PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee—(May 21, 2026)—Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge and the City of Pigeon Forge officials celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the youth baseball complex with a ceremony this morning attended by former Major League Baseball players Cal Ripken, Jr. and Bill Ripken along with Pigeon Forge City Manager David Wear and Mayor Kevin McClure. The ceremony marks a decade of partnership, community and economic impact, and unforgettable experiences for youth baseball and softball players and their families from across the U.S. and four additional countries and territories.
Over the past decade, the partnership between the Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge and the City of Pigeon Forge has helped create a first-class facility that in 2025 contributed more than $54 million to the Pigeon Forge economy.
The city-owned complex features six fields and is designed as a tournament destination for elite youth baseball. In 2022, the facility added four overflow fields at Wear Farm City Park. The appeal of Pigeon Forge as a family vacation destination was a major reason the city built the complex and contracted with Ripken Baseball to operate it. During 10 seasons of operations, the facility has solidified Pigeon Forge as a major sports tourism destination. In addition, research indicates that 99 percent of those who visit the facility reside outside of Sevier County.
Since opening the city-owned $22.5 million facility in 2016, the Ripken complex has become one of the nation’s premier youth baseball destinations, welcoming hundreds of thousands of athletes, coaches, and families annually to the Great Smoky Mountains. Pigeon Forge markets and manages the facility, which hosts world-class youth baseball tournaments nine months of the year and offers year-round branded programming, including events.
“The hard work and dedication of so many are the bedrock of today’s celebration, and we wouldn’t be here without each and every one of them, especially the players who bring these fields to life and the fans who fill the stands,” said Pigeon Forge Mayor Kevin McClure. “This 10-year anniversary is rooted in a strong collaboration between the Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge, the City of Pigeon Forge, our community partners and the countless staff members who make this facility one of the nation’s finest for youth sports and family memories.”
“This milestone represents so much more than 10 years of baseball,” said Kate Wojciechowski, Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge general manager. “Today, we honor a decade of partnership, economic impact, memories for families, and a shared commitment to creating exceptional experiences for young athletes. We are incredibly thankful to the City of Pigeon Forge and our partners who have helped make this complex successful for the City of Pigeon Forge and the many families who visit.”
Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge youth complex is located on a ridge above Pigeon Forge where players look out onto the Great Smoky Mountains, features a two-level clubhouse with more than 14,000 square feet, a 2,749-square-foot concession/restroom building with an adjacent pavilion, as well as the six lighted synthetic turf fields. Tournaments are free to spectators, and parking is free at the complex.
Visitor information about Pigeon Forge is available online at MyPigeonForge.com. To learn more about the Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge, visit https://ripkenbaseball.com/locations/pigeon-forge/.
–CityofPigeonForge2026—
Media Contact: Kate Wojciechowski at [email protected] or (423) 426-2201
