Missouri Winter Games begin tonight

About 2,000 athletes will participate in the inaugural Missouri Winter Games tonight through Sunday at various venues around town. (Click here for a schedule of events.)

The event is a set of competitions aimed at drawing the best athletes of all ages from across the country in a variety of sports: volleyball, gymnastics, swimming, winter run, racquetball, table tennis, bowling, paintball and wrestling.

Most events are free for spectators. Admission to wrestling is $3 for adults and $2 for children, and admission to gymnastics is $7 for adults and $4 for children.

Event organizer Jeff Collins said the idea came from participating in events ¬– such as the Show-Me State Games – in sports including basketball, football and shotokan karate.

Though this new event is not affiliated with the Show-Me State Games, the Springfield event is meant to complement the summer games, not to compete with them.

Collins said he hopes to add more events in coming years, including ice hockey and figure skating.

Collins said community support for the event thus far has been very positive; local sponsors include John Q. Hammons Hotels and Resorts, Great Southern Bank and CoxHealth.

Hammons Hotels, in addition to sponsoring the event, is also setting aside a block of rooms for visitors over the three-day period. Spokesman Scott Tarwater said the company was impressed with Collins’ preparation.

“As we reviewed Jeff’s proposal and all the work he had done, we felt that it would be beneficial for the community, beneficial for the businesses of Springfield, and it would bring business in at a time when we really need all of the business we can get,” Tarwater said.

Other hotels, including Oasis Inn & Convention Center, Quality Inn & Suites and Walker Hospitality Group, are also offering discounted rates for the event.