How did you get your start at the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and what do you like most about your position?
I’d been working at a uniform/route delivery company (G&K Services) for about five years, and I was at a point where I wanted to get back into more of a marketing role. I had a sports background and the RACVB had been on my radar for some time, so I set up an exploratory meeting with the leadership team in April 2012. Within about six weeks a position opened up in the sales department, and I applied and made the transition officially June 18.
The best part about working at the RACVB continues to be the creative flexibility that tourism offers. I have the opportunity every day to market my hometown and work with organizations near and far. It also helps quite a bit that we have so many things to offer in the Rockford area. We have the facilities, the restaurants and entertainment, the drive market, and many sports business people to help tie our message together. Connecting those dots is both challenging and fun.
What has been the economic impact of sports in the Rockford Area?
In the early 1980s, the Rockford region opted into sports tourism when the Rockford Park District opened MercyRockford Sportscore 1, allowing for large-scale soccer and softball tournaments to come to the area. That facility helped pave the way for many more developments, including what is now MercyRockford Sportscore 2 and the UW Health Sports Factory, which opens this May. Each venue is a blank slate. We host soccer, ultimate, softball, baseball, 7v7 football, rugby, lacrosse and Quidditch at Sportscore 1 and 2. We’ve already booked basketball and volleyball tournaments at the UW Health Sports Factory, and we’re working on badminton, wrestling, gymnastics and much more.
Our visitor base continues to diversify and grow, and that has expedited facilities upgrades and additions that our residents can also enjoy. The Reclaiming First initiative—the project that led to renovations at MercyRockford Sportscore 2 and the construction of the UW Health Sports Factory—also is projected to generate direct economic impact for area citizens, including an estimated $16.5 million in private sector revenue and $1.9 million in tax revenue. The tourism industry employs more than 2,700 jobs in the Rockford area, and the expansion and success of the sports market continues to add to that number.
How does Rockford differentiate itself from other sports destinations?
Competition is better and destinations continue to improve at marketing themselves. There are so many facilities and communities that are capable of hosting tournaments and events, so we understand that success comes over time. Relationship building is an ongoing process; it doesn’t stop. Our focus remains on getting to know more industry colleagues every day, and we believe that consistency will yield sustainable results. Moreover, customization and customers go hand-in-hand. We exist as a DMO because of our customers, so we personalize our process as much as possible.
Photo Credit: Jesse Fox, Rockford Park District
What are some of the featured events you’re looking forward to hosting in 2016?
We have quite a few new events that we’re ecstatic about, beginning with Tough Mudder this May at the Chicago Rockford International Airport. Our director of sales, Lindsay Arellano, initially bid on this a few years back and remained in contact with TM since then. We’re all equally excited about the promise of an established brand and event in such a unique venue.
In early June, we open the UW Health Sports Factory with the first of many regional and national basketball tournaments this calendar year before we shift back to premier outdoor events in late September. For the first time in the state of Illinois and the entire Midwest, USA Ultimate’s signature event, the 2016 Club Championships, will be held at MercyRockford Sportscore 2. On the heels of hosting the 2015 Division IIII College Championships, we’re certainly grateful to USA Ultimate and ready for this excellent opportunity.
What is the future of amateur sports in the Rockford Area?
Our future begins by us getting incrementally better each day. We want to continue to expand our event offerings, our capabilities and learn from as many industry colleagues as we can. We have only scratched the surface of what the RACVB and our region can accomplish, and that’s the mindset we’ll maintain.
The Rockford Park District venues mentioned earlier will continue to be a mainstay in our targeted marketing efforts. But we’re also looking much more deliberately at our arenas, festival parks and waterways. While I can’t pinpoint with certainty which groups will land in these venues, I’d expect us to make some programming announcements for these sometime soon. The future is indeed bright!
For information on the Rockford area as a sports destination, visit gorockford.com. Follow Nick Povalitis on Twitter @Povalitis or contact him via email at npovalitis@gorockford.com.
