The Otago Softball Association will celebrate the completion of its all-weather diamond with a "celebrity softball showdown" at Ellis Park today.
Development manager Jill Johnson said the all-weather diamond had been two and a-half years in the making and had solved a problem which had prevented the association hosting tournaments.
"It has given us a reliable playing surface," she said.
"Up until the drainage was installed we really didn't have the ability to put our hands up to host a tournament or anything like that. One downpour and the diamond would be soaked and out for a week. Since we've had it finished, we've had rainy days but it certainly hasn't held us up."
"We don't want people coming down and going away having had a horrible experience because the tournament has been disrupted because of weather."
Black Sox player Roman Gabriel and his wife, White Sox player Kalala Gabriel, will make the trip from Auckland to beef up the celebrity teams, which include Softball New Zealand general manager Dane Dougan, former Otago rugby captain John Leslie, Otago winger Karne Hesketh and Highlanders mascot Warrick Diack.
Mayor Peter Chin will officially open the diamond at 12.30pm then throw the first pitch.
