Community Playmaker - Issue 08 - July 2025

We serve municipal leaders of communities large and small by bringing together the intersection of tourism, economic development, amateur sports, and recreation in a way that no one else does. We bring private-sector innovation to government leaders to help protect and secure the future of sport, recreation, and tourism in America.

Editor in Chief

Ashley Whittaker

Feature Editor

Johnny Crosskey

Digital Editor

Johnny Crosskey

Assistant Editors

Ali Yenchick

Cameron Connelly

Contributing Writers

Michael LoRé

Suzanne Wentley

Cameron Connelly

Sam Boykin

Advertising Inquiries

Creative Team

Tristan Makaroff

Makenna Parks

Ashley Kimmel

Research Coordinator

Cameron Connelly

Website Manager

Stephen Shafii

Event Manager

Alize Farhat

Matt Swenson

Jake Kring-Schreifels

Mark J. Burns

Johnny Crosskey

email: sales@communityplaymaker.com

General Inquiries

email: info@communityplaymaker.com

Playmakers,

From the largest municipalities to the smallest towns and villages, discovering and growing vehicles for driving revenue is vital. It’s often said, “money doesn’t grow on trees,” and neither does funding for the paved roads, essential services, or high-quality infrastructure required for communities to thrive. And beyond that, when we think about the importance of economic development, we think about the areas and initiatives, whether business corridors or beautiful parks, that create great environments for living, working, and conducting business.

In this edition of Community Playmaker, The Economic Development Issue, we look at the strategies that cities throughout America are using to successfully bring people and revenue to their communities. This includes how the United Soccer League has become one of the nation’s most prominent drivers of downtown redevelopment. We also look at how Costco is powering retail development in cities of all sizes.

We take you to Hoover, Alabama, and Detroit, Michigan —two cities that are rapidly rising thanks to investments in the sports and technology industries. The issue is also filled with insights and engaging stories from a variety of experts and leaders, including John David, president and CEO of SportsETA, and Mayor Steven L. Reed of Montgomery, Alabama.

We hope that these articles give you food for thought, information to use, and motivation for action when considering economic growth in your community.

Peace, love, and public service,

Johnny

Managing Editor, Community Playmaker Magazine

Issue 08: Summer 2025

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the permission in writing from the publisher, except small excerpts for review purposes. Submitted work, reviews, ads, and photographs are copyrighted by their respective owners.

Copyright Community Playmaker Magazine 2025.

The Sports Facilities Companies are a proud partner and sponsor of Community Playmaker.

STANDING TALL

MAYOR STEVEN REED ASSUMES THE MANTLE OF THE NEXT CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA

By Matt Swenson

Even in Montgomery, Alabama, which is known as “The Birthplace of Civil Rights,” Mayor Steven Reed stands out as a trailblazer.

In 2019, he became Montgomery’s first black mayor, an office he still holds, after serving as the city’s first black probate judge. Reed is aware of his place in history, but isn’t settling for becoming a footnote defined only by his race.

“The goal for us is not only to be the first black mayor, but to be the best mayor the city has ever had,” says Reed, 51, whose book on leadership is aptly titled “First, Best.”

Reed is well on his way, and the nation is taking notice. In 2024, the African Amer-

“It’s about having the opportunity to talk about what Montgomery is now and what we want to aspire to be, as opposed to what we were 60 and 70 years ago.”

ican Mayors Association appointed him president of the national nonprofit organization. He has been featured on multiple national outlets praising his collaborative leadership during COVID-19 and for groundbreaking education programs that will likely be Reed’s lasting legacy on Montgomery.

Coy about future political ambitions, Reed acknowledges his growing spotlight has perks beyond notoriety. “It’s about getting in rooms that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to bring resources back to the city,” says Reed, one of 40 chief executives selected for the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. Reed also serves on the National League of Cities Reimagining Public Safety Task Force.

Image Sources: Office of Mayor Reed

“It’s about having the opportunity to talk about what Montgomery is now and what we want to aspire to be, as opposed to what we were 60 and 70 years ago. It’s a matter of changing the narrative and inviting others outside to partner with us, to invest in our city and to invest in our people,” he adds.

An Unexpected Path

If Reed has one regret, it’s that he didn’t run for mayor sooner so he could have made even more gains than he has during his six-year tenure. Perhaps the delay stems back to Reed being one of the last people to realize he was destined to lead his hometown.

Reed’s father, Joe, sat on the Montgomery City Council from 1975 to 1999. Joe Reed helped integrate Montgomery lunch counters and was so respected that he had the ear of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Ralph Abernathy.

“I told my parents I would never run for any of that,” says Steven Reed, who still receives plenty of advice from his parents. “I grew up here, never thinking I would be mayor.”

In fact, he left Montgomery for higher education. Reed earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Morehouse College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

That business acumen has served Reed well as he expertly maneuvers between corporations, entrepreneurs, philanthrop -

ic organizations, and other local leaders to form coalitions to help pass legislation previously unheard of.

Among Reed’s most stunning accomplishments was successfully passing the county’s first and only property tax, with the money earmarked to Montgomery’s schools.

“I thought our schools were underfunded,” Reed explains. “I still think they’re underfunded. But it was important for us to put that political capital to the test to focus on this issue. I think it’s a defining issue in my mayoral tenure.”

Modern Civil Rights Leader

Reed chose his own path to serving the city, vying for probate judge rather than seeking a seat on the council where his father made his name. Prior to the election, Reed was endorsed by the late John Lewis, a Civil Rights leader who served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in Georgia’s delegation.

Armed with Lewis’s approval, Reed made his historic run as probate judge. And in between this first and his historic mayoral run, Reed made other impactful moves. He was Alabama’s first probate judge to grant same-sex marriage licenses following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the unions.

“Somebody had to articulate and push for

“My leadership style is collaborative, but it’s grounded in a philosophy that government can be used as an instrument to do good.”

what was right on behalf of same-sex couples, but also other civil rights that could be violated,” he says. “It could be overturned if we didn’t say ‘enough.’ We had to be very strong, and we had to be very persuasive in our stance.”

As probate judge, he also served on the Department of Homeland Security’s Election Integrity Commission and initiated a statewide education campaign regarding

laws that have been criticized for making it harder for black Americans to vote.

For these moves, Reed won fans and enemies.

“That brought me face-to-face with the white political establishment here, which wasn’t quite so ready for that,” he says. “It wasn’t necessarily willing to give up its grip on power, and fought and challenged us at every stop. Those things were revealed,

too. But the good certainly outweighs the bad.”

Reed rose to mayor with a whopping 67 percent of the vote in 2019 and earned re-election in 2023.

Inspired by Montgomery’s history, Reed remains a champion for government, which became crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted individuals regardless of political affilia-

tion or ethnic background. “My leadership style is collaborative, but it’s grounded in a philosophy that government can be used as an instrument to do good.”

He hopes to do more good. Montgomery has made progress since the start of the Civil Rights Era, but Reed isn’t satisfied. “[Change] happens, but only if you force it to or else it just kind of lingers out there as a theory,” he says.

5 VACANT MALLS TURNED INTO VIBRANT CIVIC HUBS

By Cameron Connelly

Malls. If you were around in the late 1900s, you remember fondly the first time you smelled a Cinnabon store, got your ear pierced at Claire’s, and sat in a massage chair at the Sharper Image store to unwind. Possibly all in the same day. But now that you’ve grown up, you realize that

malls have become just as old and unhip as you(sorry).

But some malls across the country are reinventing themselves to appeal to new trends and interests. Whether they are buying convertibles (rooftop bars), drastically changing their style (adding some

art/fun murals), or getting a divorce (goodbye Auntie Anne’s, I miss you and I still love you). Below are five examples of malls that have aged gracefully and found ways to bring life back to the places that brought us all so much joy in the past.

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis had an old Sears building, which was built in 1927, with 1.5 million square feet of retail space that had been empty since 1993. Starting in 2015, a diverse group of Memphis investors—including 30 different funding sources ranging from non-profits, healthcare partners, education partners, and the City of Memphis— started a two-year, $200 million renovation project to transform the space into Crosstown Concourse.

Described as a “vertical urban village”, it is as though someone took a chunk of downtown Memphis and stacked it on top of itself. It has apartments, a high school, a YMCA, health clinics, art galleries, and even a craft brewery, because of course it does. Crosstown Concourse is living proof that a community can rally together and transform an eyesore into an icon.

The makeover involved removing 500,000 sq. ft. to add to and restore the 10-story

Arcade Providence Providence, Rhode Island

Back in 1828, if you wanted to experience the cutting edge of consumerism, you headed to Providence, Rhode Island, for the grand opening of America’s first indoor shopping mall: the Westminster Arcade. Cyrus Butler had a vision. But everybody’s vision needs to be reviewed and refreshed now and then.

So, instead of letting this architectural gem fade into obscurity, the people of Providence got creative. They took those sprawling retail spaces and shrunk ‘em down, turning the upper floors into 48 micro-apartments. What they lack in square footage, they make up for with effi-

cient layouts, sleek designs, and a surprising amount of natural light streaming in from their iconic skylight.

The Arcade didn’t completely abandon its retail roots, though. The ground floor still houses a collection of local shops and eateries, creating a unique blend of residents and visitors mingling in a space that feels both historic and modern at the same time. It’s a living, breathing example of how to reimagine a landmark for a new generation, trading in the endless search for parking spots for the simple pleasure of walking downstairs for lunch or a cup of coffee.

atrium and bring in plenty of natural light. The rest of the 1 million sq. ft. was split to accommodate 600,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and 400,000 sq. ft. of residential space. Today, the mixed-use complex features 269 apartments, six retail shops, 14 restaurants, eight medical institutions, an artist-residency program and exhibition space, and a boutique hotel. It just goes to show that even the oldest buildings can be brought back to life with the right planning and care.

Crosstown Concourse

Columbus Commons Columbus, Ohio

Remember the City Center Mall? Yeah, me neither. But according to my research, it existed. And then it didn’t. In a bold move that would make Marie Kondo proud, Columbus decided to declutter its downtown area and transform the site of a struggling mall into something far more useful: a six-acre urban park called Columbus Commons. Now this does spark joy.

This isn’t just a patch of grass with a few benches, though. It’s a 6-acre park with gardens, a performance stage, a carousel, and a calendar bursting with community events. You can catch a free concert under the stars, take a morning yoga class

surrounded by flowers, or even ride a disco-themed carousel that plays all the greatest hits from the ‘70s. Because some things we just can’t let go of. And that’s okay.

Columbus Commons has breathed new life into the surrounding area, attracting new apartments, offices, and restaurants. It’s become a true community hub, proving that sometimes, the best way to revitalize a city is to ditch the retail space and embrace the great outdoors. Who needs a food court when you can have a fullblown festival?

Rhythm & Rally Sports & Events Macon, Georgia

The most exercise you’ve probably gotten at the mall was the little run you did in a Foot Locker when you tried on new shoes. But now, thanks to Rhythm & Rally Sports & Events, you can actually work up a sweat. A former Belk department store has been transformed into the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility, complete with 32 climate-controlled courts ready for dinking, driving, and a little friendly trash talk.

Rhythm & Rally has become a community hub, hosting tournaments, camps, and events that bring people together, whether they’re seasoned pickle pros or fresh cucumbers new to the sport. For just $5, you can join other players for open play from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Turns out, a little competition and camaraderie can be way more appealing than another trip to the candle store.

Macon’s gamble on pickleball has paid off big time, turning a retail relic into a regional hotspot. Forget about Black Friday brawls; now it’s all about pickleball rallies. And who knows, maybe this is just the beginning. With enough imagination, even the most outdated mall can find new life as a place where people connect, compete, and—most importantly—have a little fun.

5

Liberty Station

San Diego, California

Okay, this one isn’t a mall that got turned into something else, it’s more of a something else that turned into a cool modern mall, but whatever. It’s still cool. Once upon a time, Liberty Station in San Diego was home to thousands of Navy recruits, learning the ropes (literally and figuratively) before they set sail. Now, it’s a vibrant arts and culture district that’s drawing locals and tourists alike. So, what happened?

Well, the Navy packed up and moved out, leaving behind a collection of beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival buildings. Instead of tearing them down and building condos (as some developers desired), the city decided to transform the area into a mixed-use destination with art galleries, breweries, restaurants, and public spaces. Now, you can stroll through the grounds, admiring the historic architecture while

The Takeaway

sipping a craft beer, taking a dance class, or browsing the works of local artists. Or all the above. It’s definitely more fun than the boot camps it was once home to. Liberty Station traded in military precision for creative expression and offers a unique blend of history, culture, and community that’s hard to find anywhere else. Next time you are in San Diego, forget the beach. Liberty Station is calling your name.

These malls (and a naval training center) prove that with a little imagination, any space can become a community magnet. So next time you see a “For Lease” sign and a giant parking lot, dream big: Could this be tomorrow’s skatepark-school hybrid? Or a rooftop cocktail bar? The possibilities are endless… and they can provide a more beautiful backdrop to look at while in line at Auntie Anne’s. Take everything you want away from malls, but please leave me at least one Auntie Anne’s location.

I will beg if I need to.

HOW LEADERS ARE DRIVING A CITY’S REBIRTH

By Jake Kring-Schreifels

When Claude Molinari first arrived in Detroit in 2011, the city’s reputation preceded it. As the current president & CEO of Visit Detroit recalls, one of the first things he was told was to avoid Capitol Park— then a neglected downtown patch, little more than a holding space for trouble—drug deals, sex work, maybe a ghost of the city’s former self.

But one morning not too long ago, he walked through it and noticed something. Not one thing, actually—many: a patisserie, a bike shop, two coffee joints, a supermarket, even a Detroit City FC team store. He saw a plastic surgeon’s office doing Botox for suburban housewives. “Now, I don’t know how one can determine progress,” he says, “but having a plastic surgeon in a public square is a pretty cool situation.”

What Molinari saw then was a city on the brink. What he sees now is transformation.

Across Detroit, the signs of rebirth are hard to miss. Neighborhoods once marked by abandonment now pulse with innovation and energy. The once-derelict Michigan Central Station has been transformed by Ford Motor Company into a hub for electric and autonomous vehicle development, while nearby Book Tower, left vacant for years, now gleams as a mixed-use space with restaurants, residences, and street-level vibrancy. It’s this mix of reinvestment and reimagination—backed by public-private collaboration—that’s turning Detroit into a modern model for urban renewal. A place not just to visit, but to live.

And that’s happening. Last year, for the first time since 1957, Detroit added residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city gained 1,852 people between mid-2022 and mid-2023. It’s not a massive number, but in a city once hollowed out by economic collapse and white flight, it’s a reversal that speaks volumes. The change, however, didn’t happen by accident. It took bold leadership, major investments, and a commitment to inclusive planning that centered communities as much as it did construction cranes.

Reimagining Ruin

A decade ago, Detroit hit rock bottom. General Motors had declared bankruptcy. The city itself—$18 billion in debt— became the largest U.S. municipality ever to go bust. Emergency services were slashed. By 2013, the population went from around 1.8 million to 700,000. The Michigan Central Station, once a symbol of early 20th-century grandeur, stood empty, a reminder of what Detroit had lost.

Then came a $90 million bet.

In 2018, Ford Motor Company pur

and bolstered by city tax incentives, Ford launched an ambitious project to turn the area into the heart of its electric and autonomous vehicle operations. After 1.7 million work hours, the Beaux-Arts landmark now stands restored—spectacular and forward-facing. The district boasts more than 100 startups working on the next wave of mobility, including the coun-

try’s only electric vehicle charging road.

Capitol Park isn’t the only place seeing transformation. Corktown—once the kind of place locals joked would steal your car before you finished parking—has become the nerve center of America’s mobility future.“That area now is really the hub of automobility and electrification in the United States,” Molinari says.

Backed by $700 million in investment and bolstered by city tax incentives, Ford launched an ambitious project to turn the area into the heart of its electric

Private development has also played a key role in reshaping the city’s core. Dan Gilbert, co-founder of Rocket Mortgage and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has made downtown Detroit the centerpiece of his investment strategy. Through his real estate firm, Bedrock Detroit, he undertook the painstaking revival of the Book Tower—a 38-story architectural gem left vacant for years.

With nearly $400 million poured into the project, the newly opened space includes five restaurants, hundreds of apartments, extended-stay suites, and ornate flourishes like dozens of caryatids that now overlook a reawakened city center. It’s not just a building—it’s a symbol of Detroit’s rebirth. “More peo -

PLANNING FOR PEOPLE

Planning for People

Yet while marquee developments dazzle, the work happening in Detroit’s neighborhoods is equally crucial to the city’s revitalization. Detroit Future City (DFC), a nonprofit think tank and policy advocate, has been instrumental in steering equitable growth, especially in terms of land use and community resilience.

Kimberley Faison, DFC’s vice president for Thriving, Resilient Neighborhoods, oversees programs designed to activate vacant land and foster sustainability. For her, revitalization begins and ends with the people who live there.

designs, to really consider how the end product will be used and what impact it will have and how it will foster the community’s needs… It’s very community-engaged.” From tree planting to water retention features to public art, DFC supports land-based solutions that serve environmental, social, and economic purposes.

One such initiative included a bus tour where residents visited successful landuse projects, igniting visions for how green space could support not just sustainability but local identity. “Those have included strategies for increasing tree canopy… arts and culture, small business. It’s about how land connects us,” Faison says. “That’s how you build vision. That’s how you connect people to the land and the

Image Sources: Visit Detroit

“The Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons all play in relatively new or brand-new arenas right in the heart of downtown,” Molinari notes. “No other city in the world has that.”

Sports, Stadiums, and Civic Spirit

Those green spaces may soon neighbor even more ambitious projects.

A few blocks from Ford’s Michigan Central campus, Detroit City FC, the city’s beloved soccer team, hopes to build a new stadium on a site adjacent to the Mexicantown neighborhood—a symbolic and literal link to the communities it represents.

The proposed location ties together the city’s growing sports culture and grassroots connection.

Molinari points to the value of sports as a powerful economic and cultural engine.

“The Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons all play in relatively new or brandnew arenas right in the heart of downtown,” he notes. “No other city in the world has that.”

Big events bring big exposure. The 2024 NFL Draft, hosted in downtown Detroit, drew over 775,000 attendees and was broadcast to over 60 million viewers. “It’s like a huge infomercial for your city,” Molinari says. “All these drone shots… the Detroit River as bright blue as the Caribbean. It’s a moment to say: check us out.”

Image Sources: Visit Detroit

Lessons in the Comeback

For cities seeking to emulate Detroit’s revival, Molinari emphasizes “relentless positivity” and a willingness to promote what makes a city shine. “You have to sing the praises of your city,” he says. “Just the hospitality and tourism revenue for southeast Michigan is equivalent to selling 235,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees, which is 12,000 more than they sold last year.”

Faison echoes the sentiment, stressing inclusion as an economic strategy. “Even large investors and developers have seen

the value and opportunity in engaging communities,” she says. “Incorporating arts and culture and programming that’s designed by local people, connecting small business opportunities and contracting opportunities, and all kinds of resident-driven, resident-supportive activities, really goes a long way, even in economic development.”

Detroit’s renaissance isn’t just about rebuilding structures—it’s about rethinking systems, reshaping spaces, and re-center-

ing residents. From billion-dollar campuses to neighborhood greenways, from plastic surgeons in public squares to soccer pitches in Mexicantown, Detroit is writing a new story—one of resilience, ingenuity, and hope.

“Every sector, every system that you can think of,” Faison says, “has been in a mode of rebuilding and envisioning and really thinking about what is possible for the future.”

LESSONS IN THE COMEBACK

LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVES

ADVICE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Steven L. Reed

Mayor Montgomery, Alabama (pop. 195,818)

What about leading a city surprised you?

I was probably surprised at how many people noticed that I won the race, and how many people noticed the history that we made when we got elected.

I’ve been surprised by the amount of people who really want to partner and invest in our community because of the type of leadership we have, letting them know that we’re open for business and letting them know we’re a future-focused city that understands its rich history, but is focused on building a better tomorrow.

What books most inspired you?

The Bible

Stride Toward Freedom by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My American Journey by Colin Powell

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

What advice would you give communities looking to use sports as a way to drive tourism and economic impact?

Make sure that you have a community that can support that. It’s very expensive. It looks lucrative, and certainly brings people to your town, but make sure that you can keep the facilities up once you build them and keep them vibrant and attractive, because people like the new toys, so to speak. And so, you will always be trying to keep up. Just make sure that the dollars work out for you before you make that big investment.

What advice would you give to young leaders?

Surround yourself with people you can trust. You’re going to find yourself in situations where you need to share things that are confidential, and you need people that will give you an honest opinion, not tell you what you want to hear.

Frank Brocato

Mayor Hoover, Alabama (pop. 92,448)

WHAT THE GROWTH OF THE GAME MEANS FOR CITIES

By Michael LoRé

Brett Johnson has fond memories of Rhode Island. As a Brown University rowing team member, Johnson spent endless hours traversing the Seekonk River training and racing.

So when the Benevolent Capital Co-Founder and CEO sought to launch a new professional soccer team, unsurprisingly, the smallest U.S. state had made the top of his list for prospective locations.

“Rhode Islanders have basically been subsidizing teams in Massachusetts and New York, and to a certain extent in Connecticut,” said Johnson, Rhode Island FC chairman and co-founder. “Rhode Island deserves a stadium like we built, they deserve a team like we have, and they deserve everything else that will come as a result of this stadium.”

Path to Pawtucket

Rhode Island FC isn’t Johnson’s first foray into football—or soccer, as we say here in the States.

Johnson, who built Benevolent Capital into a successful private equity fund with investments across real estate, manufacturing, and consumer brands, is also the founder and partner at Fortuitous Partners and looked to add sports to his portfolio.

So in 2016, he bought a minority stake in Arizona United SC, which was rebranded to Phoenix Rising FC. Inspired by the club’s success on and off the field, Johnson’s football focus doubled in 2019 when he announced plans to launch Rhode Island FC.

“This isn’t a bold statement, but I feel there are too many overlooked and certainly too many

son, also a director and shareholder of Ipswich Town FC in England. “I believe these sporting franchises are truly part of the community.”

Launching the estimated $400 million Tidewater Landing mixed-use development project on two sites totaling 25 acres on both sides of the Seekonk River, the entire endeavor is anchored by a 10,500seat, multi-use stadium. Centreville Bank Stadium welcomed a sellout crowd of 10,700 for its inaugural match on May 3, declared “Rhode Island Football Club Day” by Governor Dan McKee, who cast the tie-breaking vote in July 2022 to approve the plan for the stadium and development on the Tidewater Landing site.

The stadium is part of a larger public-private partnership in downtown Pawtucket, which will bring housing, restaurants, retail stores, and recreational amenities to the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution after losing its minor-league baseball team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, in 2019, and potentially toy maker Hasbro.

Through Fortuitous Partners, a leading real estate investment and development company with a focus on pro sports-anchored real estate developments, Johnson and Rhode Island FC ownership raised $50 million in private investment for the stadium—the largest private capital

to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and rising construction costs to get to opening day.

The City of Pawtucket provided $10 million in federal ARPA pandemic relief funds, while the public financing part of the project ($54 million in bonds) was issued through the Pawtucket Redevelopment Agency.

Borrowing a blueprint from projects in larger cities, including Los Angeles and Atlanta, Johnson hopes Tidewater Landing can help rewrite the playbook for sports expansion across the U.S., giving smaller communities more than a new, local team to root for.

Image Sources: Place or Person

Image Sources: Rhode Island FC

“We’ve proven an expansion franchise in a smaller market can figure out how to finance a brand new soccer-specific stadium,” he said. “That’s a game changer in my opinion.”

Blueprint for Success

While Major League Soccer (MLS) continues its own expansion, recently welcoming San Diego FC as the 30th club for a record $500 million fee, the United Soccer League (USL) offers investors like Johnson a more affordable entry into professional soccer in the U.S.

Comprised of three men’s leagues (USL Championship, USL League One, and USL League Two) with plans to add a Division One league at the top of its structure in 2027, USL’s blueprint for success is finding mid-size cities and markets longing for professional sports, particularly soccer.

With an expansion strategy prioritizing stadium-anchored entertainment districts, the USL is currently working in approximately 70 markets around the country in various stages to not only provide more professional playing opportunities for players, but, more importantly, boost underserved communities through multi-use development, economic impact, and civic pride.

The USL Championship is set to grow to 30 clubs by 2026, with new teams in Brooklyn, Dallas, and Santa Barbara, California. USL League One has 14 teams competing this

season, including five new clubs: AV Alta, FC Naples (Florida), Portland Hearts of Pine (Maine), Texoma FC, and Westchester SC. The USL Super League, a Division One pro women’s league that launched in August 2024 with eight clubs, recently announced a landmark partnership with Gainbridge, securing the first-ever naming rights deal for a pro soccer league in U.S. history.

“These projects can take two years, they can take five years, they can take 10 years, and some never happen, but we happen to have a very good batting average—to mix sports metaphors—in getting these deals over the line,” said Justin Papadakis, USL deputy chief executive officer & chief real estate officer. “I can say that 2025 will be the largest ever in terms of new professional

clubs being formed, and that’s exciting.

“When you look back at the goal of the [1994] World Cup to accelerate the growth of professional men’s soccer in the United States and you bookend that with the 2026 World Cup, to see where we are in 2026 in terms of the number of professional clubs and stadiums across the United States, it’s nothing short of amazing.”

Existing and upcoming projects in Jacksonville, Florida, Northwest Arkansas, Antelope Valley, California, North Texas, and Milwaukee signal the seemingly unquenchable thirst for professional soccer in the U.S. that the USL continues to fuel.

Led by a new stadium and pro sports team, these endeavors are transforming communities across the country. The Colorado Switchbacks contributed $34,000 to their local community last season. The LouCity and Racing Foundation raised more than $250,000 at its 2023 Soccer Ball event to benefit Louisville, while Forward Madison FC and corporate partners raised more than $45,000 in 2023 for local charities in Wisconsin.

Buffalo Pro Soccer announced in April plans to construct a 7,600-seat, privately funded stadium near the Buffalo River, which would anchor an emerging entertainment district featuring ShotClub Social Buffalo and The Powerhouse, a premier events center. In March, the Roswell City Council unanimously approved a Letter of Intent between the city and USL to explore the possibility of developing a women’s soccer stadium-anchored entertainment district in the Georgia city, making it home to both a USL Super League women’s and USL Championship men’s professional club.

Not only does the USL make expansion more affordable compared to MLS and NWSL—USL Championship expansion fees were $12 million in 2020 (the league wouldn’t comment on current fees)—the appeal of adding women’s clubs under the same umbrella makes the opportunity even more appealing to owners and investors like Johnson.

“We call our stadiums our community living rooms and we really think that that’s the right term for it because there really aren’t too many other places where the community can come together as one, week in and week out, unified around one mission and that’s having their team win on the pitch,” Papadakis said. “It’s something we take a lot of pride in, and we want to make sure that our fans have a first-class experience.

“... They don’t have to drive two hours each way to go watch a professional sporting event. They can go right down the street. And those players live in the communities. They raise their families in those communities. They are part of the fabric of the community. So there’s this inherent really strong connection, and if you’ve seen some of the footage from those games, that is what the USL is all about.”

Image Sources: AV Alta

SURGE BY THE NUMBERS

2 sites totaling 25

acres on both sides of the Seekonk River

$50

Rhode Island FC ownership raised the largest private capital investment in any Rhode Island development in over a century million

BUFFALO PRO SOCCER

7,600 announced plans for a seat stadium near the BUFFALO RIVER

HOOVER’S

THE BIRMINGHAM SUBURB HAS BECOME A TOP SPORTS DESTINATION, WHICH HAS CREATED DEMAND FOR AMENITIES THAT ATTRACT NEW RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.

By Matt Swenson

When the Double-A Barons moved back to downtown Birmingham, Alabama, in 2012, the fate of Hoover Met Stadium could have gone in two directions.

It could become a White Elephant, a term for venues that sit idly and fall into disrepair. Or the park could become the lynchpin in a citywide redevelopment in the suburb of Hoover.

Despite losing the team Michael Jordan played for

during his mid-1990s hiatus from the NBA, Hoover doubled down on sports. New fields and an indoor complex were built to attract youth teams, as was a tennis center. The RV park is a destination unto itself.

All told, the 150-acre Hoover Met Complex, which generated $91.3 million in economic impact in 2024, stands as a testament to civic leaders believing in their vision and finding opportunities when misfortune could have beset the community.

The Barons returning to their namesake city was “a blessing for Birmingham and for our city,” says Hoover Mayor Frank V. Brocato. “It completely revitalized the southside of Birmingham, which needed it, and it opened the door for us to think about what would be the next step.”

The One That Didn’t Get Away

For all of the additions to Hoover, which include the walkable mixed-use development known as Stadium Trace, one mainstay during this transformation looms large.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) Baseball Tournament has been played in Hoover since 1999. In 2024, it attracted a record 180,000 attendees and brought in $26 million of economic impact through hotel stays, restaurant dining, and local shopping.

With an expanded field of 16 teams, including SEC newcomers Texas and Oklahoma, the 2025 tournament will almost surely set a new record when final calculations are made.

An annual event so prestigious that it featured the top two picks in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft—including Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace—demands a venue to match its standing.

No one understands that more than Hoover Met Complex General Manager Shannon Ealy, who ran the SEC Tournament for 11 years. Ealy works diligently to maintain the trust of the current tournament organizers. That includes meeting annually with conference officials to determine strategies for enhancing the experience for spectators and players, and overseeing a $25 million renovation that the city poured into Hoover Met Stadium.

Among The Highlights Are:

• State-of-the-art training facilities

• New greenery and decor for the stadium facade

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• All-new stadium seats

• Concourse upgrades

• Addition of premium club level seats on the third base side and a party deck to host sponsors and VIPs along right field

“Teams will have no idea they are playing in a venue built in 1988,” says Ealy.

Mayor Brocato adds that the tournament is such a powerful draw that crowd levels

Image Sources: Hoover Met Complex

ALABAMA

don’t drop if the two in-state schools are eliminated. “One of the biggest selling points for the SEC is that it’s successful when Alabama and Auburn are not here,” he says. “We still set records.”

Stadium Trace’s amenities, new development activity, the regular dialogue with the SEC team, and upgraded fields have paid off in the form of a four-year contract extension that will keep the tournament in Hoover through at least 2028 with an option to go into 2030. With states like Texas—which has access to world-class facilities in the Dallas and Houston Areas—also competing to host the SEC tournament, the new contract is no small feat.

Evolving Into a Destination

Even with the heavy investment in the baseball stadium, the City of Hoover has also kept its eye on the ball in the youth sports tourism industry.

With indoor and outdoor playing surfaces, ample parking, and a walkable entertainment and shopping district, Hoover Met Complex can justifiably be described as one of the Southeast’s premier sports complexes.

The big catch on the youth sports side is Perfect Game, one of the industry’s leading organizers of baseball and softball tournaments. According to Ealy, it puts on roughly 30 events per year at HMC, equating to more than $20 million in economic impact.

“With the ease of getting here and our offerings, we are starting to become a destination,” says Ealy.

The impact goes beyond heads in beds and restaurant bills. The steady stream of business allows Hoover to employ full-time staff members and maintain a part-time workforce of approximately 170 people.

competing in more than 60 sports, will have events at the complex.

Also important to the administration is that Hoover Met is utilized by local teams and organizations. In 2024, 74,384 residents utilized the various facilities within the complex.

Meanwhile, the RV Park regularly has at least half-occupancy, Ealy says, as campers spend the night there to rest and sports fans tailgate during events. The park adds between $1 million and $2 million to the region’s economy by itself, says Ealy.

The 2025 calendar includes:

• Adidas 3SSB Girls Basketball

• NXTPRO Hoops

• MADE Hoops tournaments

• Victory Event Series Lacrosse

• Deep South Cheer

The Hoover Met effect has convinced even the biggest skeptics of the $80 million project that was first conceived before Brocato took office in 2016.

“We had to make sure it was successful,” the mayor says. “And we did.”

Momentum continues as word of Hoover reaches vast audiences. It hosted The World Games 2022, an international competition that exposed the Birmingham area to a global contingent. In Summer 2025, the World Police and Fire Games, featuring first responders

The Science of Growing Hoover is a city on the rise.

Increased housing opportunities are attracting both younger families and individuals over 50 years old. No matter the age, its citizens can enjoy the new restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, and more at Stadium Trace and elsewhere in Hoover.

Six new hotels are under construction, which will not only serve the sports tournaments but will also be advantageous for businesses based in Hoover looking to bring in employees for training, team gatherings, and other events.

Regions Bank, a Fortune 500 company, employs about 1,000 people in the Hoover area, according to Greg Knighton, Hoover’s Economic Development manager. Other notable large employers include Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama, McLeod Software, BioHorizons, BMSS, and BioLife.

Also notable is the presence of the National Computer Forensics Institute, a feder-

ally funded training center dedicated to training, educating, and equipping state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges on cyber and electronic crimes and related threats. The 40,000 sq. ft. facility includes four multi-purpose classrooms, two network intrusion classrooms, a mock courtroom, and administrative work areas, and is ideal for large gatherings for out-oftown staff.

Brimming with confidence, Knighton and his team attend trade shows to attract STEM-based companies to open offices and set up headquarters in the city. Knighton says the Hoover Met Complex and the related development are integral to the success.

“It’s not uncommon for me to run into people who are familiar with us because of our sports identity,” Knighton says. “It really does help us with our overall marketing.”

Knighton adds that his college-age children have trouble recognizing Hoover because of its growth and development, particularly around Stadium Trace.

“You’ve seen a whole community pop up because of the walkable nature of what’s going on,” he says. “Youth sports in Hoover has become a community within itself.”

Image Sources: City of Hoover, Alabama

ANCHORS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS POWERING LOCAL PROGRESS

By Sam Boykin

Every thriving city has a center of gravity—a catalytic project or district that draws people, drives investment, and shapes identity. In this article, we explore how communities are using a range of economic development anchors —sports complexes, mixed-use districts, and innovation hubs—to spark momentum and build lasting value.

Image Sources: Wake Forest University School of Medicine Charlotte

A New Era in Innovation and Health Care Emerges

Charlotte, North Carolina, rose to prominence in the 1980s as one of the country’s most prominent financial hubs. Today, the city is home to Bank of America, and many other financial institutions have a significant presence there. While finance remains Charlotte’s top industry, officials have long worked to diversify the economy. Now, an expansive new project combining the booming technology and health care sectors is poised to change the city’s reputation and trajectory.

The Pearl is a mixed-use development that’s anchored by Charlotte’s first fouryear medical school, Wake Forest University School of Medicine Charlotte. Developers broke ground in early 2023 on the 26-acre, multi-phase project, which is set to include some 35,000 square feet of office and lab spaces and 35,000 square feet of retail spaces; residential development, including affordable housing; and community gathering areas.

“It’s a transformative project for the city,” said Tracy Dodson, chief operating officer at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (CRBA), the city’s economic development organization. “It’s creating a new industry sector for our community and providing local workforce opportunities.” The Pearl is a public-private partnership

that started after Atrium Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health merged in 2019. Dodson said that Eugene Woods, president and CEO of Charlotte-based the former Atrium Health (now Advocate Health), helped spearhead the medical school. The project gained momentum and expanded when Atrium partnered

Atrium is investing $1.5 billion in the district, while the city and Mecklenburg County are investing a combined $75 million in infrastructure improvements.

The Pearl is located in Dilworth, Charlotte’s first streetcar suburb, which is situated just south of the downtown area and noted for its historic homes and bungalows.

“The location is important because of its visibility and access for the broader community,” Dodson said, who served as Charlotte’s assistant city manager before joining the CRBA in 2024.

The district is expected to create 5,500 onsite jobs and 11,500 jobs in the Charlotte area over the 15-year buildout.

with Wexford Science and Technology, a Baltimore-based developer that works with universities, academic medical centers, and research institutions to build mixed-use communities.

The 14-story medical school will be at the heart of an innovation district that will serve as an incubator for research and new technologies, helping smaller businesses flourish and grow. The development will focus largely on life sciences, including medical technology, device innovation, and pharmaceuticals. The district is expected to create 5,500 onsite jobs and 11,500 jobs in the Charlotte area over the 15-year buildout.

The first phase includes the medical school, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2025, along with several other educational and science facilities, including a 10-story research facility. Dodson said the complex will serve as a recruiting tool for innovative startups and talent. The lab and office space in phase one is

already filled with tenants, which is helping generate interest from hospitality and residential developers, as well as venture capitalists.

The Pearl is expected to extend its reach as it becomes more established and companies start manufacturing products.

“From a manufacturing standpoint, we are well-positioned on the border of two states and within a 14-county region,” said Dodson. “I think we’re going to see ideas turn into concepts and be made into products really quickly.”

“Ten years from now, Charlotte is going to be known for The Pearl as much as it’s known for financial services,” she continued. “In watching this project come to life, and how all the pieces have fallen into place, we have real momentum. That’s a testament to putting all the ingredients together on the front end. It has created an incredible model for broader partnerships right out of the gate.”

How Youth Sports Complexes Are Powering Local Economies

Sports venues are another powerful economic development tool, although it’s an approach that has seen a fundamental shift over the years. While arenas and coliseums that host professional teams are still a big draw, more communities are developing youth sports complexes that cater to travel tournaments.

Rather than host a dozen or so big games each season, these mega-complexes often host 50-plus weekend events annually and a multitude of programming for residents throughout the year. Because they are reliable sources of foot traffic, these facilities are a highly coveted anchor for real estate development.

“It’s no longer just about field count or square footage. Although that’s important. Families want an experience—quality food, engaging entertainment, and activ-

“It’s a win for the developer who has public participation in their project, a win for the city that receives the benefits of new hotels, retail, and restaurants, and a win for kids and families who have improved access to sport and entertainment opportunities,” said Whittaker.

ities for every age,” said Jake Whittaker, senior vice president of Development at The Sports Facilities Companies. “Tournaments should feel like a weekend well spent.”

Moreover, cities and real estate developers often collaborate to create these sports and entertainment complexes. And with rising construction costs, local govern-

Image Sources: Advent Health Sports Park at Bluhawk

ments are finding increasingly creative ways to pay for them, including TIF (Tax Increment Finance) districts, special-use or special tax entertainment districts, and hotel and tourism taxes.

“It’s a win for the developer who has public participation in their project, a win for the city that receives the benefits of new hotels, retail, and restaurants, and a win for kids and families who have improved access to sport and entertainment opportunities,” said Whittaker in the case study.

The AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk in Overland, Kansas, is a shining example of this kind of project. Phase one of the project opened in the fall of 2024 and includes eight basketball courts that convert to 16 volleyball courts and an NHL-size rink seating 1,500 spectators. The sports park has over 70,000 square feet of family entertainment options, including a bowling alley, wellness center, gaming center, restaurant, sports training, and even a roll-glider single-person roller coaster experience. The complex is expected to welcome 800,000 visitors annually.

The sports complex anchors the 277-acre Bluhawk development, which offers a who’s who of shopping, dining, and entertainment options. At full capacity, the Bluhawk development will offer 200,000 square feet of leasable space, 110,000 square feet of office space, and an apartment complex.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” said Greg Jackson, general manager of AdventHealth Sports Park.

Michigan Central: A Beacon of Innovation in Detroit’s Comeback Story

Ever since Henry Ford manufactured a four-wheeled vehicle known as the Quadricycle in his Detroit shed in 1896, the city has been synonymous with the automotive industry. Yet the Motor City is also noted for its devastating decline, as cheaper manufacturing overseas, economic recessions, and labor disputes contributed to Detroit filing for bankruptcy in 2013.

A dark symbol of this precipitous fall was Michigan Central Station, an 18-story terminal that served as Detroit’s train hub from 1913 to 1988. In the decades after the 640,000-square-foot building shuttered, it attracted crime, drugs, and vandalism.

“Michigan Central Station symbolized everything that had gone wrong with Detroit,” said Quentin Messer, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “At one point, it brought thousands of people from all across the country, but then it fell into disrepair, and that became the world’s view of Detroit, and in some respects, of Michigan.”

Today, however, the iconic, grand Beaux Arts structure is the beating heart of Michigan Central, a visionary, 30-acre campus designed to change how the world moves. And perhaps more importantly, it’s changing how people see Detroit. “It’s been amazing to see the rebirth and the commitment to the creativity and innovation that made Detroit what it is,” said Messer.

Fittingly, it was the Ford Motor Company, helmed by Executive Chairman Bill Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford, that launched the project when it purchased the building for $90 million in 2018.

In addition to Ford, Messer said that multiple state agencies invested nearly $130 million into the project, including the MEDC, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

“We all came together and said if you want to transform mobility in the 21st century, it’s going to require regulatory integration across multiple state agencies,” Messer said. “We’re proud to be a part of this public-private partnership.”

After nearly seven years of renovation and work, Michigan Central Station opened in the summer of 2024 as the centerpiece of the $1 billion innovation hub focused on mobility and transportation. The Station serves as Michigan Central’s main ecosystem and accommodates a diverse mix of larger tenants and established companies.

Other properties on the multi-building campus are also up and running, including Newlab, a former post office that now houses nearly 100 manufacturing and mobility startups. Elsewhere, parks and outdoor plazas are taking shape. Once complete, the campus will have 1.2 million square feet of commercial public space, along with retail and a hotel, helping attract local and global visitors and spur economic development.

“It’s going to have a scene and the kind of electricity and vibrancy that happens when disruptors come together and organically create,” said Messer. “It’s going to enable us to compete for and win projects, and not just in mobility, but in other sectors as well, because it’s going to reposition us at the forefront of advanced manufacturing.”

Image Sources: Michigan Central

of customers return to Costco every three days, with an average bill of $100 1/5

According to reports on Glassdoor.com,

73% of employees would recommend working at Costco to a friend.

137M Costco card members in 2024

By Suzanne Wentley

If you ask anyone with a Costco card why they love the big box store, be prepared for a long answer.

From its treasure hunt-style store layout to the high-quality Kirkland private label inhouse brand to the $1.50 hot dog, there’s plenty for Costco members to love.

And that love extends to elected officials and economic planning professionals hoping to lure the corporation to their communities.

Costco, with nearly 900 stores worldwide and $260 million in profits in 2024, is a big “get” for any municipality looking to expand its economy. Not only does the big retail footprint dramatically increase sales tax revenue, but Costco serves as a magnet for other lucrative developments.

To create these opportunities, many cities will offer Costco extensive—and sometimes controversial—incentive packages. However, these financial rewards for development may be worth it.

In the fall of 2012, Spanish Fork, Utah, opened its doors to a shiny new Costco. To encourage the retailer to build it there, the city offered a comprehensive package that included sales tax rebates for the first 18 months, reimbursing Costco for $225,000 of grading and fill work, which was performed by the city, paying for utilities for the first four years of operations, and waiving all city-related building, impact, and connection fees. A 2023 study from Brigham Young University found that the Costco incentive package paid for itself in less than five years.

Jeff Marino, a planning manager with the city of Champaign, Illinois, talks about a similar experience after city officials provided an incentive package to encourage Costco to open in their regional mall.

“Now that Costco has been here for five

years, it has strengthened the commercial area,” he said. “People within a 30- to 45-minute drive are coming to the regional commercial district. And while they are there, they’re eating at restaurants, getting gas, and visiting other big box stores.”

Plenty of retailers can make an impact on their communities, but what makes Costco unique? What makes it worth the bevy of incentives it’s offered nationwide?

To understand what sets this company apart from the competition, we’ll take a look at the company itself and what drives its corporate decisions. Next, we will show a few of the ways in which cities have successfully attracted the retail giant.

Why Is Costco Such a Valuable Retail Anchor?

There are plenty of big box stores throughout the nation’s retail landscape. Walmart tops the National Retail Federation’s list of Top 100 Retailers, but Costco is close behind in the third position. Amazon. com is second.

Still, Costco is dramatically different than Walmart, as well as Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and the other retail giants on the list. It’s true that all of these big box stores provide the catalyst for what economists call “agglomeration economics”; that is, stores located in centralized hubs benefit from the increased retail efficiency. But none have the draw of Costco.

Here’s a closer look at why.

Unmatched Customer Loyalty

Costco’s basic membership costs $65 a year, and its executive membership (offering a two percent reward every year) is $130 a year. If you didn’t know better, you’d think that people wouldn’t want to invest that sunk cost even before their first checkout.

Yet, there were nearly 137 million Costco card members in 2024. And before you think people are just stocking up and canceling, know that the renewal rate in 2024 was a staggering 92.9 percent in the U.S. and Canada and 90.5 percent worldwide. One-fifth of customers return to Costco every three days, with an average bill of $100.

Mr. Marino said his city was inspired to work with Costco after learning that there were already 2,500 members in the community willing to drive two hours to the Chicago or Peoria stores.

Competitive Employee Compensation

Costco isn’t just good for customers. According to reports on Glassdoor, 73 percent of employees would recommend working at Costco to a friend.

Cashiers make $18.02 an hour, while Center Managers earn around $70,993 a year, according to data from Indeed.com. Cashiers make $18.02 an hour, while Center Managers earn around $70,993, according to Indeed.com.

The 219,000 national employees in Costco pharmacies, bakeries, and warehouses also receive health care, dental care, a 401(k) plan, a free membership, and even premium pay on Sundays.

Beyond the quality of employment, the number of jobs Costco creates is alluring to cities. In Champaign, Costco added 100 jobs when it opened in 2020. A Costco warehouse and distribution center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is expected to bring 500 jobs.

Stable Market Position

Barron’s recently reported that Costco has a strong corporate structure and resilience to many external forces, including recent tariffs on imported goods. Two-thirds of Costco’s goods are produced in the United States, and its large buying power puts the economy of scale on its side for any transaction.

This means that once a Costco comes to town, it’s unlikely to turn into the common municipal challenge of reviving a dying mall. For Champaign, of course, it was just the opposite.

“Costco is definitely a draw,” Mr. Marino said.

Bringing Costco to Your Community

In many cities, developing tax incentive packages is the primary strategy for getting Costco’s attention. Here are a few examples of how cities have successfully attracted the retailer.

To bring Costco to their city, city officials in Mansfield, Texas, approved a Chapter 380 agreement providing up to $8 million in incentives for Costco to build a 150,000-square-foot store. Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code allows cities to give out grants of public

funds to promote local economic development and stimulate business and commercial activity. The city also agreed to reimburse Costco

$1.5 million for infrastructure costs. The latter is contingent upon Costco investing at least $25 million into the development and generating $40 million in annual sales.

When city officials in Yorkville, Illinois—a western suburb of Chicago with just over 24,000 residents—pursued Costco, they offered a $10 million sales tax rebate to be paid off in 10-20 years. According to reports, the rebate applies to both the warehouse store and its gas station, with a 0.75 percent rebate for the first six years and a 0.5 percent rebate for the next 14 years. Additionally, Costco sought assurances from the city that they would not increase the current non-home rule sales tax or that a home rule sales tax would not be implemented. Yorkville officials responded with additional incen-

tives for collecting incrementally increasing amounts of sales tax revenue over the course of the agreement.

Port St. Lucie, Florida, leaders offered a 10-year phased relief from ad valorem taxes and impact fee mitigation to land their upcoming 1.9 million-square-foot warehouse and distribution center. According to reports, ad valorem tax exemptions for real and tangible personal property are set at 100 percent for the first five years, before decreasing to 90, 80, 60, 40, and 20 percent, respectively, over the next five years. The package also includes mobility and impact fee mitigation, as well as an opportunity for a Job Growth Investment Grant.

The Business Development Director of the St. Lucie County Economic Development Council, Kadian Knight, told the Hometown News that the incentives would pay off.

over $133 million in construction-related input over the short term, and the direct annual payroll … will exceed $6.4 million.”

In Champaign, Costco received a sales and property tax reimbursement package of $2.9 million. The company had originally considered a location north of the regional mall and had to complete extra demolition work, Mr. Marino explained.

The city had commissioned an economic development study before offering the incentive package, and Costco became successful enough to receive the offered tax reimbursements two years earlier than the original agreement.

Mr. Marino said he anticipates Costco’s success will make nearby commercial sites more attractive for future development, too.

“There are times when politically it can be

Can Costco Work for Your Community?

Landing a Costco doesn’t just signal growth—it accelerates it. Cities that invest in attracting the retail giant aren’t simply welcoming a store; they’re anchoring a broader strategy for economic development. From job creation and increased sales tax revenue to revitalized commercial corridors, the impact is both immediate and long-term. While incentive packages may raise eyebrows, the results—higher foot traffic, stronger retail ecosystems, and surging investor interest—are hard to ignore. For communities with a bold vision, Costco isn’t the finish line. It’s the catalyst.

“With LS&S, we have been able to significantly increase the level of service to the community, while also reducing annual costs.”

- Mayor of Moreno Valley, CA

SPECIAL USE TAX DISTRICTS

THE HIDDEN POWER TOOL BEHIND LOCAL PROJECTS

By Mark J. Burns & Johnny Crosskey

When thinking about Denver, people often refer to its status as an international business center, its thriving craft beer scene, or its championship-winning pro sports teams. Lesser known, but equally significant, is Denver’s commitment to cultivating a love for arts and culture among residents, especially children. 300 organizations across a seven-county region educate the community in a variety of ways, from helping young girls find confidence through dance to teaching children about STEM in fun and innovative ways. The

city supports these organizations through a special-use tax that provides them with one cent on every 10 dollars of sales and use tax collected. The organizations are a part of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), and last year the group, which includes well-known organizations such as the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Zoo, received $80 million in funding.

The SCFD is one of many special-use taxes that are quietly powering visible transformations in cities and counties across

the country. Special use tax districts are designated areas where an additional tax, including lodging or sales taxes, is collected to fund public projects or services. Special-use taxes have proven successful in funding a broad spectrum of projects, ranging from developing sports complexes to building infrastructure and supporting the arts. Below are three examples of the nation’s most successful special use tax districts, along with a behind-the-scenes look at how they were established and their impact.

Image Sources: Adobestock

The Kansas City Street Car project received nearly $175 million in federal grant funding, will add 16 stops and connect to Midtown, the art museum district, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. It’s set to open this fall.

Kansas City’s Transportation Development District and the Downtown Streetcar

“Twenty-five years ago, you could throw a bowling ball down Main Street, and it wouldn’t hit anything on a weekend,” said Kansas City, Missouri’s newly-named City Manager Mario Vasquez. “Today, it’s full of people walking up and down, going places, living, shopping, doing the things that people do in the city. All of it is helped by the streetcar system that provides a consistent transportation mode that supports activities, so it is remarkable.”

Kansas City’s streetcar system, which connects the downtown loop, city market, and major assets across sports and entertainment, with restaurants, art galleries, neighborhoods, and other businesses, is funded, in part, by a 1 percent sales tax within the city’s transportation development district (TDD) along with

a special assessment on real estate within the boundary. The money also supports future maintenance and operational costs. A voter referendum in 2017 approved the formation of the district. It’s part of a larger group of transportation development districts throughout the state of Missouri that are designed to facilitate specific public transportation improvements that enhance economic development or mobility.

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, TDD’s can be initiated through a petition filed with the circuit court in one of three ways: having at least 50 registered voters from a county within the proposed district, all owners of real property within the proposed district (if no registered voters reside there), or a local transportation authority or multiple authorities via resolutions. The court reviews the petition for legality and may call for an election to approve the district’s creation and funding methods. If approved,

the court declares the district organized. In the case of Kansas City, the focus was on increasing the marketability of the area and getting it ready to be on the world’s stage. A riverfront expansion, with a stop about a quarter mile away from the Kansas City Current’s CPKC Stadium, is scheduled to debut in 2026 ahead of Kansas City hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Vasquez called the streetcar system and its impact on the city “transformative,” creating stability for some businesses that may have shut down without the free transit option.

The Kansas City streetcar system has undergone multiple expansions over the past decade, including a current 3.5-mile addition south on Main Street. The project, which is about 95 percent finished and received nearly $175 million in federal grant funding, will add 16 stops and connect to Midtown, the art museum district, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. It’s set to open this fall.

Organization leaders recently voted on a new tax rate of 10.7969 cents per $100 of property valuation. That would increase the average local homeowner’s tax bill by $66.

Travis County Tackles

Equitable Healthcare Through Its Healthcare District

In Austin, Texas, city leaders used a special use tax district to address disparities in access to healthcare among residents. In 2004, voters approved a measure that led to the creation of the Travis County Healthcare District (aka Central Health). The district levies property taxes to fund the operation and maintenance of public hospitals and healthcare facilities, ensuring access to medical care, particularly for underserved populations.

Prior to its establishment, healthcare services were fragmented. Residents in Austin had access to city-funded facilities, but residents in unincorporated areas or smaller cities (like Pflugerville, Manor, or Del Valle) had no centralized healthcare system. This meant that services varied widely by zip code, creating disparities in access to pri-

mary and preventive care, especially for low-income and uninsured populations.

The goal of Central Health is to provide access to healthcare for all county residents by establishing a centralized healthcare system that receives funding through county property taxes, with oversight from a dedicated board. Organization leaders recently voted on a new tax rate of 10.7969 cents per $100 of property valuation. That would increase the average local homeowner’s tax bill by $66.

Today, Central Health funds care for over 152,000 low-income residents throughout the county. “Even in our prosperous urban area, tens of thousands of Central Texans are struggling in communities where life expectancy is up to 15 years lower than in affluent neighborhoods just miles away,” said Central Health President & CEO Dr. Patrick Lee recently in a statement about the organization’s mission. “Central Health is taking decisive action to close the health gaps that impact our most vulnerable neighbors.”

Image Sources: Adobestock

Transforming Denver Into a Cultural Hub

In the 1980s, major institutions like the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Denver Art Museum faced rising operational costs and a sharp decline in public funding as municipal budgets prioritized infrastructure, public safety, and essential services. As a result, programs were scaled back, maintenance was deferred, and access—particularly for schools and underserved communities—was significantly restricted.

To address this challenge, Denver-area leaders proposed an innovative, regionally coordinated funding model. In 1988, voters across seven counties in the Denver metropolitan area approved the creation of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD)—a first-of-its-kind regional tax district dedicated to arts, culture, and science.

The SCFD collects one cent for every $10 in sales and use tax, generating stable, long-term funding for a wide array of eligible organizations. In 2023, the district distributed $84 million to nearly 300 nonprofits, from the Denver Center for

the Performing Arts to small neighborhood theaters and community museums.

SCFD is governed by a collaborative structure that balances regional oversight with local decision-making. Cultural councils in each county accept, evaluate, and recommend applications from organizations based on their mission, community impact, and financial stewardship. To ensure that a broad group of organizations receive support, a three-tier system was established to distribute funds. With well-known organizations like the Denver Center for Performing Arts receiving an equal share of funding as smaller community organizations. Unlike traditional grant models, funding is renewed annually, which helps organizations sustain their presence within their respective communities.

According to SCFD’s most recent annual report, the funding distributed to cultural organizations in 2023 provided access to “stories, exhibitions, artwork, and performances” for 12 million residents. SCFD also reports that these organizations drive $2.6 billion in economic activity.

Quiet Tools, Visible Impact

Special use tax districts may not command headlines, but their impact is undeniable. From Kansas City’s streetcar that redefined a downtown corridor, to Central Health’s lifeline for tens of thousands of Travis County residents, to the SCFD’s quiet revolution in making the arts accessible to millions—these districts are shaping the future of American communities in lasting ways.

What unites these examples is not just the creative use of tax policy, but a deeper truth: when local leaders align bold vision with community buy-in and smart funding models, transformation follows. Whether it’s mobility, health, or culture, special use taxes give cities the power to build not just infrastructure, but identity, equity, and opportunity.

Image Sources: Place or Person

SPORTS TOURISM MAY BEAR THE BURDEN OF DRIVING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AS ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY MOUNTS

By Matt Swenson

Legend has it that tee-ball was first played in 1960 in Starkville, Mississippi.

“Another location claims it started there, but we claim it best,” quips Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill.

What’s not in debate is that Mississippi is baseball country. Mississippi State University has a storied past that includes Major League Baseball legends Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro—“Thunder” and “Lightning”—playing side-by-side in Starkville.

Looking to drive new visitors to the city, Starkville turned to its past for a better future in the form of Cornerstone Sports Complex. The 12-field facility, located on a 125-acre park off Highway 25, opened in October 2023 and is already yielding

significant benefits for the community.

In its first full year, the baseball/softball complex hosted 21 events and attracted 29,000 visitors, generating $9.3 million in economic impact. “It’s been exactly what we wanted it to be, which was a driver for economic opportunity,” says Spruill of Cornerstone.

Destinations across the United States, like Starkville, will be counting on sports tourism to step up to the plate amid an uncertain economic future. Just as destinations relied upon youth sports to carry the travel sector during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, they are gearing up to do so again amid decreased visitation and a potential recession.

“When we go back and we look at what

happened during the pandemic, sports tourism saved destinations,” says John David, president and CEO of SportsETA, the association for the sports tourism industry. “Now is the time to lean in to show the rest of the tourism industry that we’re the light.”

Optimism Abounds

Sports tourism, and in particular, youth sports, has been a constant while leisure and business travel have sustained ups and downs over this quarter-century. The industry continues to grow exponentially. According to Sports ETA’s 2023 State of the Industry report, the most recent study on the subject, sports tourism is responsible for $52.2 billion in total direct spending and has a total economic impact of $128 billion. (Continued on pg 56.)

Image Sources: City of Starkville

Having just completed his second year leading SportsETA, David is confident the numbers will continue to grow. Several international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Games, and 2031 Rugby World Cup, are slated to be played on American soil. David says the industry needs to follow the trends from the competitions to capture a potential boon for a myriad of sports.

“When I started [at SportsETA], I was optimistic about where the industry was headed,” says David, who previously was chief strategy officer of USA BMX. “And I would tell you that after two years, I’m even more optimistic.”

At the heart of his hope are the sports complexes that are the foundation of the industry. Premier facilities not only provide premium places for locals and visitors to play, but are also among the country’s most reliable business development pieces.

Destinations, facility managers such as The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), and event organizers have gone beyond planning tournaments to creating experiences. Among the biggest trends is cities using sports complexes as an anchor for mixeduse development districts featuring hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

SFC’s portfolio of more than 90 facilities generates nearly $1 billion in annual economic impact from over 25 million guest visits. The company has an additional 12 new projects in development in America’s largest cities, including New York City and Los Angeles (Ontario, California), as well as in smaller communities like Mattoon, Illinois.

Here’s how the domino effect unfolds:

• The U.S. economy counts on sports tourism to spur visitations to destinations large and small.

• Cities build or upgrade facilities and ancillary development to attract national, regional, and local tournaments.

• Facility operators partner with rights holders to run a smooth competition that showcases the destination’s hospitality and competency, encouraging repeat visits for sports and/or family vacations and helping promote the host city.

• Thousands of traveling sports families play, stay, and spend in these host markets, driving new economic and real estate development projects.

Rogue Credit Union Community Complex (Rogue X) Medford, Oregon

Rogue X is a state-of-the-art aquatics and events center located within the growing Howard Memorial Sports Park in Medford. The complex features multi-sport courts for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball, a modern aquatic center, event spaces, and a variety of community fitness programs.

Since opening in early 2024, Rogue X has quickly become a magnet for sports tourism, sparking tangible development in its immediate surroundings. The city has expanded the Howard Memorial Sports Park with additional fields and a new playground to accommodate the surge in visitors. A dedicated food truck pod was developed on site, providing a new platform for local culinary entrepreneurs and enhancing the overall visitor experience. Infrastructure improvements, including the construction and improvement of more than 800 parking spaces, have been necessary to support the increased traffic. The city’s master plan for the area now includes additional commercial amenities, with expectations for new hotels and retail to follow as the facility cements Medford’s reputation as a tournament destination.

Image Source: Rogue Credit Union Community Complex

Building Memories

Thomas Ward, general manager of Cyclone Ballparks in Pecos, Texas, seeks to provide an all-star experience to teams visiting the town of about 13,000 residents.

“I want it to feel like they’re playing in a major league stadium, because the fields are so nice,” says Ward, who took over the facility in late 2024. “I think with the field amenities and the amenities on site, and what’s coming in the future for Pecos, I think we’re going to really be able to do that.”

Step one is the completion of an expansion that will add six additional playing fields to Cyclone Ballparks, allowing for up to 11 diamond fields depending on a tournament’s configuration.

Plans are in the works for a $47 million waterpark project in close proximity to facility that will provide on-site entertainment for participants and their families,

helping to combat the brutal Texas heat. Ward adds that new hotels have opened in Pecos due to demand from nearby oil companies.

The projects add to Ward’s playbook to expand the complex’s reach into Oklahoma and Mexico, as well as regulars in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. Tournaments are held about once or twice per month, depending on the season. Ward hopes to attract more by promoting greater amenities mixed with the region’s culture—it’s home to the original rodeo, the West of Pecos Rodeo—and natural attractions like Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

“The one thing that families are not going to sacrifice is that time for the athlete in the family.”

Home-Field Advantage

David applauds efforts like those occurring in Pecos to create experiences, allowing parents to choose how to allocate their money for travel.

“The new family vacation is the tournament,” says David, a father of travel athletes.

Despite the rise in sports tourism and continued development of new facilities, David is convinced the industry has not hit a saturation point. He points to the demand for field space among parks and recreation departments, where David first entered the industry, as proof that communities can

National Sports Center Blaine, Minnesota

The National Sports Center in Blaine is the world’s largest amateur sports facility, spanning 600 acres and featuring more than 50 soccer fields, a golf course, multiple ice rinks, and much more. Its diverse facilities support a wide range of sports and events, drawing over 4 million visitors each year for tournaments, training, and community programming.

The NSC’s consistent ability to attract large crowds has directly inspired significant new development. In April 2025, the city broke ground on a $750 million mixed-use Sports Entertainment District adjacent to the center. This ambitious project includes a hotel, food hall, multiple restaurants, a new event stadium, a golf entertainment venue, pickleball courts, and new housing options, creating a vibrant new “downtown” for Blaine. The National Sports Village, already underway, features additional restaurants and entertainment venues, with further plans for hotels, apartments, and a sports medicine office. These projects are a direct response to the NSC’s year-round draw and are poised to transform Blaine into a premier destination for both sports and lifestyle amenities.

Image Source: National Sports Center

Image Source: Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex

Mercyhealth Sportscore Two

Loves Park, Illinois

Mercyhealth Sportscore Two is a sprawling 180-acre complex in the Rockford region, offering 26 outdoor soccer fields, five lighted turf fields, a 2,500-seat stadium, three sand volleyball courts, and a 133,000-squarefoot indoor sports center. The facility is designed to host tournaments, conventions, and community events, with amenities including indoor golf, a sports equipment store, and on-site dining.

The complex’s popularity has led to a wave of new developments in Loves Park and the surrounding area. A new playground and splash pad are being constructed on site, funded by state grants, to enhance the facility’s appeal for families. The steady influx of over a million annual visitors has driven the construction of new hotels and the expansion of existing ones, as well as the opening of new restaurants and retail outlets nearby. These investments are directly tied to the sports tourism generated by Sportscore Two, which continues to justify further public and private investment in local infrastructure and amenities, supporting the region’s broader economic growth.

do more to encourage children and adults to lead healthy and active lifestyles.

David says the key is to evaluate whether each project is based on a community’s best interests. “If we’re meeting the needs of the community, and we’re factoring that into the decision-making process, I think we have a tremendous amount of room for growth,” David says.

Spruill has a similar philosophy with an ambitious goal. She affirms Cornerstone is “a rec facility, not just a tournament facility. We’re doing it for our residents.”

Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Friday), local athletes can play on top-notch fields and learn from Mississippi State coaches who volunteer their time at clinics and camps.

The goal is to forge a bond, encouraging local children to attend MSU and ultimately find a job and contribute to the local economy. “We’re building baby Bulldogs,” says the mayor, referring to the school’s mascot.

Because it is a Southeastern Conference (SEC) university town, Starkville hosts major sports events regularly. And what Starkville may lack in size (about 25,000 residents), it makes up for in hospitality, Spruill says. As proof, USA Today named it the top small Southern town for the second year in a row.

A Main Street beautification project is among the ways the mayor is aiming to improve Starkville’s image and experience.

Through sports, Spruill sees the city rising. Cornerstone is a major asset if it lives up to its promise, notes the mayor.

“Our trajectory has always been some measure of growth,” she says. “Our biggest challenge will be making sure that we take care of what we’ve currently got.”

Image Source: Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex

Image Source: Mercyhealth Sportscore Two

Elizabethtown Sports Park

Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Elizabethtown Sports Park is a 158-acre, tournament-ready complex with 12 interchangeable turf baseball/softball fields, 12 turf long fields, two synthetic turf Championship fields, three large event pavilions, and a Miracle Field for athletes with disabilities. The park is designed for both high-level competition and community use, with family-friendly amenities such as playgrounds, vendor plazas, and a three-mile walking path.

The park’s ability to attract tens of thousands of visitors annually has had a profound impact on local development. Since opening, Elizabethtown has seen a hotel boom, with multiple new properties built to meet tournament-driven demand. Local restaurants and retail businesses have expanded or opened new locations, capitalizing on the steady stream of sports tourists. The city’s restaurant tax revenue, bolstered by this influx, helps fund park operations and further community improvements. The park’s success has also encouraged the development of additional family attractions and public spaces, reinforcing Elizabethtown’s status as a regional hub for youth sports and recreation.

LakePoint Sports Emerson, Georgia

LakePoint Sports, just north of Atlanta, is one of the nation’s premier youth sports destinations. Its sprawling 1,300-acre campus includes the 170,000-square-foot Champions Center, 12 basketball courts (or 24 volleyball courts), eight Major League-sized baseball fields, three multi-use fields, a 10-court beach volleyball pavilion, and even a three-lake wakeboarding park. On-site amenities include dining, entertainment, and training facilities, making it a true sports tourism powerhouse.

The facility’s success has directly fueled a wave of new development in Emerson. LakePoint Station, a family entertainment center featuring restaurants, a sweets shop, mini-golf, rock climbing, and an arcade, was built adjacent to the complex specifically to serve visiting teams and families. Several hotels and restaurants have opened or are under construction on the LakePoint campus, with the master plan calling for up to 5 million square feet of hospitality, retail, and themed attractions such as bowling, ziplines, and water parks. Infrastructure projects, including a new bridge and road connecting the campus’s north and south sections, are underway to unlock additional land for future commercial growth. These developments are transforming Emerson into a year-round sports and entertainment destination.

Image Source: LakePoint Sports

Image Source: Elizabethtown Sports Park

CITIES USING DATA TO RETHINK PARKS AND RECREATION

By Cameron Connelly

Parks have always been the heart of our communities. Places to relax, play, and connect. But as cities grow and change, so do the needs of the people who use these green spaces. Today, many cities are turning to data to help them

design, maintain, and program parks in smarter, more responsive ways. It’s no longer about guesswork or tradition; it’s about understanding how people actually use parks and making improvements that truly matter. Let’s explore how cities across

the country are using data to transform further enhance the place parks and recreation hold vibrant, inclusive, and well-loved community hubs within their communities.

In cities like San Jose and San Leandro, California, geospatial intelligence platforms are transforming how parks are managed. These cities use tools such as CityDash.ai to track park usage through anonymized movement patterns, creating heatmaps that reveal visitor density and hourly foot traffic trends. This data allows city officials to allocate resources more ef-

ficiently, directing maintenance crews and programming efforts to the areas with the highest demand. By integrating geolocation insights with service requests and permit data, these municipalities optimize park upkeep and ensure that recreational spaces remain safe and inviting for all visitors.

California’s Smart Parks: Tracking What Works

Image Source: City of Bellevue, Washington

Image Sources: AdobeStock

New York City’s Open Data Revolution

New York City has taken transparency and community engagement to the next level by making its parks data publicly available. Through tools like the Vital Parks Explorer, residents can see which neighborhoods have the most green space, which playgrounds are due for repairs, and where new trees are being planted. This data-driven approach supports major initiatives like the $1 billion “Let’s Swim NYC” program, which targets pool upgrades in neighborhoods most affected by heat. By sharing this information openly, NYC empowers residents to advocate for their parks and helps ensure investments are made equitably across the city.

Texas and Washington: Real-Time Maintenance and Community Input

In Texas, cities like Arlington and Plano have embraced GIS dashboards that allow park staff to monitor the condition of every trail, bench, and playground in real time. Broken equipment or overgrown paths show up immediately on digital maps, so repairs can happen quickly, no more waiting for complaints to pile up. Meanwhile, Bellevue, Washington, takes a community-first approach by gathering survey data to tailor recreation programs to what residents actually want. Whether it’s more nature hikes, wellness classes, or family-friendly events, the city uses data to design offerings that get people out and moving.

Image Sources: Flickr - Dinastoria

Image Sources: Tony Genberg

Image Source: City if Bellevue, Washington

Small Cities, Big Impact: Equity Through Data

Even smaller cities are making big strides using data to promote fairness in park access. Batesville, Arkansas, mapped out neighborhoods with limited green space and used that information to win voter support for a $25 million park improvement plan focused on those underserved areas. Across the country, tools like the Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore help cities benchmark their park systems and identify where improvements are most needed. New technologies—from drones counting trail users to AI predicting playground wear and tear—are helping cities stay one step ahead in keeping parks safe, welcoming, and well-maintained.

The Future of Parks Is Data-Driven and Community-Centered

As more cities embrace data, the future of parks and recreation looks brighter and smarter than ever. No longer are decisions based on guesswork or tradition alone; instead, they’re guided by real insights into how communities use and value their green spaces. This means more equitable distribution of resources, better maintenance schedules, and recreation programs that truly reflect the interests of residents. It also opens the door for greater community involvement, as many cities now share their data publicly, inviting residents to become active participants in shaping their parks. From AI-powered maintenance predictions to interactive maps that highlight play deserts, data is turning parks into dynamic, responsive places that grow and evolve alongside their communities. So next time you visit your local park, remember that behind every bench, trail, and splash pad is a world of data working quietly to make your experience more welcoming and wonderful.

Has your city launched an innovative program or initiative? We want to hear about it! Nominate your city for Community of the Year 2025.

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New LENOX

In late June, Mayor Tim Baldermann of New Lenox, Illinois, and Little Leaguers from across the community celebrated the grand opening of Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex. The new venue features nine full-size baseball fields, 11 multipurpose fields, and 22 youth baseball/softball fields.

Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex was designed to be a key economic driver for the community of over 28,000 residents. The 100-acre venue hosts regional and national tournaments and has become a magnet for developers wanting to build lodging and restaurants nearby.

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