New Indoor Sports Facility
The planned indoor venue is projected to drive sports tourism, hotel demand, and long-term economic impact in Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County Event Center Assessment District Authority held its milestone groundbreaking ceremony for the Kalamazoo Indoor Sports Facility Friday, July 31, at 10 a.m. at its future site in Kalamazoo.
This project marks a major step toward developing a new indoor sports venue designed to strengthen sports tourism in Kalamazoo County, attract regional and national tournaments, and support long-term economic growth across the area. The Kalamazoo Indoor Sports Facility is planned as a tournament ready 140,000-square-foot indoor facility anchored by eight full-size basketball courts, which can be converted into 16 volleyball courts. Plans also include a 200-by-85-foot indoor turf field, flex and team rooms, a lobby, ticketing, and a cafe with food and beverage seating.
“Sports tourism is already a big contributor to the Kalamazoo County economy, and in the future this facility alone is expected to generate 36,000 incremental hotel room nights a year” said Discover Kalamazoo President and CEO Jane Ghosh. “That’s why Kalamazoo County hotels voted overwhelmingly to support this initiative through an incremental 4% assessment on hotel stays.”
But those athletes and their families won’t just stay in hotels, Jane added. “They will support our locally owned and operated attractions, restaurants and shops. This facility is exactly why dedicated tourism funding exists: to invest in projects that grow the visitor economy, generating benefits that ripple throughout the entire community.”
The Authority is partnering with The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) on the project and SFC will support the facility’s path to opening through planning, marketing, operational preparation, and management. SFC is the nation’s leader in sports facility planning, development, and management, and partners with communities to plan, develop, and manage sports, recreation, and event venues that drive local economic vitality.
“This groundbreaking ceremony represents more than the start of construction,” said The Sports Facilities Companies Senior Vice President of Venue Management, John Sparks. “It marks the beginning of a long-term investment in Kalamazoo County’s future, with a facility built to attract regional and national events, support local athletes, and generate lasting economic impact for the community.”
The July 31st ceremony included a project overview, partner remarks, a ceremonial groundbreaking, group photo, and networking.
