Foley Event Center - Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Tournament
- Matt Colville
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Foley Event Center at Foley Sports Tourism Complex
1001 E Pride Blvd
Foley, AL 36535
Year Opened: 2016
Capacity: 1,500
Sun Belt Conference at Home in South Alabama
Over the last several years, the Alabama Gulf Coast has quietly evolved into the postseason headquarters of the Sun Belt Conference. Just a few miles inland from the sparkling Gulf waters, this area has quickly become the conference’s tournament destination; Foley and the surrounding region now host postseason championships in cross country, basketball, soccer, women’s golf, and volleyball.
Since 2020, the Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament has been held at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex Event Center. With Gulf Coast beaches nearby, an amusement park with upscale shopping across the street, outlet shopping nearby, and mild November weather, this tournament offers something unique: a championship setting that doubles as a vacation.
Volleyball has been sponsored by the Sun Belt since 1983, and over that time the tourney has been held at sites ranging from Jonesboro, Arkansas (6 times) to Bowling Green, Kentucky (5 times), as well as Little Rock, Arkansas (1 time) and Miami, Florida (3 times). Arkansas State currently leads with the most Sun Belt Conference volleyball titles, with seven.
Food and Beverage 3
Concessions at the Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament are simple. A single stand located in the main lobby handles all food and drink sales, offering the basics you’d expect at a mid-sized indoor facility, such as hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, chips, candy, and bottled sodas and sports drinks. There’s nothing particularly unique or memorable on the menu, and no alcohol is sold on site.
Because of the limited selection, most visitors will find better value and variety by eating before or after the matches. Fortunately, the surrounding beach area has no shortage of options for places to grab a meal.
Atmosphere 4
The tournament is held inside the Foley Event Center, located on the grounds of the Foley Sports Tourism Complex, a state-of-the-art, 520-acre complex that opened in 2016. Set against a distinctive backdrop with the OWA Resort and its rollercoasters and water park just next door, the facility has quickly become one of the Gulf Coast’s premier sports complexes.
The venue features 16 soccer fields, a 3,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, and the 90,000-square-foot Event Center, which serves as the home of the Volleyball Tournament. Inside, you’ll find space for 12 interchangeable volleyball and basketball courts, making it a perfect setup for hosting multi-day tournaments and championship events.
For the Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament, Foley Event Center goes above and beyond with SBC signage displayed throughout the facility, while outside at the main entrance, you’re greeted by a full lineup of banners representing all 14 conference teams. Upon entering the facility, you walk into a small, carpeted lobby complete with a small concessions table, a brochure stand, and a Sun Belt Conference merch stand.
Inside, a single court is used for the tournament, creating an intimate championship environment. Temporary bleachers that seat around 1,500 fans line one side of the court, while the benches occupy the opposite side – there’s no seating behind the teams, which keeps all eyes on the action.
To heighten the atmosphere, the remaining space inside Foley Event Center is draped in Sun Belt blue and gold, blocking off the extra courts and directing all attention toward the main floor. The court is also surrounded by Sun Belt team logos, as well as a decent-sized videoboard behind the benches, displaying replays, score updates, and tourism commercials during breaks, including plenty of beach scenes to remind you that you’re in one of the Gulf Coast’s premier destinations.
Once play begins, the building comes alive. The low tin ceilings create excellent acoustics, music pumps between sets, and the fans – many of whom travel in from out of state – bring a lively, postseason energy that makes the venue feel bigger than it really is.
Neighborhood 5
You cannot pick a better location to hold a tournament than the Alabama Gulf Coast; this is a true postseason destination. Foley Sports Tourism Complex sits literally in the backyard of OWA Parks & Resorts, one of Alabama’s fastest-growing entertainment districts. Owned and operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Owa means “Big Water” in their language. From the doors of the Event Center, you’re just steps away from roller coasters, arcade games, family rides, restaurants, bars, and live entertainment.
Also by late November, downtown Owa transforms into a walkable Christmas village complete with light displays, shopfront decorations, fake snow in the streets, and holiday events. It’s not uncommon to finish a match and spend the evening under holiday lights and fake snow while shopping. In addition, glow-in-the-dark kayak and boat rentals allow visitors to float the lake that surrounds the park, giving families a scenic outdoor option right next to the venue.
For more shopping, Tanger Outlets is only a mile away, filled with more than 100 stores, including Rawling’s Superstore, one of only six in the country. But the most unique Foley experience is just down the road at Lambert’s Café, famously known as “Home of the Throwed Rolls”, where servers literally toss fresh, steaming, hot rolls across the room to diners. It’s become a must-stop for people visiting South Alabama.
The town of Foley itself adds charm during the holidays; downtown Foley hangs Christmas lights along its streets, adding to the festive tournament atmosphere. And then there’s the biggest draw of all, namely, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, less than 10 miles away. In just 15 minutes, you could be standing on the beach.
For additional shopping and nightlife, The Wharf in Orange Beach is about 20 minutes away – a large entertainment district with restaurants, boutiques, outdoor concerts, marina views, and one of the Gulf Coast’s most impressive Christmas light displays. The Wharf also features a Ferris wheel, specialty shops, and seasonal festivals, making it worth the trip, especially at night to see the Christmas lights.
Hotels are abundant and vary from budget to upscale, and because this is the offseason for beach tourism, prices are noticeably lower than summer rates. Families can stay close to the venue in Foley or choose from upscale condos and beachfront hotels lining Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Or, for those who prefer the outdoors, Gulf State Park, Graham Creek Nature Preserve, and nearby fishing piers provide plenty of opportunities to explore nature, all within a short drive of the tournament.
There is so much to do in the area that you could spend weeks here, and between the beach, shopping, the outdoors, and restaurants, you would never run out of things to do or places to eat.
Fans 4
With Foley now firmly established as the annual postseason home of the Sun Belt Conference, fans from the participating teams routinely make the late November trip (only 10 teams qualify for the volleyball tournament. You’ll find families, friends, and alumni from all the participating schools at the tournament, so expect a rotating host of school colors. Obviously, nearby South Alabama, Southern Miss, and Troy will have the most visiting fans on hand.
The crowd at Foley Event Center isn’t usually massive, but it’s engaged, and what it lacks in pure size it makes up for in loyalty and character. You’ll hear organized chants from student sections, see homemade signs from parents, and find pockets of fans cheering. By the time the semifinals and finals roll around, this neutral-site facility sounds like it belongs to whichever fan base has traveled the best.
There’s also a good-natured vibe across the stands. Rival fanbases tend to mingle rather than argue, and conversations often revolve around travel stories – where they ate, where they stayed, and who made the longest drive, etc.
Access 3
Reaching Foley and the beaches of Baldwin County often means leaving I-10. This area sits just beyond the main travel corridors, so getting there can feel a little out of the way, especially for first-time visitors. The good news is that November avoids the lengthy summer beach traffic, although drivers should still expect a steady stream of stop-and-go traffic, as well as plenty of red lights along the way, especially with this being the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Once you arrive at Foley Sports Tourism Complex, everything runs smoothly. Parking is free and plentiful, signage is clear, and the Event Center is easy to navigate. Entry is efficient, hallways are wide, and restrooms and concessions are well marked. The only real congestion occurs inside the gym during high-stakes matches; shoulder-to-shoulder seating can happen in the bleachers, particularly during the semifinals and on championship day. Arriving early is recommended if you want a prime viewing spot.
Return on Investment 4
General Admission tickets are $10 per day. Parking is free, and concessions are inexpensive. But what separates this tourney from most other neutral-site tournaments is the beach location.
With the warm weather during late November, it’s possible to take a dip in the ocean while you are here. In addition, November is officially the offseason for beach tourism, which means hotel and condo prices drop significantly compared to summer rates.
Between the cheap entry, holiday atmosphere, walkable entertainment, and nearby beaches, the Sun Belt Volleyball Tournament is a destination tournament – one that feels more like an early Christmas vacation on the beach.
Extras 3
Foley Sports Tourism Complex also hosts the Sun Belt Conference Soccer Tournament every year, hosted at the main stadium outside the Event Center, while the Sun Belt Cross Country Championship is held up the road at Graham Creek Nature Preserve. In fact, this area has embraced the role of destination tournament host, not just for the Sun Belt, but for National Championships as well.
For example, just down the road, the Gulf Shores beaches host the NCAA Beach Volleyball Tournament every year, and roughly 50 minutes away, Pensacola hosts the Sun Belt Basketball Tournament and the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament.
One extra that truly separates this tournament from most college postseason events is the fact that it takes place right next door to one of the most elaborate Christmas displays on the Gulf Coast, in downtown Owa. Fans can walk from the gym to a winter-themed entertainment district in minutes, and Owa also makes for an excellent stop during the day for families who want to ride roller coasters or other amusement park rides before the matches.
Another extra is how you can experience two seasons in the same afternoon; with Gulf Shores and Orange Beach less than 20 minutes away, it’s entirely possible to spend a late November morning swimming in clear coastal waters, then spend the evening walking through Christmas lights at Owa or The Wharf – few places in the country allow fans to go from sand to seasonal decorations in a single day.
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