Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, Illinois, was selected to host a major youth baseball tournament next year.
Ripken Baseball, a joint venture by brothers and former Major League Baseball players Cal and Billy Ripken, announced its first multi-city tour through their newly added Ripken Select Tournaments program. The program includes a week-long event at Stuart Sports Complex to be held July 10-15, 2022.
Combining fields and experiences that make every young ballplayer feel like a Big Leaguer, Ripken Select Tournaments promises lifelong family memories to go along with opening ceremonies, skills competitions, player announcements, walk-up music, and a tournament appearance by a former Major Leaguer.
Destinations were chosen based on the availability of professional quality sports facilities combined with family-friendly attractions and entertainment options. The tournament is expected to draw 45 teams from throughout the country, with an estimated economic impact of over $990,000 on Aurora Area lodging and hospitality businesses.
“We are a family-first experience focused on providing lifelong baseball memories, which is why our partnership with Aurora, Illinois is perfect for our inaugural Ripken Select Tournaments next summer,” said Mike Kenney, Executive Vice President of Ripken Baseball.
“Not only will teams enjoy a Big League atmosphere on-site throughout the week, but families will have the opportunity to create memories off the field in the Chicago area with unforgettable sight-seeing and entertainment after the game.”
The Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau partnered with the Fox Valley Park District to bring the tournament to Stuart Sports Complex.
“Aurora and the Chicagoland region is rich in baseball history thanks to two of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball,” said Pete Garlock, Director of Sales for the Aurora Area CVB.
“Baseball is in our blood here and hosting an event like the Ripken Select Tournament and being associated with one of the greatest players of all time is an honor for everyone involved. We in the Aurora Area will do our best to present a first-class event, both on and off the field for the athletes and their families and friends.”
About Ripken Baseball:
Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches and families together through its Big-League Experiences, while teaching the values of the game, and how to play it the right way – the Ripken Way. Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through on-site tournaments, camps and spring training hosted at their state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities – The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen (Maryland), The Ripken Experience™ Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), and The Ripken Experience™ Pigeon Forge (Tennessee).
About the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB):
Formed in 1987, the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and marketing the area as an overnight destination, increasing visitor awareness, and growing visitor expenditures for the maximum economic benefit of our tourism partners.The goal of the Aurora Area CVB is to enhance the economic and environmental well-being of our region, comprising the municipalities of Aurora, Batavia, Big Rock, Hinckley, Montgomery, North Aurora, Oswego, Plano, Sugar Grove, and Yorkville.
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