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January 2022
Page 8
Alabama Ledger
Albertville's Sand Mountain Park has $14.2 Million Economic Impact
Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater made a splash in the sports & entertainment industry during the first partial year of operations. From Fall of 2020 to Fall 2021, the park hosted 75+ events, from sports tournaments to concerts. The park fully opened in April of this year and the event schedule’s impact has been significant. The total estimated economic impact exceeded expectations for Marshall County that the park has generated from October 2020 - September 2021 is $14.2M. This estimated economic impact is a direct result of the diverse event schedule at Sand Mountain Park. Many park events attract out-of-town participants/guests (live 60 miles+ away from the park), and those people book hotel rooms, eat at local restaurants, and patronize local stores/gas stations. "One of the pillars of our Mission at Sand Mountain Park is to generate economic impact for the City of Albertville and Marshall County," 2022 JSU Football Fans can now make their plans to catch the first seasonof theRichRodriguez Era of JSU Football after the Gamecocks have released their 2022 schedule. The Gamecocks will open their final season in FCS in Montgomery's Cramton Bowl on national television for the second- straight season and will play four games at Burgess- Snow Field. The 2022 schedule will feature one game against an FBS foe and four against teams that participated in the 2021 FCS Playoffs. The Gamecocks will play six non-conference games and a five-game ASUN Conference schedule. With construction on the expansion to Burgess- Snow Field underway, seating capacity will be reduced for the 2022 season. Fans can secure their seats for the season online or by calling the Ticket Office at (256) 782-8499. General admission season tickets are $55, and all season ticket packages will include the season opener in Montgomery. A limited number of Stadium Club season tickets are still available and can be purchased for $500 per seat. Each seat includes a pregame meal and unlimited snacks and soft drinks throughout the game. Rodriguez's debut will be before a national audience in theMontgomery Kickoff on Aug. 27. JSU will open the home portion of the schedule on Sept. 3 against Davidson. Kickoff is at 1 p.m and it's band day. JSU will travel to Murray State on Sept. 10, Tulsa on Sept. 17 and Nicholls State on Sept. 24. ASUN play will begin against Kennesaw State on Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. It will also be Preview Day and Family Day at JSU. The Gamecocks will have an open date on Oct. 8, followed by an Oct. 15 game at North Alabama. JSU returns home to host Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 22 for Homecoming. JSU travels to Austin Peay on Oct. 29 and will host Eastern Kentucky for the Southerners Reunion on Nov. 12. The regular season will conclude on Nov. 19 at Central Arkansas.
said Sand Mountain Park General Manager Patrick O’Brien. "We are committed to executing that at a high level while effectively balancing community usage, and I think we have done a good job of that in our first year. The park has moved the needle for Marshall County businesses across multiple industries, and we’re really excited to play a key role in the continued growth of this region. O’Brien also said, "this estimated economic impact number is a result of the excellent Team we have at the park and the progressive leadership in place at the City of Albertville and other key organizations within the County. The first chapter of our story is complete, and the most exciting part is that future chapters will continue to have a significant positive impact on many businesses in this region." “Without question, there has been a marked uptick in verified sales tax across a significant number of retail and hospitality categories over the past year
to recruit new sporting events to the area. We have recently added to our staff to support this growth and look forward to what the future holds for our communities," she added. “It has been a tremendous driver for first- time customers and repeat tourists to Wintzell’s from all over the Southeast," commented Wes Long, co- owner of Wintzell’s Oyster House in Guntersville. "A great addition to Lake Guntersville and the Sand Mountain area. Sports tourism is a no-brainer for cities that want to grow their tourism dollars.” “We love the increase in sales and relationships," said Kayleigh Ross, General Manager of Jefferson’s restaurant in Albertville. "Our store stays full of cleats and jerseys! We are everything sports and we love the new park!” “Business is robust at Microtel Inn & Suites in Albertville, said Don Spurlin, Owner of Don Spurlin Construction in Albertville. Occupancy remains at an all-time high,
and ADR (average daily rate) has also increased significantly. All the new business the park is bringing has prompted us to perform a total renovation, inside and out, making the hotel new again. We are looking forward to working with the various sports venues and others to accommodate them while in town.” “Spurlin Point”, our recent development with Dunkin, Firehouse Subs, and Venture Out Supply Company, was developed and built with the anticipation of the new park, Spurlin continued. Its proximity to the park assures the success of our Tenants, with Dunkin and Firehouse having almost record openings, and Albertville Firehouse Subs remains in the top two or three restaurants in their system. We are working with numerous other retailers and restaurants looking to come to Albertville and have no doubt, primarily due to the park, Albertville residents will enjoy many more retail and food opportunities in the coming years.”
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce | Alabama Ledger
Sand Mountain Park General Manger Patrick O'Brien
retail, and entertainment options that have expressed a desire to locate within the city due to the energy generated by the park.” "We have felt the hospitality positive impact of Sand Mountain Park across the county," said Katy Norton, president of Marshall County Tourism and Sports. "Our office continues to partner with the park
shared Mike Price, Director of Economic Development for the City of Albertville. A large chunk of that increased revenue can be directly or indirectly attributed to the city’s activation of the Sand Mountain Park and Amphitheater. Not only has the City of Albertville seen the impact of increased revenue—but we continue to garner and cultivate interest from additional
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame has announced the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class. They player selected are below. • LaVar Arrington – LB, Penn State (1997-99) • Champ Bailey – DB, Georgia (1996-98) • Michael Crabtree – WR, Texas Tech (2007-08) • Sylvester Croom – C, Alabama (1972-74) • Mike Doss – S, Ohio State (1999-2002) • Chuck Ealey – QB, Toledo (1969-71) • Kevin Faulk – AP/RB, LSU (1995-98) • Moe Gardner – DT, Illinois (1987-90) • Boomer Grigsby – LB, Illinois State (2001-04) • Mike Hass – WR, Oregon State (2002-05) • Marvin Jones – LB, Florida State (1990-92) • Andrew Luck – QB, Stanford (2009-11) • Mark Messner – DT, Michigan (1985-88) • Terry Miller – RB, Oklahoma State (1974-77) • Rashaan Salaam – RB, Colorado (1992-94) • Dennis Thomas – C, Alcorn State (1971-73) • Zach Wiegert – OT, Nebraska (1991-94) • Roy Williams – DB, Oklahoma (1999-2001) The coaches include: • John Luckhardt – 225-70-2 (76.1%); Washington & Jefferson [PA] (1982-98), California [PA] (2002-11) • Billy Jack Murphy – 91-44-1 (67.3%); Memphis (1958-71) • Gary Pinkel – 191-110-3 (63.3%); Toledo (1991-2000), Missouri (2001-15) The 18 First Team All-America players and three standout coaches in the 2022 Class were selected from the national ballot of 78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, the 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks and the NFF Veterans Committee candidates. “We are extremely proud to announce the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.” The 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 (location TBD). The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, and each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings. Brandon Boswell h Pharmacist/Owner h 256-524-2981 “Caring for You Like Family” 588 South Valley Avenue P.O. Box 498 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Auburn's TJ Finley attempts a pass during the 2021 Birmingham Bowl on December 28, 2021. Finley completed 19 of 32 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown. However, his performance was not enough to help the Tigers secure a victory, as Auburn fell to No. 17 Houston 17-13. Auburn finished the season at 6-7 overall, while Houston was 12-2. Auburn Falls in Birmingham Bowl
Gator Bowl By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The Wake Forest football program earned a 38-10 victory over Rutgers in the 2021 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL. Quarterback Sam Hartman led Wake Forest with 304 yards passing and three touchdowns. Teammate Justice Ellison led the Demon Deacons' ground game with 59 yards and a touchdown. With the win, Wake Forest improve to 11-3. Rutgers fell to 5-8 overall.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Touchdown!
Wake Forest defender Nick Anderson attempts to stop Rutgers' Aaron Young from scoring a touchdown during the 2021 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL.
Collinsville, AL 35961 (256) 524-2981 (256) 524-2987
Brandon Boswell, PharmD Pharmacist/Owner Happy Valentine’s Day!
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