US Youth Soccer Championships return to Baton Rouge with major economic impact
Southern Regional Championships expected to attract more than 15,000 attendees
BATON ROUGE, La. – The 2023 U.S. Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships will be held in Baton Rouge this week, returning to the Capital City for the fourth time.
The large-scale event will attract more than 15,000 attendees, including 3,792 participants – boys and girls teams between the ages of 13 and 19 – plus coaches, families and fans. These athletes represent 237 teams from 11 states.
“Big tournaments like these give our local economy a major boost while offering visitors a taste of our restaurants and attractions, encouraging them to make a return trip to the Capital City,” said Jill Kidder, president and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge. “As these athletes compete to secure a spot in the US Youth Soccer National Championships, we hope they enjoy their visit both on and off the field.”
Visit Baton Rouge is connecting attendees with great places to eat and things to do in the city through billboards, airport signage, hotel signage and promotional items.
The Southern Regional Championships are expected to bring $20 million worth of economic impact and high occupancy rates across hotels in Baton Rouge. When Baton Rouge hosted in 2019, the city saw an average occupancy rate for this particular event at 69.3% with peak occupancy at an impressive 84.5%. Baton Rouge successfully hosted the tournament in 2014 and 2010 before that.
“The BREC team has spent months preparing for this tournament and thanks to generous donations from the Baton Rouge Soccer Club and Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, were able to create three brand new lighted soccer fields in time for the Southern Regional Championships,” said BREC Superintendent Corey K. Wilson. “Our main mission is to provide high quality amenities for the local residents who fund BREC, and these new fields will improve the experience of local players long after the tournament ends. BREC is one of the few park systems in the nation with 25 soccer fields in one complex and we hope these improvements as well as others across our system, will continue to make a significant impact on our local economy while also allowing us to serve East Baton Rouge Parish residents at the highest level.”
All Southern Regional games will be played from June 23-29 at Baton Rouge’s Burbank Soccer Complex.
“We take pride in providing players with the same opportunities that their counterparts receive across the country,” said Louie Smothermon, executive director of the Baton Rouge Soccer Club. “Anything and everything that other players and clubs can do, we can do that right here in Baton Rouge.”
To learn more about the Southern Regional Championships, visit www.usyouthsoccer.org/south/southern-regional-championships/.
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About Visit Baton Rouge
Visit Baton Rouge is the designated Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for East Baton Rouge Parish, responsible for promoting and showcasing the region. Our primary mission is to increase visitation to and awareness of the Baton Rouge Area thereby enhancing economic impact. Stay up to date with the latest press releases and Baton Rouge tourism news by visiting www.visitbatonrouge.com/media/press-releases. Join our social media community and follow us @visitbatonrouge for more updates.
