As tens of thousands of fans descend on Hattiesburg and Starkville for NCAA regional play this weekend, both college towns are expecting an economic boost as the first round of postseason baseball brings not only visitors but also their spending power.
Tourism officials in both cities said hotels are filling quickly, restaurants are seeing more reservations and walk-ins, and local businesses are preparing for one of their busiest weekends of the year. Combined, regionals at Southern Miss and Mississippi State are expected to generate tens of millions of dollars in economic activity.
“This weekend is expected to generate approximately $7.3 million in direct local spending and nearly $11 million in total economic impact, extending the value for postseason baseball well beyond the ballpark as fans and visitors fill our hotels, restaurants, and local establishments,” explained Marlo Dorsey, executive director and CEO of Visit Hattiesburg.
While Hattiesburg officials provided projections ahead of the weekend, Starkville officials said they will not have formal economic impact figures until about a month afterward. Still, they are pointing to strong early indicators, including expectations of a sold-out weekend with hotels and rentals filling up and retailers staying busy.
“The [economic impact] means so much. We always hear with retail about the dreaded J-months,” Visit Starkville Director of Main Street Paige Watson said, referring to the slower days of summer in most college towns. “But starting June with a bang is just going to be great for us. We’re excited, and our retailers are open.”
While the average economic impact of hosting an NCAA regional varies for a myriad of reasons, including host city size and the travel distance of visiting fan bases, both Southern Miss and Mississippi State have a few checks in their favor.
For one, both are nationally renowned baseball towns.
Southern Miss leads the nation with a 10-season active streak of 40 or more wins, which has led to more sell-outs and “baseball being woven into Hattiesburg’s identity” even more than it already was, Dorsey said. Mississippi State, on the other hand, has set virtually every NCAA attendance record possible with Starkville often being an away series visitors circle on their calendars.
Secondly, each team has at least two opposing teams competing with a relatively easy trip by car. This increases the likelihood of larger traveling fan bases and longer stays.
Southern Miss’ regional includes Jacksonville State (Jacksonville, Ala. – about 4 hours, 40 minutes from Hattiesburg) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Little Rock, Ark. – about 5 hours, 45 minutes). Virginia (Charlottesville, Va. –about 12 hours, 30 minutes) is more of a stretch by car, but with the Cavaliers being the 2-seed, their fans may be the most fired up to find a way to get to Hattiesburg, whether by car or plane.
Mississippi State’s regional includes Lipscomb (Nashville, Tenn. – about 4 hours, 40 minutes from Starkville) and Louisiana (Lafayette, La. – about 5 hours, 25 minutes). Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio – about 8 hours, 50 minutes) would not be a bad trek by auto, either.
Tourism officials say another key factor in drawing opposing fans to local regionals comes down to one word: hospitality.
Mississippi is proudly known as the “Hospitality State,” and that welcoming spirit is often on display at both Dudy Noble Field in Starkville and Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg. Whether it’s Bulldog fans sending food from the Left Field Lounge to visiting players or Golden Eagle fans showing off some southern charm in the Right Field Roost, both ballparks have built reputations as creating memorable experiences beyond the game itself.
“We look forward to welcoming the visiting teams and their fans with energy, pride, and hospitality that reflect the bets of our city,” Dorsey said.
Regional play in Hattiesburg and Starkville begins Friday afternoon and runs through at least Sunday. Monday is reserved for winner-take-all games if needed, and while the state’s host teams would prefer to wrap up wins by Sunday, an additional day of play would mean an additional boost for local businesses.
