Sparks Softball returns to Elgin for the eighth year

The 23rd annual Sparks College Exposure Invitational returns to the Elgin Sports Complex for the eighth year. There will be 34 18-and-under teams and 56 16-and-under teams competing in front of fans and college coaches from across the country. Attendance for this four-day tournament is estimated to be 12,150.

The Sparks College Exposure Invitational is the largest softball event held at the Elgin Sports Complex with teams coming from as far away as Ohio and Minnesota and as close as Kane County. Teams will be staying in the Elgin area hotels including the Holiday Inn Elgin that currently has 150 room nights booked through the conference. Angela Johnson, director of sales at the Holiday Inn Elgin, said, "The tournament pretty much sells out the entire area." The Hampton Inn Elgin has 83 room nights booked and are officially sold out for the weekend. Corinne Dirks, Hampton Inn Elgin's director of sales, says, "Having the Sparks Tournaments come in three times a year and fill so many rooms gives us the base business we need to increase the rates on the rest of the rooms. This brings more money into the communities."

The Elgin Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Elgin's Parks and Recreation Department have worked together to not only keep the tournament in Elgin for the last eight years but also help increase the amount of teams that play. Sparks Softball programs hosts three tournaments at the Elgin Sports Complex, all with overnight rooms from the teams.

The matches started Thursday, July 16, and run through Sunday, July 19th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Elgin Sports Complex, 709 Sports Way, right off of McLean Boulevard in Elgin. There is no admission so come out for some great softball games. Visit www.orlandparksparks.com.