FLORENCE– As part of a two-year contract, the Florence-Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the City of Florence will host the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) North Regional Softball Tournament at the Florence Sportsplex. The tournament begins on Wednesday, May 12 through Saturday, May 15.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional tournament was cancelled in 2020 and rescheduled for May 2021.
. Denise Ainsworth
Denise Ainsworth, the Assistant Director at the AHSAA, said, “The AHSAA is thrilled to be returning to the City of Florence and to its excellent softball facilities. With the first year experiencing torrential rain and the second year a shutdown due to a worldwide pandemic, it is with great expectation that we are looking forward to record crowds and great softball this year! We are very appreciative to the City of Florence and the staff of the park and of the Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau for wanting to host this event. We hope to return for other events as the need arises.”
The Florence-Lauderdale CVB and the City of Florence have partnered in hosting this event as a means of driving more visitor spending in the community, building the city’s event resume and showcasing Florence and the Sportsplex as an elite sport destination.
Tyler Dolan
“We really enjoyed having this tournament in town in 2019. We know we are going to have a lot of families and relatives in the Shoals area showing their support for their teams and athletes. It’s a great feeling anytime we have a chance to bring an event like this to our community, “said Tyler Dolan, Sales Manager of Sport and Travel Trade with the Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
With 52 teams from areas such as Fort Payne, Cullman, Huntsville and Collinsville, the North Regional tournament will have 1A through 7A schools competing for their chance to play in the State Finals.
Tina Kitchens
Tina Kitchens, Director of Parks and Recreation, said, “The Florence Parks and Recreation Department is proud to once again partner with the Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau to host the AHSAA Regional Softball Tournament this week at the Florence Sportsplex. We are expecting record crowds for this year’s event in which 52 teams will be participating. We are looking forward to some great softball games as these teams compete for a chance to advance to the state championship tournament next week”.
In 2019, the regional tournament generated 1150 room nights in Lauderdale County with an estimated $600,000.00 in economic impact for the Florence-Lauderdale community. Team rosters, on average, have 15 players with 2-3 coaches per team. With family members in tow, tournament officials estimated there were approximately 4,000 visitors who attended in 2019.
For more information, contact Tyler Dolan, Sales Manager – Sport + Travel Trade – at 256-740-9235
Media Release/Rob Carnegie
President & CEO/Florence-Lauderdale Tourism
