The Tourism Advisory Board is working to get the ball rolling on a new sports and events committee in Phoenix.
Spearheaded by non-profit Visit Phoenix in July, the Phoenix City Council approved the formation of the sports and events committee to fill a need for direction when it comes to how sporting events are handled in relation to the tourism industry in the Valley of the Sun.
Ron Price, president and CEO of Visit Phoenix, shared with the advisory board during their meeting that prior to this approval of the sports and events committee, Phoenix was the largest city in the U.S. without a sports commission.
This new committee will not focus heavily on professional teams in the metro Phoenix area, but rather on traveling sports teams and tournaments in order to fill the gaps of vacancies in venues when professional sports teams do not occupy the space.
Additionally, the committee will help to bolster the economic revenue that is lacking during the down months. The sports and events committee is expected to receive $30,000 for the next three years from the city’s allocated funds from the tourism and hospitality board.
Alongside the sporting events that they will help to put forth, they are also hoping to push cultural events in tandem with it, as they also plan for the formation of a committee for a new entertainment district.
The planned entertainment district will be anchored by different venues in the area, including the Phoenix Convention Center. Jerry Harper, the director of the Phoenix Convention Center, believes that the new district will “give a sense of place to downtown.”
Hosting about 300,000 delegates in 2023 alone, the pull of the convention center is often the reason for first-time visitors to the Phoenix area, according to Eric Kerr, the cice president of insights and development for Visit Phoenix.
Through the creation of the sports and events committee and the new entertainment district advisory committee, the advisory board is hoping to create a sense of appeal for leisurely visits.
Price shared that the committee is developing but they are still looking for an executive director to take charge.
Although a lot of focus has been placed on the modernization of metro Phoenix, the board is also working to restore and upkeep historical venues alongside the expansion in the city. The Orpheum Theatre, for instance, which is nearing celebrating 100 years in Downtown Phoenix, has been receiving rejuvenation and updates over the summer, including restoring its original chairs while expanding seating
Heather Lennon, chairperson of the advisory board, expressed that although metro Phoenix is growing and modernizing itself, the most important thing is for the city to “remember who they are.”
Edited by Shi Bradley
