SALISBURY – Wicomico County officials this week accepted a memorandum of understanding between the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Sports Alliance and the We Build You Play Sports Group, LLC to host the Beachfest Volleyball Tournament over a period of three years.
For the first time this year, the tournament was sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Sports Alliance (MAASA), a regional partnership between Worcester and Wicomico counties and the Town of Ocean City to attract amateur athletic events.
With the memorandum of understanding (MOU), the tournament will continue as a MAASA event in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Steve Miller, the director of Wicomico County Recreation, Parks and Tourism, presented the agreement to the Wicomico County Council on Tuesday.
Councilman Joe Holloway expressed his concerns about the agreement. He argued that the document made it difficult for parties to terminate the agreement. As it stands, all parties must provide written consent by Jan. 1 of the respective event year to terminate the MOU.
“This is more of a contract than a MOU and this really doesn’t give anyone a way out,” he said.
Miller explained the document does make previsions for terminating the MOU when funding is not available, but added the county’s contribution to the tournament is considerably less than that of MAASA’s annual softball world series.
“In that event, it basically started in Wicomico County and built out to those other jurisdictions,” he said. “This one started in Ocean City and is building toward us, so our financial commitment is only based on the number of hotel room nights in Wicomico County.”
Miller explained the county would be doing work both inside and outside of its jurisdiction as part of the tournament.
“The work in setting up the course and doing those types of things is minimal,” he said.
Councilman Larry Dodd questioned the tournament’s economic impact.
Officials estimate its overall economic impact was $3 million in 2017. Wicomico County captured 25 percent of hotel stays, a $750,000 impact to the community.
Wicomico’s contribution to the tournament will come from an account funded by room tax.
The council voted 5-0, with Councilmen Matt Holloway and John Hall absent, to accept the MOU.
