It hasn't taken the
Art Van Sports Complex (AVSC) long to make an impact and live up to its promise of being a significant economic engine for the West Michigan region. According to
West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) President Mike Guswiler, the AVSC is exceeding expectations in year one.
Whether you are measuring the number of out-of-town teams visiting the site, the number of tournaments that are being scheduled or the "heads-on-beds" numbers that are important to the hospitality industry, Guswiler says everything is going well: "We are ahead of projections for Phase 1."
Guswiler says the AVSC is anticipating several sell-out weekends this summer due to multiple sporting events and tournaments that will fill area hotels with players, their families and fans. When combined with other WMSC events, the economic impact could generate as much as $14.3 million collectively.
Upcoming AVSC events include:
- USSSA River City Global Qualifier will bring 28 teams to the Art Van Sports Complex.
- Great Lakes Major NIT - USSSA Baseball Tournament will bring 30 teams to the Art Van Sports Complex.
- Meijer State Games of Michigan Summer Games will features events at 34 locations, including a baseball tournament at the Art Van Sports Complex for the first time.
- Game Day USA National Championships will have more than 100 teams competing in this tournament that will fill the Art Van Sports Complex to capacity with 60 teams, with the rest playing at adjacent fields by Rockford Public Schools.
Besides the impact of the traveling team numbers, the AVSC has added local jobs with three full-time positions and up to 40 seasonal staff to support grounds, concession and parking activities.
You can view the entire
line-up of events here.
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor
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