Check the dictionary under “tournament paradise” and you’re likely to see a new definition: Kinston and Lenoir County. That appears to be the area’s reputation, and it’s growing rapidly.

“We have 37 tournaments tentatively scheduled for this year,” Tim Knobeloch, recreation supervisor for the Kinston-Lenoir County Parks and Recreation Department, said.

The city has become well-known for its softball and baseball tournaments but this year, for the first, will also see the advent of basketball tournaments.

Estimates are that about 200,000 people will come to town, and spend between $2 million to $3 million between the first tournament this month and the end of the season in mid-November.

“We’ll have about 30 percent more tournaments than we’ve had in the past,” Knobeloch said. “A lot of the credit for getting them goes to Thurman Pate.”

Pate is the department’s athletics supervisor, and belongs to countless athletics boards of directors and advisory boards, which he attends throughout the year.

“I just make time to do it,” Pate said. “I don’t have a weekend off. It’s for the kids. As long as you can have them doing something, steer them the right way, keep them out of trouble -- that’s the reason I do it. It helps the city and county, but I do it for the kids. They’re the main reason.”

Convincing tournaments to come here hasn’t been much of a problem, Pate said.

“I’ve gotten to know a lot of people. Kinston has a real good reputation. About the only negative comment I hear is there’s nothing much to do here but we try to get something for them to do – go to the beach, arrange some things,” he said. “But when they come to play ball, that’s really what they’re concerned about.”

One thing the city could use is more hotel rooms, Knobeloch said. When large tournaments come in, team members and their families quickly fill rooms here and then have to spread out to other cities such as New Bern, Goldsboro and Greenville.

Knobeloch doesn’t worry that the city might be overloaded by so many teams when large tournaments come. Last year’s state games brought 83 teams from 12 counties. This year, the tournament will bring teams from more than 30 counties.

“I told people handling the events that we could have as many as 120 teams on the weekend,” Knobeloch said. “That’s a true number. We would not be overwhelmed.”

The largest tournament expected this year will be the weekend of June 2-4 when the AAU state first-round baseball games bring in 50 to 60 teams. The first tournament will be AAU girls basketball and will be held Feb. 1 and 19.

The final games will be the AAU state softball tournament on Nov. 10, 11 and 12.

No world championship series will be played here this year, but Knobeloch expects a world championship will be held in Kinston and the county next year.

Excellent athletic facilities, and plenty of them, are a big drawing card for tournaments. Baseball groups will play at most of the schools and parks. Basketball groups will play at school gyms. The arrangement works well for everyone. Players have good facilities and schools can benefit through gate receipts and concession sales.

Even Grainger Stadium has been used on rare occasions.

“We have several times in the past been able to use it for larger tournaments,” Knobeloch said. “It’s a big drawing card for Kinston when we’re being considered for big scale tournaments that we have a minor league stadium and access to it. Kids who come and play from all over nation find out they can play in a facility like that and they absolutely love it.”

Although the recreation department is responsible for the tournaments, additional help is seldom needed.

“The support organizations we have, the recreation associations at the schools, are great,” Pate said. “The good thing about that is when we have it at those places, they get the gate money and concessions. That helps them. We don’t have any problem getting a place to play. If one of those places run it, they get their people to help, so we don’t have to spend a lot of money on help.”

And how does Pate feel about the summer and the success he has generated?

“I’m looking forward to it and to boosting the economy in Lenoir County and Kinston,” he said.

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