Improving communities through sport

Out of the Box Partners for Sports Tourism and Community Recreation Complexes

Ballparks of America

It’s rare that a sports tourism complex or community recreation center achieves success based on the efforts and resources of a single group. Most often it takes the contributions of a host of organizations to help a facility thrive. And while there are traditional partners such as large companies or destination management organizations that support venues, non-traditional partners are emerging and having a tremendous impact in facilities throughout the country. Below we will discuss a few of these partner types and why they are so valuable to sports and recreation facilities.

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Parks and Recreation Departments

Why they seek partnerships?

Parks and recreation departments want to offer the best amenities to community members but may not have the facilities in place to do so. When this is the case, they can turn to sports tourism facilities in the area. Since these are tournament facilities, they will contain high quality surfaces and equipment. In many cases, they will also provide the highest level of service to guests.

What they offer?

The great majority of tournaments across all sports take place on weekends. This leaves a programming gap during the week for most facilities. Parks and recreation departments can offer classes and camps during this time period as well as access to the community. The latter is critical as building a close bond between the sports tourism complex and the surrounding community helps both parties.

Faith-based Organizations

Why they seek partnerships?

Faith-based organizations are driven by their mission and may use a variety of methods to spread the word about their ministry and, ultimately, serve people. This may include developing sports and recreation facilities that cultivate young athletes and contribute to the growth of healthy communities.

What they offer?

Faith-based organizations may become a major funding partner in facility development projects. They may also provide sports and recreation-related programming in the form of camps and sports leagues. In some cases, these organizations choose to sponsor venues or specific programs.

Educational Institutions

Why they seek partnerships?

Schools looking to enhance their profile may seek to partner with the sports tourism or community recreation venue in their area. These facilities may offer better equipment and amenities than what the school possesses. This builds a better environment for students and better training opportunities for student athletes.

What they offer?

There’s a term in the sports tourism industry that describes the struggle to generate revenue beyond weekend tournaments. “Programming for a Tuesday” is a challenge for most tournament destinations and it’s where schools provide the most value. They can utilize venues during the week for practices and games.

For community recreation centers, working with local schools furthers their goal of serving the needs of residents. While schools can use “rec” centers for practices and games, they can also use it for meetings, service projects, camps, and eLearning.

At the Sports Facilities Companies, we believe in the power of partnership. We know that your facility doesn’t exist in a bubble and by working with the surrounding community, you greatly enhance your ability to achieve your measure of success. To learn more about our advisory, development, management, or optimization services, contact us or call us at 727-474-3845.

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