Sumter development (Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg: sale, 2009, hotels)

[Ceezer]

I can't find the thread now where we were talking about development in Sumter. I had mentioned before that instead of trying to compete with Cola/Florence/etc in commerce & retail and becoming just another shopping venue that maybe they should focus on the outdoors and sports. With hosting the world double-dutch competitions, the recent Dixie League World Series, and supposedly the youth league soccer world championships (whatever that's called) - not to mention the golf courses and local fishing locations - they could really find their niche and make a name/market for themselves.

I just came across this article, which only supports that idea: Softball World Series brought $880,000 to Sumter - The Item - South Carolina

Softball World Series brought $880,000 to Sumter


Fifty-two softball teams competed in the 2009 Dixie Girls Softball World Series.

S.C. Tourism Dollars

By GINA VASSELLI
Item Staff Writer
gvasselli@theitem.com

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 benefitting from that."

Close to a million dollars in one week. You know what the best thing about that week was? You hardly knew they were there. If it weren't for all the people I saw at Walmart/Taco Bell/etc wearing their team shirts, I wouldn't have even known it was going on (which is also a negative towards my on-going issue with awareness of activities in Sumter). We brought in this many people and this much money and it caused no (at least not that I could tell; it was a little busier than normal, but not crowded) burden to the people of Sumter.

We need to be doing this *every* year. We need to be *the* place to host the big sporting events.

[Woodlands]

I agree that Sumter should continue to seek to establish its "niche identity" in which it can compete with some of the surrounding areas. This event was/has an impact on the area's economy... I would be curious to know if it comes every year and if Sumter actually beat out say a Freedom Florence to get this event.

What interesting.. though not entirely suprising is why Sumter.. from the tourism/marketing aspect... has not aligned itself more with the Columbia Metro. (gasp).. not trying to offend anyone... but a Columbia-Sumter "regional-region" approach seems like it would have some merit... The benefit may be more to Sumter than to Columbia so maybe that is why there has been no interest.. not getting into the MSA census stuff.. but just from a general standpoint..there is alot of connectivity between the two cities... people commute.. shop.. I hear more people say Im going to Columbia to shop over Florence and there is not as most 'competition' between a Columbia and Sumter as there is a Sumter v Florence for obvious reasons. Granted we wont be high fiving each other like Raleigh Durham, Greenville -Spartanburg, or........Batesburg-Leesville (just had to throw that one in ) but more could be done to strengthen the connection....

Case in point.. there is not Sumter forum.. but most of the Sumter posts are in the Columbia forum...