Baseball could score area big bucks

Morganton conducts impact study on Little League profits

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: October 13, 2008

Morganton --

City officials estimate that if Morganton is selected as the southeast regional headquarters for Little League, it could have a $5.1 million economic impact annually.
The city used an economic impact study based on numbers from the 2005 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. and a similar study from Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.
According to Morganton's impact study, 18,906 visitors would come to the area each year. They would include ESPN crews, players and coaches and spectators for tournaments. It also includes those attending baseball camps, organizational meetings and training clinics.
Of those who would visit Morganton connected to Little League, about 4,025 a year would be people in town for only one day. A group of four would spend about $83.78. Those just visiting for a day would bring in $82,248 annually, it is estimated.
The largest number of visitors for an event — an estimated 13,475 — would spend a minimum of four days in the area, with a group of three people spending about $69 a day. That would equal nearly $4.2 million a year, according to the study.
Some of that would go to surrounding counties because of a lack of hotels in Morganton and the county.
Gary Leonhardt, director of parks and recreation for the city, said Little League looks at a 20-mile radius when it considers a location. Within that area, there are enough hotel rooms, he said.
He pointed to Williamsport, Pa., where the Little League World Series is held every year. When Morganton played in the World Series in 2004, its delegation of supporters stayed about 17 miles away from Williamsport, Leonhardt said.
Leonhardt estimates that those staying more than one day would mean about three people to a hotel room, staying a minimum of four days.
Part of the economic impact would be generated from occupancy taxes from hotel room rentals.
Burke County's occupancy tax is 6 percent. The tax was increased last year from 3 percent, said Rosemary Niewold, director of Burke County Travel and Tourism.
Of the 6 percent, 3 percent goes to travel and tourism and Burke Partnership for Economic Development. The remaining 3 percent is divided — based on a percentage — between the city of Morganton, town of Valdese and travel and tourism, Niewold said.