Toledo preparing for spotlight as Solheim Cup plans continue

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The Solheim Cup is less than 6 months away and the city is getting ready. One of the biggest events in golf is coming to Toledo and bringing star-studded concerts and thousands of people with it.

Preparations for the 17th Solheim Cup are underway in downtown Toledo. City Council’s Regional Growth, Development, and Small Business Enterprise Committee had a meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss all the details.

“We want everyone to walk away feeling like Toledo did it,” says Mona Shousher, one of the planners from ProMedica.

VIP tickets to the opening ceremony, a Friday night concert with Gwen Stefani headlining at Promenade Park, are nearly sold out. General admission is still available. The concert can fit 30,000 people.

“The previous largest concert we had was 15,000 people, and that was Diana Ross. The scale of this is double that, people-wise,” says Toledo legislative director Gretchen DeBacker.

There are already 95,000 signed up to attend the golf tournament.

As for COVID, there will be hand washing stations and sanitizer throughout, but we have no final word on masks and temperature checks. Organizers have no idea what the coronavirus situation will be like come September, but they’re preparing for multiple scenarios.

While the meeting got into the nitty-gritty details, there was a sense of excitement about what this could mean for the city. Local artists, musicians, restaurants, and venues will all be on display during the event.

“I believe downtown Toledo is a poppin’ spot, and just for this to highlight how much it’s grown, I’m excited for that,” says 4th district City Councilwoman Vanice Williams.

Council members in attendance were excited to hold more major events in the city and believe the Solheim Cup is the first step towards a new chapter in the city’s history.

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