Sporting events contribute $28.7M to Kalamazoo economy

Visitors who traveled to Kalamazoo to attend sporting events spent $28.7 million last year as local sports tourism returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Discover Kalamazoo says direct visitor spending and the resulting economic impact came from the more than 36,000 youth, amateur and professional athletes who competed in more than 60 sporting events in 2022. Visitor spending went toward lodging, transportation, food and beverages, retail, recreation, space rentals and other business services, according to Discover Kalamazoo, the county’s convention and visitors bureau.

“As we look to the future, our goal is to continue to build on a strong foundation of annual and recurring sporting events in our community and to look for ways to diversify what sporting events we are trying to offer to the community,” Brian Persky, Director for business development at Discover Kalamazoo, said in a statement. “We are very fortunate to have some of the most respected youth sports organizations in the country in Kalamazoo, and our community is the ultimate beneficiary of these successful partnerships.”

The biggest economic impact came from the Midwest & Pacific Coast Synchronized Sectional Championships hosted by the Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association at the Wings Event Center in late January. The event attracted nearly 2,500 competitors, coaches and staff responsible for 2,800 room nights and nearly $3.7 million in direct economic impact.

A national championship youth hockey tournament held at Wings Event Center and Wings West in late March and early April attracted nearly 1,300 athletes, coaches and event staff and generated 3,100 hotel room nights and an estimated $2 million in direct spend.

Sporting events booked for 2023 in Kalamazoo include the return of the Michigan High School Athletic Association team wrestling finals later this month, a mixed doubles curling championship at Wings Event Center February 28-March 4, the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee presented by The Kalamazoo Promise at the Chenery Auditorium on March 4, and the US Tennis Association’s Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships, being held for the 80th consecutive year at Stowe Stadium, Kalamazoo College, Western Michigan University and Loy Norrix take place in high school.

In the Grand Rapids area, the West Michigan Sports Commission reported a record year for local sports tourism in 2022 in January, MiBiz previously reported. A record number of events generated $90.5 million in direct visitor spend, an increase of approximately 65 percent over 2019 and 2021.

The West Michigan Sports Commission hosted 113 youth and amateur sporting events in 2022, which attracted 38 percent more athletes and visitors compared to 2021, while the number of hotel rooms booked increased 41 percent compared to 2021.