The Ontario Plowmen's Association says Chatham-Kent will have a big economic spinoff from next year's International Plowing Match.
Association President Don Priest says anywhere from $25-million to $30-million will be injected into the local economy from now until the end of September 2018.
Priest says about 100,000 people will spend money on restaurants, hotels, fuel, camping, and supplies.
"We build a city here when we're all done and it'll be 100 acres of tent city and buildings. So, it's kind of neat," says Priest.
A 150 acre piece of land at 7450 Pain Court Line was announced Thursday afternoon as the official site of the 2018 IPM from September 18-22 thanks to eight land owners.
Priest says construction of the tent city will begin in August of 2018.
The event will also have about 500 vendors and helicopter rides.
Priest says people come from all over the world to bear witness.
"This is beautiful land, nice and flat. If it stays dry we'll have a beautiful match. People travel from all over Ontario. We have people coming from the UK and people from Japan," Priest says.
Priest says 200 plowmen show up for the week.
"They come from all over Ontario and Canada and it's a big crowd. Last year, we had about 90,000. It's international and the Americans come up and plow. We have Americans from as far south as Indiana come up and plow. So, it's a world event," says Priest.
