For many weekends in the summer, the Cherokee County Youth Sports Complex sits idle.

That may change next summer if the Cherokee County Recreation District has its way.

Currently, the complex is being used as practice fields for local Cal Ripken League teams, but Recreation District Assistant Director Greg Taylor said the commission has approved a proposal to host weekend travel ball tournaments at the site.

Serving as a practice facility does have merit, but it does nothing to add to the recreation district’s revenue stream. As the host of a travel ball tournament, the recreation district could charge an entry fee as well as a rental fee for the use of the fields.

The tournaments also would be a financial windfall for local hotels and restaurants.

“It would bring more folks to the area who would spend the night,” Taylor said.

Travel ball teams typically attract the top baseball talent who compete in weekend tournaments where college and pro scouts gather.

“Travel ball is getting huge,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he’s been in contact with travel league officials in hopes of securing a tournament.

Taylor cautioned that nothing has been finalized.

“It’s just in the early stages,” he said.

The chances of landing a travel ball tournament this summer are slim, but he’s optimistic the local complex will host a travel ball tournament in summer 2011.

“A lot of this is based on next year,” he said. “It’s probably too late this year. Right now we are trying to get in touch with the right people.

“The point is that we are trying to utilize (the complex) to its maximum capacity.”

Taylor said the goal is to keep the complex as busy as possible.

“We’d like to see something if not every weekend, then every other weekend.”