Warner Robins Gets Little League's Southeast Regional Headquarters!

The City of Warner Robins threw out a pitch for Little League's Southeast Regional Headquarters. Now, they're bringing the annual tournament and a full time staff home.
After months of work, planning and waiting, the team that sold the city to Little League says it took the whole community to make the deal. Warner Robins American Little League presidents past and present, Roman Jones and Ken Hathaway, talked about the news over lunch at Sonny's on Watson Boulevard. Current president Ken Hathaway said, "It's amazing to get the number of phone calls we got last night, because you know the community cares."He says it was the community that convinced Little League to make the city's Flint Energies Fields its southeastern home base. Hathaway says league officials swung on the city's strong volunteer base. He says the Warner Robins American Little League has an army of parent volunteers at least 250 strong that support the league each season. He says they can also count on volunteer support from Robins Air Force Base.Hathaway said, "To have a volunteer force that's ready and willing and able to go out and give up their time to make this event happen. Little League, we don't charge admission for the games. Everything is done with a volunteer spirit."They also had the support of a former Warner Robins little league player who now holds a big job, Governor Sonny Perdue.Houston County Development Authority Director Morgan Law says the state agreed to pitch in $600,000 for the project. The county donated 27 acres for a new 3,000 to 5,000 person stadium. The city pledged money and in-kind donations for construction.Past Warner Robins American Little League president Roman Jones said the 2007 team and their world series showing in Williamsport helped make the deal a home-run too.Jones said, "It's not what we did. It's how we did it. The display of sportsmanship and all the good things that came with it, and how we handled that definitely played a good role in how we were represented in their minds."Morgan Law says construction on the new stadium could begin this spring. They'll also build an office building to suit about five Little League staffers.The first tournament at the new site will be in August of 2010 and include ten days of baseball and softball. The Little League tournaments are expected to bring 3,000 to 6,000 visitors to the city each year.