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You may not have heard of Mattoon, Illinois, acknowledges its Mayor, Rick Hall. But Chicago, Saint Louis, and Indianapolis are instantly recognizable. If Hall has his way, Mattoon may be just as known as those major cities within the sports tourism world–and the city’s proximity to those regional hubs is a big piece of the puzzle.
Later this year, Emerald Acres Sports Connection comes to life–the result of a private-public partnership between the City of Mattoon and local agricultural giant, Rural King. In an ocean of youth sports facilities across the country, Emerald Acres stands out for being part of a new wave of complexes hosting elite youth and amateur athletics. Beyond the courts and fields–which are impressive–Mattoon’s new gem is the anchor for a massive amount of mixed-use development including hotels, restaurants, and retail options.
Athletes and their families, to say nothing of the city’s 16,700 residents, will be walking distance from everything they need to enjoy their multi-day stay. That ease of experience is a new emphasis within the sports tourism industry, notes Walter Franco, principal at Victus Advisors, a sports consultancy firm.
“Sports tourism trips end up doubling as a whole family vacation,” said Franco. “You want to have close access to hotels, close access to restaurants, and some amenities there to recreate.”
In 2004, San Diego altered the stadium landscape with its vision for Petco Park and the surrounding area, the country’s first dedicated sports-entertainment district. Atlanta, Cleveland, and Detroit are among the notable communities to build upon the idea of creating a destination where spectators come for the game but stay for the food, shopping, and other activities (concerts, festivals, etc.).
Despite the reliance on hotels, restaurants, and retail that drive sports tourism dollars to a tune of $52.2 billion annually countrywide, complexes hosting tomorrow’s future star athletes remain behind-the-times when compared to their pro sports counterparts.
Complexes such as Emerald Acres, which specializes in youth and amateur sports, have the potential to take the model to another level. Athletes, often accompanied by their parents, siblings, and extended family, are not in town for a single game but a weekend full of tournaments and competitions. As a result, their needs–for food, lodging, and entertainment–are greater.
And so too, have the needs increased for specialty operators to supply both a great guest experience and drive the economy surrounding projects of this magnitude. This has given rise to firms like The Sports Facilities Companies, who currently operate over 60 of these properties across the country and have a line of new properties in development.
Out-of-town guests are not the only ones who benefit from expansive sports-based campuses. Local residents, from toddlers to seniors, gain access to elite facilities to play soccer, basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and more at a variety of levels. Adults dropping off children needn’t rush home, but can grab a coffee or snack as they wait.
While the intangibles are nice to have, local governments and facility operators also have to look at the business side. By building beyond a sports-only venue, the developments become destinations unto themselves, be it for a seasonal festival or weekend movie and shopping trip. Community engagement can be the difference between a sports complex struggling to perform and one that’s financially viable.
Here, we look at how the mixed-used development trend is altering the landscape of sports tourism.
Overland Park, the thriving suburb of both Kansas Cities (Missouri and Kansas), is already a renowned home for youth sports thanks to its acclaimed soccer facility, Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex. Now, Price Brothers Management Company is leading the next generation of sports in the state of Kansas with the upcoming debut of AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk.
“What we love about Bluhawk is the experience it creates for the traveling sports family,” said Bart Lowen, vice president of development for Price Brothers. “Whether it’s a three day weekend or a week-day night – you’re not getting back in the car. You’re walking across the street and everything is happening right there. Shopping. Eating. Staying in hotels. We’ve created an experience you can’t find anywhere else outside Disney.”
Image Source: AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk
The 420,000 square foot multi-sport and entertainment complex will open in two phases–the first of which is slated for Fall 2024. Phase One includes an NHL-sized ice rink, a turf field, and eight basketball courts that can be converted to 16 volleyball or pickleball courts, building upon Overland Park’s claim as the most obsessed city with the booming racquet sport.
Private funds and $70 million in sales, tax, and revenue (STAR) bonds are financing the mixed-use development, according to a Kansas City Star article. Lowen notes that today he’s seeing three primary options for municipalities financing sports centers like this – issuing general obligation bonds, public private partnership, and/or creating a taxing or special-use district. Previous to the youth and amateur sports facility, the development team had considered a traditional arena-style venue or a museum as anchor tenants.
“The Bluhawk development project will greatly enhance the quality of life in Overland Park and the surrounding communities,” said Governor Laura Kelly in a statement. “It will not only attract visitors, recreation-seekers, and sports enthusiasts from across the region to Kansas but also expect to drive a projected $3.8 million in economic impact through new market sports and spending revenue to Overland Park in its first year.”
Among the off-the-field amenities will be two restaurants, health and wellness facilities, and a family entertainment center that will include arcade games, bowling, laser tag, an e-sports center, golf simulators, and a roll glider. The surrounding Bluhawk district adds retail, dining, a grocer, and luxury apartments–making it one of the most anticipated projects in Kansas. The next phase of the destination is 200,000 square feet of retail with outdoor placemaking called the Boundary and Bluhawk which connects to the front door of the sports facility.
“In today’s market, it’s tough to take developments to real estate committees or public companies,” continued Lowen. “You have to answer the question of why they should pick your development over any other opportunity – and for us, it was a 420,000 square foot sports center. Now, 90 percent of our retail is occupied.”
Blake Pierce, president of Emerald Acres Sports Connection, recalls a time when Mattoon was on the list for several national brands’ expansion prospects– just not necessarily at the top of that list. Looking to elevate Mattoon’s status, he was part of a team at Rural King, a farm supply giant based in Mattoon, that devised a plan in 2019 to create a sports facility that would get the city “over the hump.”
When most of the complex opens this fall, the 150-acre development plans to be a crown jewel for elite youth sports, complete with top-shelf retail and program-driven experiences for the entire family. When completed, Emerald Acres is expected to annually attract 580,000 visitors and fill 59,000 hotel rooms, which calculates to a $23.8 million economic impact, and create jobs to keep up with that demand.
“The whole purpose of the project is to draw additional amenities to the area,” said Pierce.
Emerald Acres poses minimal economic risk to the city, which wasn’t required to raise property taxes to pay for the site while it collected more than $10 million in community donations, according to Mayor Hall, a lifelong Mattoon resident. “We incurred no debt or liabilities for the sports complex, yet we played a critical role,” Hall said.
Image Source: Emerald Acres Sports Connection
To facilitate as smooth an opening as possible, the local government continues to be of vital importance. Infrastructure projects include improving traffic patterns and working with development companies to entice more affordable homes to be built for the influx of employees. Officials like Alexander Benishek, the city’s community development and planning director, are also educating existing businesses about what to expect once the facility comes online so they can be staffed properly.
Emerald Acres is positioned to be a regional attraction, as it is located within driving distance of major cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, and Saint Louis. It will have an indoor facility for basketball and volleyball (eight and 16 courts, respectively) that will debut this fall, and eight baseball diamonds and 16 rectangular fields scheduled to open in Spring 2025.
The campus will include a new 140,000 square foot shopping center and 11,000 square foot strip mall in a safe walkable environment. Chick-fil-A is among the dining options scheduled to reside on the premises, with more announcements scheduled as opening day approaches. One hotel is in development and a second could be on the way soon. There will also be an entertainment center and urgent care.
“We’re anticipating $200 million in construction occurring over the next two to three years,” Pierce said. “In an area like this, that is astronomical.”
Pierce said Mattoon is playing to its strength by turning to sports tourism. The city previously hosted baseball and softball tournaments drawing hundreds of teams but needed a modern facility to keep up with today’s demands, which include turf fields, indoor and outdoor venues, and on-site amenities. Mayor Hall is already envisioning local colleges hosting national championships at Emerald Acres.
Benishek compared the ongoing development to what an international airport could spur. Hall went a step further: “We don’t really know any other thing that could bring this many people to us from such a distance to a city of our magnitude,” said the Mayor.
Stepping onto the grounds of the World Equestrian Center – Ocala in central Florida is like entering a magic kingdom for horse enthusiasts. And to boot, Marion County boasts the country’s largest equine population (75,000), making it, with all due respect to the Kentucky faithful, the official “Horse of the Capital of the World.”
“Most people refer to us as kind of a Disneyland for horse people,” said Leah Tong, director of marketing and brand strategy for the WEC, which also sports an indoor equestrian venue in Wilmington, Ohio, the company’s original venue.
Equestrian activities alone are responsible for 1.2 million visitors to the Ocala campus in the past year. The site places the economic impact at $4.2 billion when factoring in the site’s international drawing power.
Image Source: World Equestrian Center
However, the 378-acre facility can’t be saddled as just a one-trick pony. While international and local equine competitions fill the center’s calendar, it also hosts youth sports (volleyball, martial arts, etc.), local celebrations, and business conferences. A new events center targeting corporate events is scheduled to open in 2025 and will be accompanied by additional retail.
The 248-room Equestrian Hotel is a luxurious property, matching some of the high-end retailers with on-site locations. But as WEC evolves, its offerings extend to different price points. The Riding Academy Hotel, a family- and pet-friendly offering with 390 guest rooms, opened this spring and is expected to be popular for the youth competitions occurring in one of the five (soon to be six) indoor arenas. There are seven restaurants within the WEC grounds, ranging from upscale Southern fare to Mexican food, pizza, burgers, and sweet shops.
“With the year-round events that are not limited to equestrian events and multiple restaurants to fit various price points, World Equestrian Center offers not just a place for tourists but also a place for locals to visit and enjoy, even on a daily basis,” noted Loretta Shaffer, tourism development director at the Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau.
Oktoberfest and the spectacular Winter Wonderland are holiday celebrations that have become annual traditions since WEC opened in Ocala in 2021. With so many amenities, events, and offerings, WEC has the feel and drawing power of a resort.
“By offering world-class facilities, versatile event spaces, on-site lodging and a variety of shops and restaurants, we’re not only providing exciting and diverse experiences for competitors and visitors, but also driving our local economy forward,” said Justin Garner, senior director of hospitality operations at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. “Our aim is to continuously elevate and evolve, always bringing our core values of quality, class, and distinction to those we serve.”
Pierce notes that youth sports have changed. While there is an overall decreased participation among youngsters, the majority of active athletes typically play on a different tier than their parents did. Club teams and travel tournaments come with a hefty price, which adds expectations about the entire experience–not just on the field.
That’s why Franco anticipates more mixed-use developments surrounding youth sports complexes to match the trend among professional venues with nearby hotels, shopping, and dining options. Franco stressed sports complexes must be built to last, meaning they need to be multifaceted and focus on quality of life.
“In order for these facilities to be sustainable and adaptable to changing trends, you need to plan for the future,” he said. “That’s why we’re seeing that there’s been an increased demand for building ancillary developments surrounding these facilities to ensure that the facility is maximized for as much usage as possible.”
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