HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) – Twelve baseball teams from ten different states are in Hattiesburg this weekend for the 2025 DBB Boys World Series for 14U.
An opening ceremony kicked off the event Friday night at the newly renovated Jaycee Park, which is hosting a World Series tournament for the first time.
“We’re thrilled to be hosting this tournament at the new Jaycee Park,” said Marlo Dorsey, executive director of Visit Hattiesburg. “It will be the first World Series that we’ve hosted in Hattiesburg at this park, and it’s a pretty big deal.”
Dorsey says the tournament is expected to deliver a major economic win for the Hub City.
“This tournament that we did have to bid on against other multiple states will generate a $2.4 million economic impact conservatively here in the Hub City while they’re here,” she said.
According to Visit Hattiesburg, sports tourism continues to be one of the city’s fastest-growing sectors, with baseball tournaments alone bringing in more than $50 million in recent years.
“We can look at several different sectors where we’ve seen significant growth, but outdoor recreation and specifically sports tourism have really been our bread and butter,” Dorsey said.
Local businesses are also seeing the impact. At Keg & Barrell, one of Hattiesburg’s local restaurants, is already seeing the crowds.
“I just got to work shortly ago. I was going to get in the parking lot, and it’s crazy,” said Bar Manager Shawn McDaniel. “We were expecting several hundred people. It’s something that’s been marked on our calendar for quite a while.”
McDaniel says events like this don’t just drive traffic to restaurants; they support local workers across the city.
“It’s good for the bartenders, the servers, and I mean, around town. We can’t hold everybody, so it really picks up all over town.”
City leaders say hosting events like this shows the importance of continued investment in sports facilities like Jaycee Park.
“We are showing that we reinvest in the community; this is just all part of paying it forward so that we can have quality facilities and really showcase events like this,” Dorsey said. “This isn’t our first stint at it, and we certainly hope that it’s not our last.”
The DBB Boys World Series games begin Saturday and will continue through Tuesday or Wednesday.
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