While the games begin Wednesday, with an opening ceremony beginning around 10 a.m., a reception for the teams will be held Tuesday evening at the Roanoke Rapids Theatre, event organizers said during a planning meeting today.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to showcase the city and its spirit of volunteerism,” City Manager Joseph Scherer said prior to the meeting.
Scherer sees both a short-term economic impact and a vehicle to showcase what the city has to offer with the potential to hold further events in the future.
At the Tuesday theater reception, which begins at 6 p.m., teams will receive special gift bags and an Instagram booth will be set up where players can pose with a backdrop of the tournament logo, said Lori Medlin, president and CEO of the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
There is still time for businesses to donate coupons for the bags, she said, as well as offer special menu items as david’s is doing, she said. Those interested in donating, creating a special menu or getting a banner to show support for the tournament may call Medlin or Ginny Lewis at 252-535-1687.
Medlin said once the tournament is completed she and Roanoke Rapids Youth Baseball Association President Todd Lockamon will crunch numbers to determine the financial impact of the event. “We’re excited to showcase the Roanoke Valley,” she said. “We’re hoping it will lead to more and more events.”
As it stood today, 13 teams will participate in the tournament — seven from North Carolina and three each from Florida and Virginia, Lockamon said. Roanoke Rapids will have a team participating in the tournament.
Brackets are expected to be finalized Friday, Lockamon said.
As the tournament, which is expected to run through either next Saturday or Sunday nears, the reception at the theater Tuesday includes not only a 6 p.m. barbecue dinner prepared by Scott Hall but a screening of the movie The Sandlot at 7:30 p.m., Lockamon said.
He anticipates the Wednesday opening ceremony to begin around 10 a.m. at Ledgerwood, which includes honoring Dicey King, who will throw the first pitch. Tournament organizers will also honor Alton Dickens.
The first games are expected to begin between noon and 1 p.m.
With the field improvements and facility enhancements which have gone on behind the scenes at Ledgerwood, Lockamon said he believes the preparation will be worthwhile. “I think it will be a great thing for the community.”
Lockamon believes if the city “rolls out the red carpet” there can be more tournaments and even a world series.
He hopes to see at least a $500,000 economic impact from the tournament.