YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEXES ANCHOR LARGE REAL ESTATE PROJECTS TO DRIVE VISITORS, CREATE SENSE-OF-PLACE, AND INCREASE REVENUE.
As the development ‘boom’ in these youth and amateur sports mega-plexes has evolved over the last decade, so too have their host communities. Because of their proven ability to draw crowds in the tens-of-thousands, create reliable foot traffic with local programming, and to be a haven of family and fun, these properties have been spurring economic development in their cities and towns as long as they’ve been around.
Venues designed to host tournaments & local leagues are evolving into champions of economic development, serving as anchors for large mixed-use real estate projects. Building on the success that professional sports cities have had in creating entertainment districts around their stadiums and arenas, communities with youth sports venues are adapting this strategy to meet their target audience.
THE NEXT EVOLUTION
Travel tournaments and competitions typically attract participants who are often accompanied by parents, siblings, extended relatives, and family friends. As a result, there is a need not only to provide premier fields, courts, and other playing surfaces for athletes but also to offer amenities that cater to other members of the traveling party.
“As more and more facilities have been developed over the last decade, consumer preferences have changed,” said Jake Whittaker, senior vice president of development for SFC. “It’s not enough to just have a large number of fields or courts. People want to have great food, a fun atmosphere, and something for little brother and sister to do. If they’re sacrificing many of their weekends for tournaments, they want to make the most of it.” As tournaments and competitions are often the springboard for family trips, these mixed-use sports tourism developments become destinations in their own right. Teams and families want to park their car for the weekend and have access to entertainment, retail, dining, and lodging options within walking distance of the playing sites—saving time and transportation costs while simplifying logistics.
COMMON HOSPITALITY OFFERINGS INCLUDE:
• FAMILY-FRIENDLY DINING
• HOTEL PROPERTIES
• FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT (MOVIES, ARCADES)
• EATERTAINMENT (CHICKEN N’ PICKLE, TOPGOLF)
• PREMIUM RETAIL
A NATURAL PARTNERSHIP
“When cities and real estate developers partner to create a sports and events destination, they create a win-win-win situation. It’s a win for the developer who has public participation in their project, a win for the city who 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.
Rising construction costs of sports complexes and recreation centers have put additional pressure on local governments to find creative ways of funding projects. While many still utilize general obligation bonds, a growing number of projects are utilizing other funding mechanisms like TIF (Tax Increment Finance) districts, special-use or special tax entertainment districts, and hotel and tourism taxes as well.
By planning-to-fund and considering public-private-partnerships (P3) from the project onset, many local government leaders are able to create a win-win in their community. The developer has a proven, steady and reliable traffic source of sports families and tourists to help make their real estate development more attractive to premium brands, bolster housing costs, and anchor
hotel pads and the municipality gets a micro-economic make-over with a play-stay-and-spend destination that creates community pride and sense-of-place in addition to being a tourism driver.
“In the 2010’s we saw the rise of experiential retail with Apple and Nike stores,” said Whittaker. “Today we’re seeing sports, recreation, and entertainment complexes be that experiential partner and traffic driver for traditional brick and mortar stores. Consumers value experiences. The best developments can deliver value in a one-stop eat, play, stay, & shop model.”
Among the forerunners in this trend is The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), an industry-leading firm that plans and operates more than 60 sports, recreation, and event venues across the country. SFC reports that 60 percent of its development projects have mixed-use real estate development components.
In this report, we examine four communities –Albertville, AL, Hoover, AL, Mattoon, IL, and Overland Park, KS – using their youth sports complexes to anchor mixed-use amenities that residents can enjoy year-round and visitors patronize during competitions.
“CONSUMERS VALUE EXPERIENCES. THE BEST DEVELOPMENTS CAN DELIVER VALUE IN A ONE-STOP EAT, PLAY, STAY, & SHOP MODEL.” WHITTAKER SAID
ADVENTHEALTH SPORTS PARK AT BLUHAWK,
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS
AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk, which will cap at 420,000 square feet when completed, debuted its initial phase in late 2024. As part of the first development stage, the complex features 8 basketball courts that convert to 16 volleyball courts and an NHL-size rink seating 1,500 spectators.
AN ANCHOR FOR MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk serves as the heart of the 200-acre Bluhawk development by Price Brothers, and premier anchor of The Boundary at Bluhawk. The Boundary will offer best-in-class shopping, dining, and entertainment. The adjacent Marketplace already boasts open retailers like Sierra, ULTA, Rack Room Shoes, and a variety of dining, like Of Course, Jinya, Andy’s Custard, Whataburger and Panera. At full capacity, Bluhawk will offer 670,000 square feet of leasable space. The district also includes 110,000 square feet of office space, and The Residences at Bluhawk apartments. With its state-of-the-art sports complex and prime retail offerings, Bluhawk aims to provide “everything, and then some” to Overland Park, creating a legacy development where visitors
A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR SPORTS
The indoor facility perfectly complements the successful youth soccer complex in Overland Park, a family-friendly suburb of both Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas.
With a bowling alley, premier wellness center, gaming center, bar/grill, and zipline, AdventHealth Sports Park sets a new standard for on-site entertainment for players’ families and friends. A mini-golf course and pickleball courts will further enhance the amenities.
“It’s a one-stop shop,” said Greg Jackson, general manager of AdventHealth Sports Park.
Tournaments are booked every weekend through July 2025, according to Jackson. Early successes include basketball, wrestling, and cheer events. “Every event we’ve had has requested a re-book,” Jackson said.
THE COMPLEX
INDOOR MULTI-PURPOSE TURF FIELD
30-STATION ESPORTS LOUNGE
LASER TAG AND ROLL GLIDER
IN-HOUSE RESTAURANT
QUICK-SERVE CAFÉ
SPORTS SIMULATORS
16 LANES OF BOWLING
EMERALD ACRES SPORTS CONNECTION, MATTOON, ILLINOIS
The City of Mattoon celebrated the grand opening of Emerald Acres Sports Connection in December 2024. The complex, which is centered within a 150-acre development, is spurring business in a way that few other projects could in the town of 16,700.
Rural King, a national agricultural company based in Mattoon, partnered with city officials to conceive a project that would attract new business. What the city lacks in name recognition, it makes up for in location. Mattoon is located close enough to Chicago, Saint Louis, and Indianapolis to attract teams from those hubs, but is just far enough away that it doesn’t compete with those destinations to bring in events.
DEVELOPMENT AROUND EMERALD ACRES
Convenience is central to the Emerald Acres vision. Hotels, restaurants, and retail are within walking distance of the game-day facilities. An arcade is part of the indoor sports facility. This built-in audience has been enough to convince national chains to open on-site. The Shops at Emerald Acres Sports Connection, the development for which the venue anchors, holds 103 acres of leasable space leased through Goodman Real Estate Services Group.
The new development will inlcude Texas Roadhouse, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, and Panda Express, according to Alexander M. Benishek, community development and planning director for Mattoon.
Emerald Acres is projected to drive $23.8 million in annual economic impact and 580,000 yearly visitors. Events at the venue are expected to drive 59,000 hotel room nights.
The complex’s indoor component, featuring 8 basketball courts that can be converted to 16 volleyball courts, is open. Phase two’s outdoor component will include 4 diamonds, 7 flex fields, 1 championship soccer field are scheduled to open in Spring 2025.
The State of Illinois will provide $900,000 to the City of Mattoon for infrastructure improvements to support the influx of visitors. SFC projects approximately 580,000 visitors and more than $23.8 million in direct economic impact annually from Emerald Acres.
“We don’t really know any other thing that could bring this many people to us from such a distance to a city of our magnitude,” said Mattoon Mayor Rick Hall.
Blake Pierce, president of RK Real Estate & Development, estimates $200 million in construction occurring over the next two to three years. “In an area like this, that is astronomical,” he said.
CHARLESTON AVE
EMERALD ACRES IS PROJECTED TO DRIVE $23.8 MILLION IN ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT AND 580,000 YEARLY VISITORS. EVENTS AT THE VENUE ARE EXPECTED TO DRIVE 59,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS.
HOOVER MET COMPLEX, HOOVER, AL
The Hoover Met Complex’s history dates back to 1988 when the Triple-A Birmingham Barons moved to Hoover Met Stadium. This era, which included Michael Jordan’s renowned swing at baseball, ended in 2012 with the trend to build stadiums downtown. The departure left a void that Hoover officials were eager to fill—and once again, they turned to sports.
THE COMPLEX
• INDOOR WALKING TRACK
• 30-STATION ESPORTS LOUNGE
• HOOVER HEIGHTS CLIMBING & ADVENTURE INDOOR CLIMBING CENTER
• FOOD COURT AND CONCESSIONS FOR EVENTS
• 170-SPACE RV PARK
• DIAMOND SPORTS COMPLEX WITH FIVE BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL FIELDS
• FIVE MULTIPURPOSE FIELDS FOR LACROSSE/SOCCER/FOOTBALL
• 16 HARD COURT TENNIS CENTER
• INCLUSIVE SPLASH PAD AND PLAYGROUND
The 150-acre Hoover Met Complex, which features both indoor and outdoor playing surfaces, has become a huge asset for the area. While it wasn’t initially envisioned as the anchor of a mixed-use development, it is fulfilling that role effectively.
In 2024, the facility generated $91.3 million in total economic impact, surpassing the previous year’s figure of $90.4 million while attracting 712,131 guests. Hoover Met is also responsible for 18 full-time employees and 170 part-time workers, contributing to the city’s economy.
“What makes it really special to me is that it is all walkable,” says Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato. “People can walk about the block, get ice cream or sit at a nice park in the other direction or walk across the street to have some great food. It’s an urban type of setup in a suburban area.”
Additional housing and hotels are under construction with plans to be completed in 2025. The increased facilities are at least partially responsible for Hoover’s population increase of about 10,000 since 2012, when the Barons moved back to Birmingham. Beyond attracting an impressive amount of sports events, the city is also successfully recruiting STEM-based and cybersecurity companies to open offices and headquarters, noted Greg Knighton, Hoover’s economic development manager.
Despite initial hesitation about funding an $80 million project, the community has embraced the Hoover Met Complex after seeing the results. A large part of the success is that the City and SFC have struck a balance between driving economic impact—Hoover is responsible for 90,000 annual hotel room nights, according to General Manager Shannon Ealy—and community use.
In 2024, the Explore Playground and splash pad drew 41,430 visitors, and the indoor track was used by more than 14,500 individuals. The tennis center and pickleball courts netted more than 6,500 athletes each. Altogether, an estimated 74,384 residents utilized aspects of the complex.
Nearly a decade later, it’s safe to say that the Barons moving back to Birmingham has been a boon there and in Hoover. “Moving revitalized the southside of Birmingham, which needed it, and it opened up the door to think about what’s the next step in Hoover,” says Brocato, who took office in 2016. “We had to make sure [Hoover Met Complex] was successful and we did.”
IMAGE CREDIT: Broad Metro Commericial Real Estate
• 14 OUTDOOR TURF FIELDS
• MIRACLE LEAGUE FIELD
• EIGHT-LANE INDOOR COMPETITION POOL
• LOCKER ROOMS
• CONFERENCE/PARTY ROOMS
• OUTDOOR WATERPARK
SAND MOUNTAIN PARK & AMPHITHEATER, ALBERTVILLE, AL
Opened in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater has already overcome what could be its biggest challenge for years to come. The fact that it is thriving today is a testament to the careful planning behind the 130-acre park.
In the four years since its opening, the City of Albertville has developed about 750,000 square feet of retail space—an impressive accomplishment for a community of under 25,000 residents located between Huntsville and Birmingham, two well-known destinations in Alabama.
Highlights of the real estate boom include a movie theater and two hotels—Hampton Inn and Fairfield by Marriott. A third dual-branded hotel is currently under construction. Also in the works is a family entertainment center that will feature 20 bowling lanes, 4 golf simulator rooms, and an arcade sports bar.
“Parents were always looking for something to do while waiting between games,” said Michael Price, economic development director for the City of Albertville. “We feel like this gives tournament-goers a better overall experience when they’re here.”
If all of this sounds familiar, it should. Rural King followed the Sand Mountain model to create Emerald Acres Sports Connection in Mattoon.
• 7 PLAYGROUNDS
• RV PARK
• 2 DOG PARKS
• COMMUNITY PAVILIONS
• FREE PLAY SPACE
• CONCESSIONS
Sand Mountain’s economic impact on the region reached $23 million in 2023, its first full year of operation following the pandemic’s subsidence.
Price adds that the impact extends beyond the obvious boost in hospitality-related taxes. He mentions anecdotal evidence of out-of-town visitors buying trucks while in Albertville for tournaments. Additionally, the local
hardware store has seen a significant increase in sales when competitions are in town. Restaurants have also reported millions of dollars in revenue growth, according to Price.
Another benefit of the mixed-use amenities is a drop in Albertville’s median age by about 10 years to 38. This suggests that the community is becoming a more desirable place to live for a generation of families raising young children who can enjoy the movie theater, restaurants, and other developments taking shape.
Another indicator of the facility’s value is the growth in participants using the Miracle Field for children with disabilities. According to Price, the number of athletes has increased from 60 to 70 up to 200 in just three years.
The amphitheater itself is a success, with top acts performing there in spring and summer 2024, including Ludacris, Cole Swindell, and the Old Crow Medicine Show. During the summer, “max capacity” events will coincide with tournament weekends.
“PARENTS WERE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO WHILE WAITING BETWEEN GAMES,” SAID MICHAEL PRICE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF ALBERTVILLE. “WE FEEL LIKE THIS GIVES TOURNAMENT-GOERS A BETTER OVERALL EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY’RE HERE.”
CONCLUSION
The growth of youth and amateur travel sports as a major economic development driver over the last 20 years has given rise to large, dynamic sports properties. Communities have been benefiting not only from the direct spend of these audiences, but also the downstream economic development in their cit-
ies and enhanced opportunities for local recreation. Today, the next generation of sports properties are being planned as part of thoughtful, walkable, mixeduse developments through public-private partnerships that are transforming communities.
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• OPERATIONAL START-UP
• PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION
