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have either the tourism professional or the parks and recreation professional in attendance, but few have both—that sends a message that Valdosta and Lowndes County is serious about bringing tournaments and sporting events to our area.”
The competition is erce,
and Valdosta is vying against communities throughout Georgia and the entire Southeast for the opportunity to host tournaments.
“It is bene cial to have both of us there. George knows the ins and
outs of the facilities and I can answer questions about accommodations, tourism, and nancial assistance potential for events,” said Riddle. “Neither of us has to say, ‘I’ll get back with you on that question,’ because we are there working together.”
Page said it’s important for tournament organizers to know that they are dealing directly with the people who can make the decisions.
“Having both of us at the table allows us to make some immediate
decisions,” Riddle said. “If there is a deal to be made, we are working together to make that deal.”
Their rst trip to the NASC conference paid o . With an initial pitch to a representative with the Senior Softball Association, followed up by a site visit, Lowndes County was able to secure its rst senior softball tournament.
Mike McDowell, VLPRA chairman, explained that it is the sports tourism side of the program that allows the VLPRA to continue growing.
“Overall, it’s a winning formula,” McDowell said. “Sports tourism allows us to build and maintain top-of- the-line facilities, which brings more tournaments, more tourism dollars, and a huge economic impact. It also means superior elds and complexes for the people we serve every day—the residents of Valdosta and Lowndes County.”
The VLPRA manages 19 elds at three parks—Freedom, South Lowndes, and Vollotton—scattered throughout the
county. Thanks to a solid partnership with Valdosta State University and the Lowndes County and Valdosta City school systems, the VLPRA also has access to enough elds to host larger tournaments.
“Everyone goes above and beyond
to work together as a team to allow usage of the facilities not only
for local recreational play but for tournament play as well,” Page said. “The reason our community has become so successful in the sports tourism industry in such a short amount of time is that we are reading and learning from the same playbook. We are committed to working together without barriers.”
Located equal distance between Atlanta and Orlando, Lowndes County’s geographical location makes it a gateway to South Georgia.
“Our prime location on I-75, with access to I-10 and I-95 as well as air travel, makes us an easily accessible destination, while our superb facilities are a draw for tournament directors,” said McDowell. “We continue to
The reason our community has become so successful in the sports tourism industry in such a short amount of time is that we are reading and learning from the same playbook. We are committed to working together without barriers. - George Page
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