Improving communities through sport

Service

Recreation Master Planning

Planning Services For New Facilities & Community Impact

Clarify the long-term vision for recreation, sports, and events in your community.

 With SFC’s 20+ year history and work in 2,500 communities, you’ll get a recreation master plan rooted in real-world data that lays the foundation for new facility development, identifies and addresses community needs, and creates new opportunities for residents.

Align your community's goals, vision, and expectations for community recreation.
Understand local, regional, and national trends and participation rates.
Engage your community members at every step and every stage.
There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all recreation plan.
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Many municipal leaders rely on master planning and vision statements to help shape the future of their communities. These plans lay the foundation for future facility development, economic growth, placemaking, and resource allocation.

SFC’s recreation master planning process produces a plan with a clear vision of how to move forward and the steps to achieve this vision. We leverage community stakeholders at every step and stage to ensure alignment and public support. What makes our process stand apart is our ability to guide your vision by performing a thorough analysis of key market factors including sports participation rates, trends in health, sports, and wellness, and demographic/socio-economic factors in the community.

Through our work in more than 2,500 communities across the country, SFC is able to leverage an extensive library of park and recreation facility data during the planning process as well as real-world results from the managed properties in the SF Network. Our partnerships with national government associations, the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Aspen Institute Project Play, the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), Amazon, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, national sports governing bodies, and sports tourism associations provide meaningful insight into multiple aspects of a healthy, active community.

Service Highlights

Service Duration:
10-18 Weeks

Best Suited For:
Comprehensive Concept Validation

Led By SFC Development Advisors:

Let's create something today.​

Springfield, OR

Carrying forward a 2018 SFA study serving Travel Lane County, SFA was re-engaged by the Willamalane Park & Recreation District to produce a detailed financial forecast and economic impact analysis for a revised version of an indoor track and court facility that would expand Parks and Recreation programming, meet the community’s need for track and court-based activities, and generate new spending in Springfield and around Lane County. SFA’s analysis and recommendations are being used to determine ownership, governance structure, the business and operations plan, and funding mechanisms for the complex.

Southampton, NY

Based on a significant lack of access to indoor pools and a clear need to improve water safety in this East-End Long Island community, SFA has been supporting this non-profit endeavor since 2017. Throughout the long-standing engagement, SFA has developed multiple rounds of financial forecasts, public presentations, marketing materials, and fundraising strategies.

State of Florida

In one of SFA’s most important initiatives, SFA worked with Florida Recreation and Park Association, the Center for Disease Control, the Florida Sports Foundation, and dozens of other professionals and organizations to demonstrate the impact of parks across several impact areas, including property values, tourism spending, job creation, environmental savings, public safety, and health care cost savings. The Parks Impact Calculator is educating and empowering parks and recreation professionals as well as elected officials throughout the State to recognize the value of places and programs to play, and the reports that are generated by the calculator are being used to inform funding decisions for parks systems all over Florida. The Florida Parks Impact Calculator is now being used as the baseline for similar state-specific calculators SFA is producing around the country.

Step 1

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Our team of analysts and advisors build and execute a communications strategy to address the needs of citizens, elected officials, and other critical stakeholders. This may include workshops, open houses, public hearings, online surveys, websites, and social media. To support future development and growth, the community needs to be aligned with the outcome of the plan.

Step 2

Evaluate Current Assets

We carefully examine your current recreation assets and determine what’s needed to support your community’s vision and goals. We are evaluating assets for community members at every age and ability.

Step 3

Needs/Gap Analysis

After hearing from the community and evaluating current assets, SFC performs a community-wide needs/gap analysis and market study. Utilizing our industry resources, experience across the country, trends in sports and recreation, and other factors, SFA uncovers opportunities for growth and investment to best serve the community.

 

Step 4

Plan Development and Adoption

SFC guides clients through our proven process for creating a plan that optimizes the park and recreation landscape in your community for years to come. SFC is often engaged to discuss the findings in public presentations or community meetings to support the outcome of the plan and establish next steps, which may include a feasibility study for future community recreation center or sports tourism complex.

Why SFC

Sports Facilities Companies is uniquely poised to assist public clients in parks, recreation, and sports master planning. With our work in over 2,500 communities in planning, funding, and project development services, we have earned a deep understanding of how to create a successful, long term strategic plan that is both visionary and actionable. We are sought-after by the National Recreation and Parks Association and the International City and County Managers Association for our work in sports tourism, community recreation, and facility operations.

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