Council hears positive reports on tournaments and sports facilities; city weighs facility needs ahead of budget

Councilmembers and Parks staff reported strong participation in youth leagues and tournaments that drew families and visitors, and said social-media coverage and positive feedback have raised Biloxi's profile as a tournament destination.

A councilmember said the city "probably" is breaking attendance records for tournament play this season. Staff noted the season timing and wet weather had limited some play but overall the new facilities produced substantial positive responses from coaches and families. Coastal Mississippi will continue to provide economic-impact reports tied to tournaments, staff said, and the parks department is assessing equipment needs such as scoreboards and temporary fencing that tournament organizers request.

Councilmembers and staff discussed lifecycle planning for turf and facility repairs, including the typical lifecycle of some artificial surfaces (estimated by staff as eight to ten years for parts of the installed system) and the need to track revenue generation and maintenance costs. Public works and parks staff said they would include identified equipment needs in the capital requests for the next fiscal year and that inventory reporting for trucks and heavy equipment is under way.

No capital appropriations were adopted at the meeting; councilmembers asked staff to return with inventory detail, an equipment wish list tied to budget planning, and any grant or outside funding opportunities to offset city costs.