of what the Lehigh Valley is today.
An estimated 30,000 spectators will pass through that tent on their way to watch top senior golfers compete in the three-round tournament, which will be televised in 170 countries and territories on the GOLF channel.
The tent will showcase a gallery of Lehigh Valley images taken by award-winning photographers. In addition, Lehigh Valley-branded merchandise will be distributed to the first 3,000 spectators daily between Oct. 1-4.
The tournament is expected to provide a $20 million boost to the local economy as fans gather to watch golf’s best compete on a storied course.
“The Jefferson Classic provides a good opportunity to tell the story of the Lehigh Valley to visitors drawn here to watch top-level golf at one of our iconic country clubs,” said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of LVEDC. “We want everyone who walks into the event to know that they are in the Lehigh Valley, one of America’s top places to live, visit, work, and to locate a business.”
Telling the region’s story and raising brand awareness is a key component in LVEDC’s Strategic Plan. From billboards to digital advertising campaigns, the initiative calls for expanding the adoption of the regional “Made in Lehigh Valley” branding and quality of place marketing. The campaign builds national awareness of Lehigh Valley as both a great place to do business and a great place to live, helping companies attract and retain the people who will help them compete.
LVEDC and Discover Lehigh Valley®, which promotes regional visitation, adopted shared branding three years ago to market the region in a unified way.
The PGA TOUR Champions, formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour, includes 78 golfers age 50 and older including Stewart Cink, Vijay Singh, John Daly, Justin Leonard, and Darren Clarke.
The festivities begin Sept. 28 with special events scheduled throughout the week. The Official Pro-Am will be Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The tournament play will take place Oct. 2-4.
Proceeds of the event will benefit local charities in Northeastern Pennsylvania and throughout the greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley regions, including the primary beneficiaries of the inaugural tournament, Valley Youth House, Eagles Autism Foundation, and Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation.
Lehigh Country Club is regarded as one of the top golf destinations not only in the Lehigh Valley, but in Pennsylvania. It routinely is ranked among the top courses in the state. The club moved to its current location in Lower Macungie Township in 1928, with the course designed by the renowned architect William S. Flynn.
The golf tournament is scheduled for at least the next five years and is the latest to be held in Lehigh Valley. Previously, the region hosted the U.S. Senior Open at Saucon Valley Country Club in 2022. That club also hosted the U.S. Women’s Open in 2009.
(Lehigh Country Club photo courtesy of HNS Sports Group)