Abstract Although sport tourism initiatives can boost a destination’s export base, not all communities have an equal likelihood of successfully hosting such an event. The purpose of this study is to use central place theory as a basis for understanding location features that influence the economic outcomes associated with hosting a sport event. The economic impacts generated by a tournament co-hosted by two adjacent counties in different states are analyzed. The smaller county experienced a reverse false excursionist effect, as the majority of the activities took place there, yet the larger location realized nearly double the economic impacts from the event. Local economic regions and cooperative branding are discussed in light of the findings.