Over the last few decades, Southwest Louisiana has become a destination for sports events and shows no signs of slowing down.

According to Eric Zartler, the executive director of Lake Charles Regional Sports Authority and senior vice president of sports for Visit Lake Charles, the area hosts 75-90 sporting events a year. He estimates the economic impact on the area is nearly $40 million a year.

“When you bring in the Jennie Finch World Series, USSSA, Perfect Game, high school tournaments, showcase events, high school swimming and all the various basketball and baseball tournaments each year, it adds up pretty quick,” Zartler said. “We have made a commitment to bringing in major events that really push the needle and bring people into the area to spend their money here instead of elsewhere.”

Some of those events have already made a huge impact this year. According to a Visit Lake Charles, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association boys’ basketball state championships at Burton Coliseum in March drew more than 22,000 visitors, and its economic impact grew 85 percent to $5 million. It even brought some national exposure when Vinton’s Keithan Rigmaiden’s last-second shot that sent the Vinton Lions to the Non-select Division IV state championship game made SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays that day.

Also, in March, the Southland Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournament brought more national exposure to the area, with 13,743 attendees, and saw its economic impact grow from $800,000 last year to $2.4 million.

Other recent events such as the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Golf Tour stop at L’Auberge and the American Junior Golf Association tournament at Mallard Golf Club combined to bring more than $2 million to the area.

Zartler said the events help local hotels immensely with nearly 40,000 room nights per year.

That number doesn’t include campsites and AirBNBs, which can boost the amount to 50,000 room nights.

“That is tremendous to be able to bring that all in for sports. It is also bringing in people’s families, enjoying our food, shopping and culture and everything we have to offer. It is awesome to see Southwest Louisiana through the visitors’ eyes. They come here for a baseball game and come back bragging about the food or find something really cool to bring back from Southwest Louisiana.”

Several major factors play into Southwest Louisiana’s favor to allow it many sports events despite not being one of the larger metropolitan areas, according to Zartler.

“Our hospitality is second to none,” Zartler said. “The sky is the limit. “A lot of it has to do with the investments the area has made into their facilities. Up until 2018, there were no turf baseball fields on the east side of the (Calcasieu) River, and now there are nine. Sulphur put us on the map in the softball and baseball world. We are looking to make it bigger.

“When teams come in from Houston, Corpus Christi, Baton Rouge or New Orleans, they want to go to the place that has the best opportunity to play. They want turf fields. In the past, we would get an inch of rain and have to go home. We did a cooperative agreement to turf the fields at O.D. Johnson and Power Center, and we have had great success with it. They stay booked all summer long.”

Zartler also lauded the fact that events don’t have to compete with major sports teams for the spotlight like they would in larger cities. He said that was one reason why Lake Charles was able to land the USA Boxing National Championships in 2019 and 2020.

“One of the things I always tell rights holders and event operators is you come to SWLA, and you are going to get the red-carpet treatment,” Zartler said. “You are not competing for airtime or ticket sales with the Dallas Mavericks or Stars.

“When you come to SWLA you are going to be the biggest thing going on that week. Just like when we brought in USA boxing in 2019. We were competing against five major cities. In SWLA, in December you are going to be top billing on TV and in the newspaper. They don’t have to decide if they are going to watch the Stars game or watch boxing. That is one of the hooks that we use here. We try to not overbook things.”

The year is nowhere close to slowing down for Southwest Louisiana and sporting events. May will bring the LHSAA state softball and baseball tournaments, and the Louisiana High School Rodeo Finals. Sulphur Parks and Recreation has hosted the state softball tournament since 2001 and baseball since 2012.

In June, the Jennie Finch World Series returns on the 12th through the 15th to Sulphur combined with the return of women’s professional softball to the area. Athletes Unlimited will play a three-game series in Sulphur during the Jennie Finch World Series.

“High school softball and baseball championships are always huge for our year,” Zartler said. “We are also hosting Athletes Unlimited softball league three-game series at McMurry Park in Sulphur.

“That will bring significant groups and media attention. It will be televised on one of the ESPN channels. It was a strategic move to make sure we had a good softball audience in the town to enhance both events.”

Zarlter said that Visit Lake Charles and the Lake Charles Regional Sports Authority are always looking for more events. One of those is the  NCAA Junior College women’s Division I basketball tournament, which will be hosted at McNeese State’s Legacy Center next year.

“It is only going to get bigger,” Zartler said.