COLUMBIA, TN — The City of Columbia Parks and Recreation is honored was awarded the title of 2022 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism for the Premier Girls Fastpitch Super Select Championship hosted at Ridley Sports Complex during May and June 2022. This is the 2nd year the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation has been awarded this title. This award is presented by Sports Destination Management , the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market. This year’s Champion of Economic Impact winners is responsible for contributing over $2.42 billion to the national economy over the past year.
The Premier Girls Fastpitch Super Select Championship brought in over $11 million in total economic impact. The tournaments drew in approximately 20,000 individuals for 12 days while teams traveled from all over the country.
Parks and Recreation Director Mack Reagan stated, “It is a great achievement to be recognized by Sports Destination Management as a Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism for 2022. It shows the commitment of the City of Columbia and its Parks and Recreation Department to the quality of life and economic stability of our community.”
The City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting five more similarly sized events and 80 smaller events in 2023. Ridley Sports Complex has proved to be an asset to the city by continuing to represent large sports tournaments throughout the region and beyond. The returning tournaments will result in an increase in economic impact throughout the year and years to come.
“I am so proud of our Parks & Recreation Department, once again receiving a national award for its good work in positioning Ridley Sports Complex as a leading tournament venue in the nation,” stated Mayor Chaz Molder. Molder went on to say, “These awards don’t just happen. It takes hard work. Commitment to excellence and a desire to succeed. This award is a testament to that department, its work, and all the participants in the Super Select Championship. This award also tells us something we already know – having world-class venues and facilities is important for our residents and for the economic impact that results.”
All winners of awards have been recognized in a special feature published in the November/December 2022 issue of Sports Destination Management. The entire article with full details on the winners listed below can also be found at: https://www.sportsdestinations.com/management/economics/2022-champions-economic-impact-sports-tourism-30928.
