Lodging facilities, be it bed and breakfasts or inns, are full to capacity during the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend.  Restaurants are packed with happy diners, getting their fill of the Amish cuisine for which the area has become so well known.

Holmes Country Chamber of Commerce Director Shasta Mast did some figuring based on state-wide averages and came up with some staggering numbers for the financial windfall the event has become for the county.

"While you can never figure exactly, statewide spending figures are pretty steady, and based on the number of people who came into the area over the weekend last year and stayed for the weekend, the Classic produced around $1.4 million worth of revenue," said Mast.  "That's not a bad economic impact."

And those numbers are actually based on conservative estimates by Mast, and do not include what will come back into the county in bed tax and sales tax.

Hiland's athletic booster club certainly has seen a rise in income from the proceeds received at the concession stands, and the Perry Reese fund has received an incredible boost from the proceeds of the event.  Last year the booster club raised around $7,000, plus 50/50 ticket sales in each game.

But what may not be visible to many is the secondhand benefit which goes unnoticed during seasons outside of the MLK weekend extravaganza.

Yes, it's true, the event brings in countless dollars during that weekend. but what goes unseen is the number of people who come back to the area to visit Amish Country the next summer, or year.

People like Ed Hackney, whose daughter played for Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame.

The Hackneys made the trek to Amish Country for the first time ever to watch their daughter play in the event.

They left with a positive impression of Holmes County imprinted in their minds and hearts.  Enough so that his wife, her mother and sister made a return trip this past summer to visit many of the shops and businesses they could not visit during their weekend of basketball.

"I'm sure that the event brings in 15,000 to 20,000 people or more during a time when there is no reason to be out driving around," said Hackney.  "What may not be so obvious to some is that of those thousands of people, many of them decide to return again to the charm of the area, like my wife did with her mother and sister.

"They came in June and spent three days, and if spending money is any indication of having a good time, then I'd say they left ecstatic.  I have heard of several families who have done the same thing."

All of the people who return to the area at some other point -- who have been introduced to Amish Country through these ambassadors of basketball -- bring secondary income into the county.

"Many people have been introduced to the country charm of Berlin through girls basketball, and many, like us, return to spend more time there."

One local businessman who understands this concept is Ben Mast, of Holmes County Amish Flea Market, who is the title sponsor of the event.

Mast's market is not even open during the event weekend, yet he invests his money supporting the Classic because he understands the returns which are down the road because of the massive success the event has achieved in a very short period of time.

"Bennie understands the economic impact that the Classic has on our community," said Tom Jenkins, the proprietor of the"Ohio Girls Basketball Report," who has joined forces with Hiland coach Dave Schlabach to make the weekend the success it has become.

"He has nothing at stake during that weekend, but recognizes that it has a tremendous impact on the community in introducing people to Holmes County that may not have otherwise experienced it."

The two men, along with Schlabach's staff, are ecstatic the event has become what it is, but they have no plans on resting on their laurels.  The plans are to bring in things that will make it even bigger and better, thus giving the Classic -- and Amish Country -- even more exposure to the nation.

Jenkins believes there is only one reason the event is able to function the way it does.

The parallel between the success of the Classic and the economic income growth is the success of Dave's program," said Jenkins, who moved into the area last year so he could be more hands-on for the event.

"We've brought in thousands of visitors, and dollars, during a time of what used to be a soft economy in the county.  Some area hotels are sold out that weekend.  Restaurants are packed.  Dutch Cupboard sold out of gas that weekend.  And it all mirrors the success Dave has had in his program.

"He has built his program from the ground up, creating a solid foundation.  That's the only way to make something worthwhile that will last.  Trust me, if Dave is 9-12 year after year, this event, and the income which accompanies it, would not be here."

Jenkins also said that local businesses are only beginning to recognize the financial impact the event is, and can be.  The event has more than 100 sponsors, yet so many more businesses benefit from the success of the Classic.

Schlabach agreed, stating that it has been a gradual educational process for area business owners concerning the economic impact the weekend has on the county.

"We've been able to bridge that gap between school and business," said Schlabach.  "Local businesses are asked constantly to shell out money to support the local athletic teams.  This has given us a chance to be able to give something back to the community.  It's an event that really unites the school programs with the local business people."

Of course, the success of the weekend means the pressure is on Schlabach to produce winners year after year.

Not that he needs any more motivation.

"Dave's just going to have to go to state every year," joked Jenkins.