Community

AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk is a great example of a sports facility creating positive economic growth to the community it serves. By: Ally Azzarelli A well-designed sports facility is one of the most versatile economic tools a municipality can build. It attracts visitors, creates jobs, generates tax revenue, and

By: Ally Azzarelli You have a vision: a multi-sport complex that draws regional tournaments, a recreation center that anchors your downtown, and an aquatic facility your community has wanted for a decade. The concept is strong. The political will is there. Now what? For most communities and developers, the next

By: Ally Azzarelli Traditional sports facilities serve a critical role in any community. But more municipalities are discovering that something else is drawing residents in and keeping them coming back: adventure. Rock climbing walls, zip lines, obstacle courses, mountain bike trails, and ropes courses aren’t just thrill-seeking sideshows. When planned

By: Ally Azzarelli With FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches scheduled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this summer’s tournament is expected to generate more than $80 billion in economic impact and create more than 80,000 jobs. It’s said that the World Cup Final attracts a viewership equivalent to 104

By: Ally Azzarelli Municipal golf courses sit at an interesting intersection: they’re public assets with private-sector expectations. Residents want them maintained to a high standard. Local governments need them to justify their operating costs. And the broader community, golfers and non-golfers alike, wants to know the land is being put

By: Ally Azzarelli If you haven’t heard the sound of a pickleball dinking its way across a court lately, you probably haven’t been near a park, recreation center, or community facility in the past few years. Pickleball is no longer a niche pastime — it’s the fastest-growing sport in the

By: Ally Azzarelli There’s something enduring about a baseball or softball diamond. The geometry hasn’t changed much in a century. The rituals of the game, the pre-game infield dirt drag, the chalk lines, and the lineup card taped to the dugout wall are the same at a municipal park as

By: Ally Azzarelli Ask any parks and recreation director what their community uses most, and the answer is almost always the same: the gym. Indoor courts and gymnasiums are among the most utilized spaces a municipality can offer, and for good reason. They work every day of the year, in