Pro Beach Volleyball Is Coming to Ocean City

Professional beach volleyball is coming to Ocean City, Maryland, to coincide with Beachfest 2009 in June.

The Mayor and City Council gave an enthusiastic OK on Tuesday night to the Association of Volleyball Professionals tournament, which will take place on the sand at Dorchester and Somerset Streets. The weekend AVP stop on the pro beach volleyball tour is moving from Wildwood, N.J., to Ocean City, Md.

The volleyball tournament will take place Thursday through Sunday, June 18-21. It is expected to attract a minimum of 5,000 spectators, and have an economic impact of $1.7 million to $1.9 million on Ocean City.

The tournament finals on the beach will be televised by ESPN, generating additional publicity for the resort. The volleyball event will be cross-promoted with Beachfest 2009 activities, already scheduled for the same weekend. Beachfest, highlighting outdoor activities including surfing and skateboarding, will take place at other locations in Ocean City, including on the beach in front of the Castle In The Sand, and at the Convention Center.

It is possible that Ocean City could become an annual stop on the AVP volleyball tour.

With pro volleyball, surfing and skateboarding, the third weekend in June is shaping up as a BIG weekend in Ocean City.