BILLINGS Billings is gearing up for a historic weekend, with the Blue Angels returning to the skies over the Magic City and two teams in the Banana Ball League making their first appearance at Dehler Park.Both events will be he ld over the weekend, and experts say the local economy will see a big boost.Click here to learn the economic impacts: Blue Angels return to Billings alongside viral Banana Ball League in busy weekend"That's what we're calling it: The busiest weekend in Billings history," Sports Tourism Director for Visit Billings Casey Conlon said Monday afternoon. "It's just going to be an excitement that I don't think we've really ever had."The Blue Angels are taking to the skies over Billings for the first time in three years, while Dehler Park will host two teams from the Banana Ball Championship League for the first time in the venue's history. Both events expect to draw large crowds."As far as two scale events like that happening at the same time, within a mile, mile-and-a-half of each other, it's going to be pretty cool," Conlon said.Local businesses are already feeling the impact. DoubleTree General Manager Tracy Wiley said his hotel has been fully booked for months, with the property hosting much of the Blue Angels team. Wiley said he's heard similar stories at fellow hotels in town."All of the hotels that we've talked to have benefited either from the air show or the Savannah Bananas coming in," Wiley said. "I think it is probably one of the biggest weekends Billings has had in a long, long time, if ever."Previous data supports the optimism. The 2023 air show drew 25,000 attendees and generated an estimated $6 million for the local economy.Yellowstone International Air Show Board Member Greg Franks said that the show will expand visitors this year."This year, we're even making it bigger and larger," Franks said. "We're expanding it to up to about 35,000 total people coming in and out of the show."Between that increase and an expected 5,000 people per night at Dehler Park, Conlon said the economic surge for local businesses is all but guaranteed."We add more air show tickets to that and banana ball on top of it this year, and I mean millions, and millions, and millions of dollars will be spent in this community over the weekend," Conlon said.Franks added that he's excited for the community to have multiple options this weekend."It's going to be a really good chance for people in Billings to see some things that they've never seen before," Franks said.For Wiley, the weekend is about more than just one event it's a sign of things to come."I think it speaks volumes about where Billings is going for the future," Wiley said. ...read more read less