Top stories of 2019: Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi opens, has huge economic impact

Published 1:30 pm Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The construction of Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi, a massive recreational sports complex on Fisher Ferry Road, was among the top stories of 2019. Its opening became one of the biggest stories of 2019.

Since opening in February, Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi, which has hosted tournaments for baseball, softball and soccer, welcomed recreational youth baseball and softball leagues, and even a few adults wanting to play a “friendly” game of kickball, reportedly had a $12.4 million economic impact on Vicksburg in less than one year of operation.

“Our new sports complex has seen 135,000 visitors and brought $12.4 million to Vicksburg — our local economy — in less than a year. That is phenomenal,” Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said as he announced the number at a meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. “I still contend that Vicksburg is on its way and you ain’t seen nothing yet.

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The economic impact figure was part of the company’s annual report submitted to the city.

Built on 75 acres of the city’s Fisher Ferry Road property, Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi opened in mid-February with a softball tournament and has continued hosting baseball, softball and soccer tournaments.

According to the report, 785 teams participated in events at the park between March and November, exceeding parent company Sports Force’s projected goal of 600 teams per year.