Northport’s New River Run Park to Host HBCU Baseball & Softball Championships Through 2028

The ribbon-cutting for Northport's new sports complex, River Run Park, may have only been Saturday morning, but leaders were on site again Monday morning to make another major announcement - the HBCU Athletic Conference will host its next three baseball and softball championship tournaments there through the next three years.

The conference, which was founded last year as a revamp of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, includes Stillman College and 15 other historically black colleges and universities.

At a press conference led by HBCUAC Commissioner Kiki Baker Barnes, representatives said the tournament will bring more than a dozen teams to River Run Park in 2026, 2027 and 2028.

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The championships will also naturally draw heads to beds in Northport and beyond, which was great news for the tourism bureau, Visit Tuscaloosa, and city leaders like Christy Bobo and Woodrow Washington, president and pro tem of the Northport city council, respectively.

“The opportunity to bring 16 teams to our baseball and softball championships in Northport for the next three years is a win for our student-athletes, fans, and the entire conference,” Barnes said. “River Run Park will provide a premier stage for competition, and Visit Tuscaloosa’s commitment to creating an exceptional experience will make these championships memorable for years to come.”

Kelsey Rush, the CEO of Visit Tuscaloosa, was at River Run Park Monday to share the news and said each championship will include a welcome reception hosted by her team.

“We are thrilled to welcome the HBCUAC back to Tuscaloosa and to showcase all our community has to offer, including this brand new sports complex in Northport," Rush said. "From our state-of-the-art facilities at River Run Park to the vibrant energy of our entire area, we look forward to hosting student-athletes, coaches, and fans for an unforgettable championship experience.”

The entire Northport City Council and Mayor John Hinton were also at the nine-field complex Monday.

“The significance of the City of Northport landing the HBCU Athletic Conference Softball and Baseball Championships at the newly opened River Run Park is far-reaching from an economic, cultural, and community perspective,” Bobo said in a press release. “Hosting these baseball & softball championships offers economic benefits and boosts community pride. Additionally, they will showcase our city and this state-of-the-art sports complex, and impact our local businesses, hospitality industry, and provide tournaments where young people can see themselves as future student athletes. We thank HBCUAC Commissioner Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes, City staff, Visit Tuscaloosa, Stillman College, and our amazing partner and all-star consultant, Don Staley, for supporting Northport’s efforts in making River Run Park a premier destination to host sporting events."

The press conference also featured developer Birch Dalton, who said a hotel planned for River Run Park will open by the 2027 season.

"About a year and a half ago, this was just woods. And the city planners, the council, the leaders, Terra Tubbs and her crew, they did a heck of a job. It's a good design and a good plan, and they executed it well," Dalton told the Thread. "This will set off a huge economic boom - 15,000 room nights a year, 500,000 people, all coming from within a five-hour drive."

For more coverage of River Run Park, Visit Tuscaloosa and others newsmakers in west Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.