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GULFPORT
- The city is $61,000 richer today after accepting the
first of what is projected to be many monthly checks from Gulf
Islands Waterpark.
Mayor Brent Warr wore a smile from ear to ear Friday morning when
Glenn Haggerty, Gulf Islands' chief administrative officer, handed
him a check for $61,365. The money represents the $3 the park
allocated to Gulfport for each person admitted to the park during
the month of July.
Haggerty said 20,000 people visited the park between July 16, the
first day it opened, and July 31.
City officials and park owners say Gulfport's newest attraction
is a win-win for both parties.
"This will be tremendous for the city," Warr said, adding he had
not budgeted for the money. "I'm thrilled to have it."
Although the park's opening was delayed several times because of
design changes and bad weather, Haggerty said he is pleased with its
operation during the opening month.
"We've done as well as we expected," Haggerty said. "We're right
at our attendance goals."
Even a mishap involving two teens who apparently stood too close
to an underwater pipe didn't affect attendance, park officials said.
The pipe's suction grabbed their behinds and wouldn't let go until a
lifeguard intervened. The teens were treated at a hospital and
released.
The park, located on 18 acres at the Gulfport Sportsplex, will be
open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and will operate on
weekends from the day after Labor Day until the end of September.
The park will close for the winter and re-open in March, when
visitors can attend on weekends until Memorial Day, when the
seven-day schedule resumes.
Haggerty said he estimates nearly 300,000 people a year will
flock to the park. |
08/06/05
Deaf Tournament Makes Plenty Of Noise
WLOX by Brad Kessie
They warm up for a game just like any other co-ed
softball team. Some players take groundballs. Others play catch.
Dennis Barnes said his Omaha, Nebraska team has a rather simple
philosophy. "Just communicate, play defense, one, two, three, out," he
said.
Just before game time, the communication aspect of the gameplan came
from Omaha's coach. He gave a fiery pre-game pep talk that had everybody
cheering. The odd thing was, the coach never said a word. That was the
first time you noticed something was different about this game.
Moments later, a more ovious difference. When the umpires met with both
teams, nobody talked. The only sound anybody heard was a coin hitting
home plate. The coaches were all deaf. So were the umps. So they spoke
to each other through sign language and lip reading.
Players like Kristin Marinucci spoke through their smiles. "I play for
the Long Island Waves from New York, Long Island," she signed. Marinucci
lost her hearing when she was eight. But her handicap never slowed her
down. Today, she has a child, and she's one of the stars of a deaf
softball team vying for a national title. "You feel like a family here.
Everyone speaks the same language," Marinucci said.
There are a few players on each team who have hearing aids. They can
talk, thought it's often hard to understand them. For everybody else,
the crack of a bat rings across the diamond. But the players never hear
it.
During one game, an argument broke out. And it created a rather odd
scene. One team's coach questioned an umpire's call. Typically, you
would hear a lot of yelling, and a few choice words. But this was a deaf
tournament. Hands signed as fast as they could. Facial expressions
helped you understand the conversation, and the end result. But
throughout the fight, nobody made a peep.
Because they're deaf, these players enter the batter's
box with one strike already against them. So they must focus even harder
on the spin of the softball to overcome their hearing loss. According to
Rob Sellick, sight becomes their greatest softball ally. "The most
important thing is to see how they hit the ball," he said. "If they hit
the ball good, line drive, that means a good hit." Sellick admitted, "We
can hear it." And then he laughed and said, "When they hit the ball
hard, we can hear it."
Good hits often speak volumes about the makeup of a team. The loudest
bats at this tournament for the deaf left Gulfport with national crowns.
Kristin Marinucci felt like a champion regardless of a trophy. "It's
just great being deaf. I love being deaf. It's the best thing in the
world," she said with a smile. And then her co-ed team got ready for a
semifinal matchup in the National Association of the Deaf Slo-Pitch
Softball Tournament.
The tournament brought 40 teams from all over the country
to Gulfport. It was the 30th men's tournament, and the 19th co-ed event.
by Brad Kessie
Deaf softballers bring tourney to Coast
By REYN PRAVATA / SUN HERALD
Saturday, August 6, 2005 (SunHerald.com)
Championship games today at Gulfport Sportsplex
GULFPORT -
Signals have always been an integral part of
softball. That was on display in a big way Friday at the Gulfport
Sportsplex.
Forty softball teams from around the country
converged on the Coast this weekend to participate in the Mississippi
Coast National Softball Association of the Deaf Annual National
Slow-Pitch Tournament.
"I was hoping for 40 teams," said Ralph Vice, the
chairperson for the local area, through interpreter Kristin Wheatley.
"A lot of people wanted to see Mississippi and they're getting to do
that. It's good for the deaf community."
It's the 30th annual men's tournament, which
attracted 23 teams. There are 11 women's teams competing in the 19th
annual event, and six co-ed squads.
Tournament Director Vance Rewolinski had a hand in
bringing this event to the Coast.
"We're enjoying it," Rewolinski said, through an
interpreter. "I told the committee we would enjoy it here."
The tournament started with eight teams in Detroit
in 1976 and has had as many as 54. The play is top-notch, as one local
women's team found out.
The Mississippi Coast team from Gulfport fell to
two-time defending champion Los Angeles. That didn't seemed to matter,
thought, to Laura Lee Young of Gautier.
"I loved it," Young said through an interpreter.
"There's a lot of teams and I like being with the deaf people."
Young's father is on the board of directors at the
de L'Epée Deaf Center in Gulfport and was glad to see the involvement.
"(Laura) enjoys getting involved," Young said. "She
had to grow up in a hearing world, and as she gets older, she enjoys
being around more deaf people."
Although the competition is fierce, the camaraderie
is more important.
"The deaf community comes together and they love to
see each other," said Wheatley, whose husband Mickey plays for the
Jackson team.
"It's not about wins and losses, it's about getting
together."
The tournament ends today with the championship
games in the afternoon. Before the championship starts, there will be
the NSAD Hall of Fame Ceremony and afterward the NSAD Awards/Home Run
Derby.
From all signs Friday, Gulfport has passed with
flying colors as playing host for the first time to this national
event.
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Gulfport facility banks funds, recognition
jkjones@sunherald.com
The Gulfport Sportsplex has quickly become a
cash cow in South Mississippi.
The $12 million facility officially opened four
years ago to provide fields for local youth and adult baseball,
softball and soccer teams. The facility's longtime goal was to
host national tournaments to help boost the economy in South
Mississippi.
By year's end, Gulfport Leisure Services
officials anticipate that the Sportsplex will produce a financial
windfall in the area.
Officials project an economic impact of $14
million to South Mississippi, with 90 percent of that going to
Gulfport.
Business at the Sportsplex has taken off since
the City of Gulfport decided in 2003 to take over after poor
performance from Southeastern Sports Management. The Memphis,
Tenn.-based company was hired to market, manage concessions and
schedule tournaments at the complex in 2000.
"We've worked on building this thing for seven
or eight years," Director of Leisure Services George DeCoux said.
"It's come true. We've only hit the tip of the iceberg."
DeCoux doesn't mind sharing the Sportsplex's
wealth with other parts of South Mississippi.
"We spread people throughout the Coast because
so many teams compete in tournaments," he said. "Families have to
find hotel rooms in Diamondhead, Ocean Springs and Biloxi. We have
no problems spilling over in Hancock and Jackson counties. It puts
out the message on what we're trying to do with these
tournaments."
One parent told the Sun Herald that his family
spends $150 a day, plus hotel expenses, whenever they're in town
for a weekend tournament.
Hotel rooms account for 40 percent of the total,
bringing in $5.6 million. More than 3,000 motel/hotel rooms and
20,000 nights are used for the whole year.
Miscellaneous activities produce $4.9 million of
the total. Thirty-five percent is spent on items such as
souvenirs, gambling, movies and equipment.
The final $3.5 million is being spent on food,
which accounts for 35 percent of the total. Countless area
restaurants enjoy busy weekend nights whenever tournaments are in
town.
"The lady (Pam Meinzinger) who runs the outlet
mall got mad at me because they ran out of food once at their food
court," DeCoux laughed. "Whenever these tournaments come to town,
I always supply her with information. The local reaction of
business people have worked out for us."
The Sportsplex's biggest moneymaker is hosting
the regional, world series and national championships in softball
and baseball.
Those money-making tournaments are held from
July 1 to Aug. 7, producing a economic impact of $9 million.
Officials project a total event attendance of 74,255, more than
4,100 players competing and taking up 2,750 rooms during that
period.
The World Series, held July 8-17, is slated to
bring $3.376 million during that 10-day span.
"The World Series' numbers speak for
themselves," said David D'Aquilla, Department of Leisure Services
assistant director.
Teams from Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia,
Tennessee, Mississippi and Texas are expected to compete in
tournaments at the Sportsplex this year. South Mississippi
accounts for 20 percent of those squads.
"Gulfport is a very popular place for tourists
because of the casinos and beaches," DeCoux said. "We get teams
from all over."
Scheduling accommodates both the local and
national tournament officials. Local teams play at the Sportsplex
Monday through Thursday, while the national tournaments are played
on weekends.
"We have received no negative impact from our
local leagues," Sportsplex Manager Rusty Ramage said. "We prepared
the facility to be diversified. We can set any field dimensions we
want."
Added D'Aquilla: "We're getting a good
cross-section of kids and adults. We're hitting soccer, softball
and baseball." |
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Water
Park Attracts Plenty of Business
Posted Friday, March 4, 2005
By Jimmie Bell
Sun Herald
A
rainbow of water slides at Gulfport's Sportsplex is nearing
completion, and there's a good deal of excitement over what might
develop throughout the I-10/Canal Road complex.
Gulf Islands
Waterpark is speeding toward a late
May opening of its $9 million investment, which will offer a wave
pool, a lazy river and 10 acres of parking.
When finished,
the bright colors of the slide will reach the height of a 7-story
building, giving the park its own skyline.
But according
to George DeCoux, director of the city's Department of Leisure
Services, new businesses are springing up around the intersection
of Canal Road and I-10.
Only one hotel
existed there before the park arrived; now an additional motel,
two large truck stops and a dozen assorted fast food and service
station enterprises have arrived, he said.
What brings new
business to the intersection is due in large part to the 450,000
sports participants and fans that go to the park each year.
The park, now
four years old, provides nine fields, including softball and flag
football, plus four international size soccer fields. Also on the
drawing board are four more replica Little League complex fields
imitating the design of Yankee Stadium.
The park now
boasts an economic impact of $8.5 million a year, with more to
come.
Says DeCoux:
"The project still has another 125 acres purchased by the city for
future development. And with crowds of that scope, the adjacent
area just keeps on growing."
The city has
spent $12 million developing the park under three separate bond
issues. And in a
"friendly
annexation," the city acquired the acreage actually half a mile
outside its own city limits, a virtual municipal island within
Harrison County. It is accessible from Landon Road on the north
and Canal Road on the west.
So if you look
at the park as a real estate magnet, you'll be able to glimpse the
future under the rainbow.
The Gulfport
building permit office has just issued six permits to
Hyneman for construction of more than
$500,000 worth of new homes; six to great Southern Homes for
another $5 million; and three to Bayou Plantation for $250,000
valuation.
Following a
fire two weeks ago at Mountainside Southern Restaurant on U.S. 49
north of Orange Grove Road, there's now a sign that says
"reopening soon." |
Water Park Is
Coming To Sportsplex
11/15/04
by Brad Kessie , WLOX TV 13
For awhile, Gulfport administrators wondered if
a proposed water park would ever be built at the sportsplex. Those
fears have been put to rest.
The first pieces of Gulf Islands Water Park were just dropped off at a
sportsplex parking lot. And developers finally had the financing and
the permits they needed to build their water theme park.
Developers now say the $9 million water park along I-10 should open
next spring.
The Gulf Islands Water Park is supposed to bring 300,000 people a year
through the sportsplex complex. Gulfport expects it to be successful,
because of the baseball, softball and soccer teams that use the park
each year.
On this fall day, the soccer fields had to look perfect. In a matter
of hours, 600 players would be chasing soccer balls at their end of
the season jamboree.
Rusty Ramage runs the Gulfport Sportsplex.
"Our vision of the complex, from a programming standpoint, we've
exceeded those expectations," he said.
In 2003, a private company booked tournaments on these fields. This
year, Gulfport took over those duties. And leisure services director
George DeCoux had paperwork that indicated his agency did quite well.
"So it's really been a boon to us, and a real surprise." DeCoux said.
According to the leisure services director, the number of tournaments
using the Gulfport Sportsplex in 2004 doubled, from 18 to 46. And the
number of teams playing here tripled, from 424 to 1,373. And there are
already indications that more tournaments (54) and more teams (1,900)
will play here next year.
"To me, it's kind of a dream come true," DeCoux said, "not only from
the big tournament promotion type viewpoint, but also from the local
leagues playing in here from Monday through Thursday."
A box of trophies in the sportsplex office were for the local kids.
They earned the awards this fall, while they played soccer at the
Gulfport Sportsplex. According to the Gulfport Leisure Services
report, the sportsplex had 90,000 local league players, and 80,000
tournament participants.
Sportsplex finally living up
to its expectations
By
REGGIE BEEHNER
THE SUN HERALD
Posted on Fri, Oct. 31, 2003
GULFPORT
- With the city reclaiming management duties
of the Gulfport Sportsplex, local officials say they're finally
beginning to see the $12 million sports facility live up to its initial
billing.
Opened two years ago, the
Sportsplex was envisioned as a public recreational facility that also
could be contracted out to national softball and soccer tournaments,
injecting money into the local economy.
Now, after a disappointing
start, in which the city left the Sportsplex's management duties to a
private company, the city has taken back the reins and brought about
some encouraging results.
George DeCoux, city
director of leisure services, sat down with The Sun Herald to discuss
the Sportsplex and its role in Gulfport's future.
Q: Why was the
Sportsplex originally built?
A: In the mid-1990s, we
lost what was the city's only sportsplex at the time, Milner Stadium,
which had been sold to the Gulfport School District for a new school. We
knew we needed a sportsplex for local leagues, so we hired a consulting
group to conduct a study. We interviewed 33 citizens groups, such as
neighborhood swimming teams, boxing groups, Little League organizations,
trying to find out all the things they would want. We couldn't
accommodate everybody, obviously, but that's eventually what led to the
idea of the Sportsplex.
Q: What was the
original conception for the facil- ity?
A: Basically, we wanted
something Gulfport could be proud of, so we set out to design one of the
top sportsplexes in the Southeast. That way, it could be used for local
leagues, but also leave open the possibility of bringing in large
regional and national sports tournaments, which would bring some
economic impact to the city. So we bought 250 acres of land for $2.8
million, and we could probably sell that land for five times that figure
now.
Q: The Sportsplex, up
until three months ago, had been managed by Southeastern Sports
Management, a private Mem- phis-based company. Why did the city
initially opt for private management?
A: Initially, we didn't
know whether we had the expertise within our own department to (manage)
it, so we went with the private company.
But we quickly found out,
No. 1, that it was not as good a deal that we thought it was. And we
also learned that maybe we did have the expertise, after all. We were
dissatisfied with their performance, so we split (with the company) this
past September.
Q: What changes have
resulted?
A: Right now we have 58
tournaments scheduled for 2004. In the two years that the management
company ran things, they had 19 tournaments one year and 18 the next
year. So we've scheduled more tournaments in three months than they did
in two years.
Q: How did that
happen? A: We announced we were
taking it over and made contacts with a number of promoters, who do
nothing but sponsor these kinds of tournaments. Once people understood
what we were doing, we began getting calls from all over. It just
mushroomed.
Q: What sort of
economic impact will the tournaments have?
A: Sports tournaments
are a big thing. It's like Cruisin' The Coast. Some of the tournaments
bring in more than 50 teams, sometimes more than 100. That translates to
thousands of people, all of whom will stay in our hotels, eat in our
restaurants and shop at our stores. The Harrison County Tourism
Commission has a formula roughly estimating that next year's tournaments
could put about $13 million into the local economy. And that's clean
income. They spend their money and they're gone, without putting much
pressure on our local infrastructure.
Q: Why would
tournaments come to Gulfport?
A: First off, everything
we have at the Sportsplex is first class. You wouldn't believe the
quality of the grass and the buildings. The turf (drains) about eight
inches (of water) per hour. In two years, we've never had to cancel a
ballgame due to field conditions. And, second, Gulfport is a very
popular place for tourists because we have the casinos and the beaches.
And it seems to be working because we're getting tournaments from all
over, including states as far as California.
Q: What will that
mean for Gulfport's government coffers?
A: We hope to take some
of the burden off the city and make the Sportsplex partially
self-sustaining. In the long term, we hope all its operations will be
self-sustaining (meaning the city won't need to budget its annual
$250,000). And that's also the purpose of the new $7.5 million water
park (which is being built by a New Orleans-based investment group and
scheduled to open next year). I don't think (the Sportsplex) will be a
big moneymaker for the city, but it will provide the city with one of
the premier sportsplexes in the Southeast that will eventually be able
to sustain itself and not be a burden on the city.
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