Andalusia got rave reviews for its hosting of the 8U Cal Ripken Southeast Baseball Regional Tournament last week.

Alan Bracewell, superintendent of parks and recreation for the City of Andalusia, told the Andalusia City Council Tuesday night that he can’t say enough good things about the city workers and volunteers who worked on the tournament.

“Everybody was very impressed with our ball park, with the friendliness of the people, and the way they were treated by local merchants,” Bracewell said.

Teams came from Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina. Andalusia and Opp also had teams playing in the tournament. There were 20 teams with an average of 12 players per team in town for the event.

The local hospitality industry got an extra boost, and lots of heads in beds, thanks to both the baseball tournament and the Andalusia Rotary Club’s World Championship Domino Tournament. Restaurants that typically have no waiting at lunch also had lines by the end of the week.

The events were expected to generate an estimated $25,000 in lodging tax revenue.

We join others in thanking those employees and volunteers who made this tournament such a success for our visitors. It’s great to have a reputation for excellent facilities and hospitality.