Softball World Series brought $880,000 to Sumter

On July 31, 52 softball teams from 11 states descended on Sumter for the week-long 2009 Dixie Girls Softball World Series.

For the months -- and even years -- leading up to the tournament, local officials had touted the economic impact such an event would have on Sumter.

But there were several expenses Sumter County was obligated to take care of by contract with the Dixie Softball organization, like meals and lodging for the teams.

However, the county had created a fund to help take care of some of the expenses of putting on such a large tournament.

Here's a breakdown of the county's revenues and expenses and the estimated impact of the event on the community.

Expenses:

Hotels: $92,555.80

The county had to supply hotel five rooms for the 52 out-of-state teams. The county spent an average of $355.98 per room, or $1,779.91 per team for the duration of the tournament.

Merchandise: $37,435.10

The cost to make the T-shirts, caps and other paraphernalia that the county sold at the games and other events.

Concessions: $21,649.69

The hot dogs, soda and other food sold at the games. But also included in this are the two meals a day the county was required to supply for the out-of-state teams. Local businesses supplied lunch on three of the days.

Entertainment: $17,500

The events the county put on for the teams, including the laser-light show at the opening ceremony on July 31.

Programs: $11,687.22

The programs produced for the tournament, with the teams listed and a schedule.

Supplies: $9,148.52

Items like chalk for the lines and paper drinking cups supplied for the games.

Umpire expense: $9,100

30 to 35 umpires were hired for the event, giving each umpire on average $303.

Dixie Softball Awards: $6,250

The trophies and plaques given to the teams were supplied by the county.

Dixie Softball Scholarship: $5,000

The county had to give that amount of money to the Dixie Softball Scholarship Fund in order to host the tournament.

Commissioners: $200.12

For the few days that the Dixie Softball Commissioners were in Sumter, the county supplied food and in some cases hotels rooms for them.

Total: $210,526.45

Revenues:

Gate sales: $84,365

The total sale of all tickets from all of the games, including week-long passes.

Merchandise sales: $47,183

The T-shirts, caps and other paraphernalia the county sold.

Sumter County Athletic Programs Fund transfer: $40,366.45

A fund into which the county put the revenue from other smaller tournaments in anticipation of the cost of the Dixie Tournament.

Concessions: $16,612

The money the county made from the sale of hot dogs, sodas and other food at the games and events.

Sponsors: $13,500

People, businesses and organizations that donated money to the county for the tournament.

Program ads: $8,500

The ads revenue from the programs the county sold at the games and other events.

Total: $210,526.45

Estimated Economic Impact:

52 out-of-town teams
x 15 participants per team
= 780 people

780 people
x $752 (the average amount a visitor to South Carolina, in this case the friends and family of players and coaches, spends on an overnight trip, according to a 2008 S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department research report.) = $586,560 (the estimated direct economic impact)

$586,560
x 1.5 (the estimated number of times a tourism dollar turns over in a community, according to experts at several universities in North and South Carolina) = $879,840 (total indirect economic impact)

So the estimated impact on the Sumter community was $879,840, and that's not counting the hospitality and accommodations tax revenues, which have not yet been calculated.

That tax revenue will go directly into local government and will not be released for another few months.

But, even without those numbers, the estimated impact was enough to make County Administrator Bill Noonan happy.

"We are pleased that we were able to pull it off without any direct cost to the taxpayer," said Noonan. "Obviously we're very pleased with the outcome.

But, he said, the direct or indirect economic impact aside, "The value to the community in one sense is immeasurable."

"People in rural Virginia didn't know where we were. Now they know where we are and they're talking about coming back," he said. "The message they are taking back home, we will for years and years be benefiting from that."

http://www.theitem.com/article/20090904/ITNEWS01/709049951