NEW: Rhode Island to Host Major League Video Gaming National Championships

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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

GoLocalProv Features Team

Grab your joysticks, Rhode Island.

Thousands of professional video game players and spectators will pour into the Rhode Island Convention Center in November when Providence hosts the Major League Gaming (MLG) Pro Circuit National Championships November 18-20.

Not only is this just great entertainment, but it means money as well.

“This event has the potential to be a significant revenue generator for the destination,” said John Gibbons, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Commission, which secured the event. “We estimate about 1,400 hotel room nights will be consumed by competitors and others directly involved with the event. That figure does not include the many fans coming to watch the competition, demo new video games, and play against each other.”

Call of Duty: Black Ops, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Halo: Reach

The November event will close out the 8th annual MLG Pro Circuit, where the world's best video game players compete for their share of more than $1 million in prizes and stipends playing Call of Duty®: Black Ops on the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system, StarCraft® II: Wings of Liberty™ on PC, and Halo: Reach on Xbox 360. Competitions leading up to the championships are being held in Columbus, OH (June 3-5), Anaheim, CA (July 29-31), Raleigh, NC (August 26-28) and Orlando, FL (October 14-16).

“One of the reasons cited for choosing Rhode Island was our proximity to colleges and universities throughout the Northeast,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) which oversees the Sports Commission. “Our staff will be working with MLG to promote the event and attract spectators from across the region. This is a great opportunity for us to showcase the entire state to a new audience of young people."

Gamer heaven

While three massive main stages dedicated to each game will provide spectators with an optimized view of all the gameplay action, attendees will be able to do more than watch. Thousands of players and spectators can also visit an array of booths featuring meet and greets with MLG Pros, the latest products from MLG partners, pre-release access to games and more. Those that can't make it in person will be able to watch in the event in real-time at www.majorleaguegaming.com. Passes for the event will be available in October.