Visit Clarksville officials are excited to announce that U.S. Specialty Sports Association, USSSA, has selected Clarksville for its Volunteer State Super NIT boys baseball tournament. Organizers anticipate 115 teams will in town for the event April 12-14, 2019.
“We are always thrilled to host new sports events, especially large-scale ones like the Super NIT,” said Visit Clarksville Board of Directors Chairman Tom Kane. “They bring so many families from across the state and region to our community. Beyond the immediate economic impact, we’re also positioning Clarksville as a great family destination when those families are ready for their next vacation or weekend getaway.”
Teams of middle school age boys will travel from Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia for this national qualifying event, with games at Civitan, RichEllen and Woodlawn Parks. Winners will advance to the organization’s Elite 32, and then potentially on to their division’s World Series.
The event, which had previously been held in Chattanooga, is expected to attract over 4,600 participants and spectators that will generate $4.1 million in spending.
“This community’s emphasis on targeted amateur sports over the past several years has reaped huge benefits,” said Montgomery County Parks & Recreation Director Jerry Allbert. “Having that many people in town, even for a short period, is a definite boost for our sales tax revenue – and that’s an economic benefit to all of us. We are so pleased to establish a relationship with USSSA for this event.”
In the past year, Clarksville hosted more than 20 competitive events in softball, soccer, cycling, football, road racing, basketball, track and field, and horseshoes. These events alone attracted more than 57,000 people and total visitor spending of $15.6 million, according to visitor spending model developed by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
Visit Clarksville Executive Director Theresa Harrington explained, “At first glance, those numbers -- $15 million -- can seem a little incredible. But when families travel, they spend money. They eat out every meal, stay in hotels, and buy gas. They almost always have free time between practices and games, so they shop and visit our attractions. Multiply that by thousands of people, or tens of thousands of people over a year, and it all adds up – in a big way.”
Also happening Clarksville April 11-13, 2019 is the Donny Everitt Baseball Classic. Nine high school teams from Tennessee and Kentucky will compete at Clarksville High School.
About Visit Clarksville
The State of Tennessee established the Clarksville-Montgomery County Tourism Commission in 1979 to positively influence tourism in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area by promoting tourist attractions, hosting conventions and group tours, and engaging in large-scale marketing efforts. In 2015, the organization adopted the Visit Clarksville brand. Visit Clarksville is governed by a nine-member board of directors and is funded by a portion of the local hotel-motel tax.