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Tempe Town Lake - It's all about $REVENUE$
Tempe Town Lake a place for Tempe Citizens to enjoy the Park? Nope Tempe Town Toilet is a place for the City of Tempe to Make revenue! "There is a lot of money to be made here," [Tempe City Councilman] Mitchell said. "We want to make Tempe the destination place for youth and amateur athletics." said Councilman Mark Mitchell, who has pushed the amateur sports agenda since taking office in 2000.
Sports sites to vie for amateur dollars
Ty Young City cheerleaders are saying that two big sport recreation venues headed for Tempe will draw fans, tournament and dollars for the the city, but critics say we may be stepping into an overbooked market. Eyeing regional and national sports tournaments, Tempe officials say city stands to earn more than $37.7 million every year, according to a 2003 study by the Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau. The study was based on 149 tournaments from popular sports like baseball and basketball to the less spotlighted like baton twirling and badminton. But to hold the local, regional and national tournaments, the city needs facilities, said Councilman Mark Mitchell, who has pushed the amateur sports agenda since taking office in 2000. "There is a lot of money to be made here," Mitchell said. "We want to make Tempe the destination place for youth and amateur athletics." At least two large-scale sports complexes are under way in Tempe. Home Courts, a 78,000-square-foot facility near Elliot and Kyrene roads will open its doors in September. The Kentucky Basketball Academy has agreed to build and operate an 18-acre sports complex near Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive, south of Tempe Town Lake. It is getting what some call a bargain rent from the city, $5,000 a month for land near the lake, one of the hottest development spots in Tempe. Both have at least six multiuse courts for basketball and volleyball. The complex near Tempe Town Lake will have six multiuse outdoor fields for softball, rugby, soccer and lacrosse tournaments. Even Arizona State University is looking to raise up to $15 million for an indoor sports facility near Rural Road and Sixth Street. Like the other two facilities, it could be rented out for sports tournaments and conventions. But some wonder if these expansive facilities will bring in the numbers - in both participants and dollars - to justify their development. Russ Pennell, owner of Arizona Premier Basketball Academy in Gilbert, has been involved with youth and amateur sports tournaments for years. In that time, he said he has learned leagues and teams are very cliquish, favoring the same places each year. In the West, those places are Las Vegas, Reno, Las Angeles and San Diego, he said. "There's no way Phoenix can take that business," he said. "These teams like where they are. They're connected with the tournament officials. It's more than just building a court." With potentially three buildings competing for the same tournaments, the city may become oversaturated with facilities, said Chuck Coburn, former AAU of Arizona president. "Sure, there's a lot of places to play, but I don't think these tournaments are coming," he said. "I hope they do, but I just don't think it's likely." ASU recreation and tourism management professor Richard Gitelsondisagreed. Although the market may eventually become saturated with facilities, he said it won't be any time soon. "There's certainly a diminishing return when you have many of these facilities," Gitelson said. "Everything has a product lifecycle, but I don't see it ending in the short term." Gitelson said the Tempe facilities need to look at year-round tournaments in numerous sports. Focusing on just the major sports like basketball and baseball will limit the economic impact on the city. Bringing tourists to the city in the hot summer months is the key, he said. "If they bring people in the winter, these people are just fighting for hotel rooms with people who are here for other reasons," Gitelson said. "That's why I like having the large indoor complex in Tempe." |