Officials hope park will bring tourists

By Amy Bauer

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Economic development professionals hope something more than the scores at Topeka Unified School District 501's Hummer Sports Park will have Topekans cheering.

They expect to see thousands of athletes, families and spectators flocking to the park for statewide, collegiate and national sporting events. And they expect those visitors to come with credit cards in hand.

Richard Forester, president of the Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau, said his office has conducted surveys to assess the amount of cash that flows into local registers from the average visitor. The average recreational traveler spends a total of $159 during his or her stay in Topeka, he said. The average convention visitor spends $112 per day.

"Probably the sports participant is somewhere in between there. So it's big dollars," he said. "Whenever people travel, the number one thing they do is shop."

Forester's surveys show 40 percent of visitors' spending is on lodging, with the remaining 60 percent going to meals, attractions and shopping.

"It's not just the hotels that are benefiting," he said.

Gary Musselman, executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, said his organization has scheduled several state championships at the park. Depending on the teams competing and their distance from Topeka, he estimated the 6A boys state soccer championships, for which a contract is being finalized with USD 501, could bring up to 1,000 people to Topeka for the two-day event in early November. The 4A state football championship game in late November could bring between 4,000 and 6,000 people to the one-day event, he said.

Musselman said certain portions of the park may be larger draws for sporting events --- such as the park's track and field and swimming and diving facilities --- because of the comparative rarity in the state of such full-scale venues.

The park's track includes eight lanes; accommodations for the steeplechase, a race of 3,000 meters that includes hurdles and a water obstacle; and an area for the hammer toss --- all items required for college- and national-level track meets.

Jack Wiley, district athletic director and sports park manager, said the pool's Olympic length and diving well also qualify it for a number of events.

"We're trying to get everything we can, of course," Wiley said of the park's recruiting of outside events, while noting that USD 501 events have first priority.

The TCVB has been ramping up its sports marketing efforts in recent years and is working with the district to bring new sporting events to the park. Forester said youth sports in particular are a boon to communities because of the extended families who often travel with competitors.

The district has approached the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to try to secure some of its college events.

The Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce also has found the growing sports park to be a boost to its marketing efforts. Doug Kinsinger, president and chief executive officer, said the chamber began incorporating the park into its marketing video and materials right after the project was announced.

"We believe it's an excellent addition to the amenities in Topeka," he said. "It really signals that our community is committed to its youth."

Amy Bauer can be reached

at (785) 295-1231

or amy.bauer@cjonline.com.

DRAWING A CROWD

Nondistrict events scheduled so far:

Nov. 7-8: Class 6A state boys soccer championship (a contract is being finalized)

Nov. 29: Class 4A state football championship

May 28-29: Class 6A state girls soccer championship

Oct. 29-31, 2004*: NCAA Big 12 cross-country championships

* The cross-country meet will take place on a course adjacent to the sports park that isn't owned by Topeka USD 501.

SOURCE: Kansas State High School Activities Association and Topeka Unified School District 501

SELLING A SPORTS PARK

The Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau is working with Topeka Unified School District 501 to help promote its facilities to potential sporting event hosts. Richard Forester, president of the TCVB, said site selectors are looking for a number of things:

- Sufficient hotel rooms in the city for the event's size.

- A central location geographically to its teams.

- Adequate parking.

- Space for exhibitor tents.

- Adequate sporting facilities for the particular event.

"We've got the location, we've got the facility, we've got the hotel rooms," Forester said.

Richard Forester

Doug Kinsinger

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