The Patriots and other sporting events are big business for Providence

The New England Patriots galvanized fans when the team made it to the playoffs this season, but there’s something else that Rhode Islanders should be on the lookout for: all the visiting sports teams that book their stays here.  

Providence is a half hour drive from the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and visiting NFL teams tend to prefer the city’s convenient location and price point over Boston lodgings. They stay in the city's hotels, and eat in the city's restaurants. The visiting Los Angeles Chargers recently caused a stir when some players ate at Los Andes in Providence before their Jan. 11 game against the Patriots.

Besides playing a role in supporting the Patriots games, Providence has become a premiere host for regional athletic events that power tourism and drive statewide business activity each winter.  

The Rhode Island Sports Commission (RISC) projects that these events will generate $15.5 million in direct spending throughout the first quarter of 2026. From January to March, sports tourism will be responsible for more than 18,000 nightly hotel room bookings and nearly 78,000 athletes, families and fans traveling to Providence, Warwick and surrounding areas, the commission said.

“We continue to prove that Rhode Island is a powerhouse destination for sporting events of all sizes,” Jonathan Walker, executive director of RISC, said in a statement. “The next 11 weeks are packed with national youth tournaments and elite sports workshops that fill hotel rooms, energize local businesses, and bring new visitors to every corner of the state.”

Why do teams choose Providence?

For years, initiatives to stimulate tourism in Rhode Island’s urban core have been spearheaded by The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. The nonprofit group markets Providence as an attractive destination for its ample hotel and dining options, walkable downtown and notable events such as WaterFire.

The last 25 years have seen a hotel construction boom in Providence, including expansions at the Omni Providence Hotel – a go-to choice for teams competing against the Patriots.

Visiting opponents tend to fly through Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, but so do the Patriots themselves, who keep the team aircraft parked in the airport’s taxiway run-up when not in use. T.F. Green describes itself as an accessible and easy to navigate option, as well as the “official airport of the New England Patriots.”

In 2023, the Rhode Island Convention Center hosted over 700 midshipmen and midshipwomen from the U.S. Naval Academy in makeshift barracks for one night before they made their way to Gillette Stadium for the 124th annual Army-Navy football game.

In what was described as “outside the box” thinking, Providence partnered with Gillette in a successful bid to host the event that typically takes place in the Mid-Atlantic.

Sporting events help give a tourism boost in the slower winter months

According to RISC, there are 17 sporting events this season that will help stabilize hotel occupancy during the slow winter months, when leisure travel takes a hit.

“We hear every day from event organizers who choose Rhode Island because our venues are accessible and our hospitality partners deliver exceptional experiences,” said Walker. “One longtime partner now hosts seven annual volleyball events in Rhode Island.”

Among the events, two cheerleading competitions at the Rhode Island Convention Center will bring in 27,000 attendees and $5.5 million in direct spending combined.

Ice rinks bookings include a major youth hockey tournament and a local figure skating festival. Cheerleading, volleyball and basketball represent some of the other indoor sports that chose to host competitions at Rhode Island venues this year.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Patriots games and other sports events boost Providence's economy