Youth World Series Brought 3,500 Visitors, Estimated $5 Million Impact To Lake Of The Ozarks

Thousands of visitors descended on the Lake of the Ozarks area last weekend. But these visitors didn't come to go boating: they came to play baseball.

Ok, maybe both.

The unique allure of Lake of the Ozarks has helped establish the region as a destination for travel baseball teams: teams come to compete at the Lake area's baseball facilities and enjoy activities on and off the water when they don't have a game.

Ballparks National is the catalyst for this youth baseball presence at the Lake; the organization, whose multi-field complex is located in Macks Creek, continues to grow its footprint. It now runs baseball at the Osage Beach City Park fields and facilitates tournaments at multiple complexes across the Lake area.

Last weekend's Youth World Series D2/D3 tournament was a major highlight, bringing in 96 teams from 14 states, with games running from Wednesday to Sunday. The matches were held at Ballparks National, the Osage Beach City Park fields, and three area high schools. This influx of baseball families translated to approximately 3,500 visitors and 3,500 room nights, with an estimated impact of over $5 million to the Lake economy.

Youth World Series at Lake of the Ozarks - 2024 - 2 — https://www.facebook.com/youthworldseries
ATHLETX - Youth World Series - photo via Facebook

Since opening in October of 2020, Ballparks National has hosted more than 2,500 teams, drawing more than 100,000 visitors and resulting in over 50,000 room nights. Ballparks National General Manager Jeff Vernetti says the estimated economic impact of these activities has exceeded $100 million in just four years.

“We are very pleased at the turnout of our Youth World Series, which was a joint venture with Athletx Sports Group,” Vernetti said. “The entire region was filled with baseball families – who traveled from all over the country to spend five days with us in our beautiful area. You couldn’t go to a hotel, a restaurant, or entertainment venue without seeing someone in a baseball uniform. This is just the first of many national events that we will bring to the Lake of the Ozarks and we’re very excited to see the benefits of our event in the community.”

The success of last weekend's event underscores the Lake of the Ozarks' growing reputation as a prime location for youth sports, offering both top-tier facilities and a vibrant, family-friendly environment. With the addition of multiple new fields this year, including one multi-sport field, Ballparks National continues to expand its reach, and the Lake area is poised to benefit.