Travel: Region II soccer tourney coming to city

When Larry Krauck watches the Snickers Region II Championship soccer tournament June 22-27, he'll see more than children kicking black-and-white balls across the fields at Cooper Soccer Complex. Krauck, sales manager at the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, also will see about 15,000 people occupying 12,000 room nights.

And those visitors are expected to spend about $3.5 million on rooms, shopping, dining, etc.

"Sports is a growing segment for travel in Springfield because of the great facilities we have and the location within the region," Krauck said.

Though the Snickers tournament is one of the largest sports events ever in Springfield, it's just one of several amateur sports events that boost the local economy. Other large events include the U.S. Tennis Association and Amateur Softball Association tournaments. Smaller events include bowling, golf, basketball, volleyball and gymnastics.

Once the recreational ice facility opens this fall at Jordan Valley Park, add amateur hockey, figure skating and other ice-related events to the mix, along with more economic benefits for the city.

Many of those sports events are for youth. "By going after youth amateur sports, you wind up bringing in the family," Krauck said. "It turns into a family event. A lot of people consider this a family vacation."

Ray Ezelle, director of sales and marketing at Holiday Inn University Plaza Hotel, said having youth sports events in the city also builds warm and lasting memories for the families that participate in them, and that could lead to repeat visits.

"We're excited about having people from all over the region, mainly so we can showcase Springfield and all that Springfield has to offer," Ezelle said.

Todd Yearack, public relations director for the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, likes youth sports events in Springfield because attendance at the hall usually increases as families take in the sights between games.

Paybacks for the entire region are one reason the Springfield Area Sports Commission just hired Lance Brown as executive director, the first paid staff on the commission since its start in 1999.

Having an executive director will provide someone who can work with area venues to coordinate events and round up volunteers, said Tracy Kimberlin, executive director of the CVB and a sports commission board member.

Brown also can work with the CVB to attract events and develop new events that are "owned" by Springfield, Kimberlin said.

The Snickers tournament isn't a regular Springfield event. The tournament was last in Springfield in 1993, and is scheduled to be in Toledo in 2002 and Des Moines in 2003, said local organizer Carl Metzelthin, president of Brass Leasing in Springfield.

The city is eligible to bid on the tournament every other year, but it's usually six to eight years before it returns to a city, if it returns at all.

(Susan Wade is public relations manager for the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.)