Take a look at this MyWestTexas.com article on the recent Amateur Softball Association tournament held at the Ezell Softball Complex recently.

The numbers are pretty amazing:

The ASA 14 and Under Nationals has attracted 86 teams from about 18 states to the Freddie Ezell Softball Complex at Ulmer Park this week.

The week-long event is generating an estimated $44,000 in hotel and motel taxes for Midland, said Nancy Swallow, the sports director for the Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau.

According to her department's calculations, 4,876 room nights have been generated with 1,900 attendees staying in Midland hotels -- some checking in as early as Monday.

As far as a return on investment, the Ezell Softball Complex is head and shoulders above The Lemon Bowl.

If we must spend tax dollars on sports venues it would be better to create several high quality venues that can be used and promoted extensively by the masses.....the unpaid masses....rather than big complexes that only a very few events can utilize and that just don't draw any people.

With that in mind here is my suggestion to County officials regarding the Horseshoe: The next capital purchase you make needs to be some sort of softer flooring that can be easily laid down and picked back up. Then go out and buy as many volleyball net set-ups as will fit in the building.

Then let the local volleyball parents/fans/organizations go to work bringing in people for their's and the county's mutual benefit.

One big volleyball tournament will bring in more people than the constant parade of Gun and Blade shows combined.