Big League World Series announces game schedule

The official game schedule for the Big League World Series has been released.

This year's series will be held July 25 – August 1 at the J.B. “Red” Owens Complex in Easley.

Easley has hosted the Big League World Series for 12 consecutive years.

The championship game is set for 6 p.m. August 1 and will be played under the lights this year.

For the fifth year in a row, ESPN will broadcasting the championship game live.

The Parade of Teams will be held 6 p.m. July 28, just before SC District 1 takes on Southeast.

City Administrator Fox Simons said the city is partnering with a Clemson University professor to measure the economic impact the series has on the city.

Bob Brookover, Director of the Clemson International Institute for Tourism Research and Development will have students survey attendees at the series.

"Where they're coming from, where they're staying, what on they spending money on," Simons said.

The study will give "more concrete evidence on what the impact is on the economy," Simons said.

The surveys will also provide the City with a model so the economic impact of city tournaments can be measured, Simons said.

The study will cost about $5,000, he said.

Improvements to the backstop at Field One should be done well before the tournament, officials said.

Earlier this year, recreation committee members discussed making the improvements.

The improvements, which involves removing the chain link fence and replacing it with a wire mesh, as well as creating a knee-high brick wall behind the backstop, should make it easier for attendees sitting behind home plate to see the action.

No seats will be lost as a result of the improvements.

Parks and Recreation Director Gregg Powell said construction should be complete on the Owens Complex's new batting cages no later than July 15.

"We're hoping to have it ready to go by July 10," Powell said.

Once the construction of the cages is done, turf will be installed, Powell said.

The cages will be open for public use when they're not being used by sports teams, officials have said.

Officials are working on creating rules for the batting cages' use.

Powell said the city may require users to sign in at the Bagwell Gym before using the batting cages.

The playground equipment removed for the construction of the cages will be replaced elsewhere in the park, Powell said.