Officials expect big economic impact from Dixie Youth regional tournaments

Two Dixie Youth baseball regional tournaments, with more than 20 out-of-town teams coming to Morgan City and Bayou Vista, are expected to have an economic impact of at least $180,000 on the area, according to the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau.
The bureau, also known as the St. Mary Parish Tourist Commission, worked with the Morgan City Recreation Department and the St. Mary Central Dixie Youth League to assemble the bid to host the AAA (10U) and Majors (12U) regional tournaments, Cajun Coast Executive Director Carrie Stansbury said.
Sixteen teams will compete in each of the two tournaments. A total of 384 youngsters will participate.
The AAA North and South Regionals will be played in Morgan City at Complex Park and the adjacent Cypress Park, respectively, while Majors North and South Regional action will be played at the Bayou Vista Community Center.
An estimated 374 area hotel rooms are expected to be filled by out-of-town teams, and the total economic impact is conservatively $179,498, Stansbury said.
“We do think it’s going to be a great economic impact to the parish,” Stansbury said.
Cajun Coast provided $3,000 in contributions to the two tournaments to pay for umpire fees.
Most of the teams and visitors will arrive today, and the double-elimination tournament lasts through Tuesday.
Morgan City area hotels “are pretty booked up for this week,” Stansbury said. Hotel managers are thrilled with the uptick in business “because things have been so slow,” she said.
Area restaurants and grocery stores also will benefit from the increase in out-of-town visitors, Stansbury said.
While the majority of the teams are from outside of St. Mary Parish, seven area teams will participate this weekend.
In AAA action, hosts Morgan City and St. Mary Central along with Patterson and Franklin will be in action, while, in the Majors tournament, hosts Morgan City and St. Mary Central along with Franklin will be competing.
Admission to the tournament will be $7 per day at both locations. Those ages 12 and under will be admitted free.
Tournament passes, good for the event at both places for the duration of the tournament, will be available for $30.
Seth Thomas, District 3 Dixie Youth baseball director and assistant director of the south for Dixie Youth, said preparations are going well.
“The recreation crew is working hard,” he said. “We’ve had some help as well. Community has stepped up with the tents. As it’s getting closer, some people are volunteering some time.”
While he said an event like this is always a big undertaking, Thomas said this morning that preparations are on schedule.
“We have a lot of things to do before,” he said. “We’ll be doing stuff up until it starts, and maybe even some things after it starts, but right now, we got a pretty good handle on it.”
In Morgan City, parking by the nearby public pool will be limited for those who do not arrive early at the first game, Thomas said.
However, parking also will be available in front of the nearby Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.
“We’ve encouraged people to park in front of the auditorium,” Thomas said.
At the Majors regional, the Bayou Vista Community Center and the nearby St. Mary Parish Library are the best places to park, St. Mary Central President Ronnie Ratcliff said.
North Regional action will be played on Field 2, while South Regional action will take place on Field 3.
As for preparations, Ratcliff said this afternoon perimeters to guide those where they are allowed and not allowed will be set up.
“The fields are in great shape. … The fields are pretty much ready,” Ratcliff said.
At the Bayou Vista event, a barbecue pit, donated by Brian Giroir with Tiger Island Hardware, and a three-bag crawfish boiler, donated by Stacey Kidder with Kidder Welding, will be raffled. Raffle tickets, which will be available at the Bayou Vista tournament, will be available for $10. Proceeds will benefit St. Mary Central’s baseball league.
The winners of the two regionals in each age group will advance to best two-out-of-three state championships.