sports commission - Sport Ngin
what is the
MANKATO
?
SPORTS COMMISSION
I
n last month’s article, we highlighted the grant opportunities for new sporting events to help bolster the economic impact of our region’s sports tourism economy. Last fall, you most likely heard about the Sports Commission and its efforts to extend our one-half cent local option sales tax as a partial funding mechanism for improvements to existing and possible construction of new regional recreation facilities. While many people have heard of us, we routinely get asked “What is the Mankato Sports Commission?”.
WHAT
The Mankato Sports Commission was established in 2014 after a multi-year process and assistance from the Rochester (MN) Amateur Sports Commission. It is a division of Visit Mankato, the local Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is housed under the umbrella of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. The primary purpose is to increase the economic impact of sports in our region. People who travel to Mankato for a sporting event (tournament, game, camp, etc.) spend money on everything from sports drinks to hotel rooms. They eat at our restaurants, shop at our stores and fill up the family vehicle at a gas station before heading home. When out-of-towners travel here for a sporting event, they are fueling our local economy in numerous ways. We work with a wide array of organizations and often provide support at events as opposed to owning/operating events. That support comes in a variety of ways including grant dollars, marketing assistance, research, securing venues, hotel room blocks and more.
WHO
I have been the Sports Commission Director since February 2015. During that time, we have expanded our reach in terms of the number of events we support and continue to pursue others that can provide a boost during those weekends that are historically slower in terms of hotel occupancy. The commission itself is currently comprised of 18 volunteers who serve a three-year term with the opportunity to be reappointed for a second term. These volunteers come from varying professional backgrounds, but all share the common traits of a love for sports and a desire to make the Greater Mankato area a better
By: Chris Willaert, Sports Commission Director
place. The expertise and guidance they bring from their personal and professional lives in areas like marketing, communications and sales is extremely valuable. Go to the “About Us” tab on our website at MktoSports.com and click “Our Commissioners” to see the names and faces of these generous community members.
WHY
Last month we shared our goal of filling the “slower” weekends through our grant program. This is just one of the goals of the commission – it’s ‘up to bat’. There are many other initiatives ‘on deck’ and ‘in the hole’. With the recent launch of the website, our vision is to knock that one out of the park and have it be the go-to resource or “hub” for all things sports-related for our community, as well as visitors and other organizations. Want to find out what sporting events are going on in town on a Saturday afternoon? Check out our calendar. New to town and wondering how to sign up your daughter for softball? Check out the local organization’s pages. In addition to the website, we are also actively working with local organizations to offer support and find out what they’d like to see from us in the future. With communication being a current focal point for the commission, we ask that you check out our website at MktoSports.com and become a member. You will find instructions in the “Become a Member” tab of the home page menu. If you are part of an organization that may benefit from our assistance, visit the website and you will find contact information for me or our Commissioners. Or better yet, introduce yourself when you see me at a youth sporting event, a Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks hockey game or my favorite place to relax on a summer evening - the “Frank” - for a MoonDogs game.
@MktoSports
#MktoSports
mktosports.com
Dave Wittenberg, Chair
Brett Skilbred, Vice-Chair
Chris Willaert, Director
MANKATO
?
SPORTS COMMISSION
I
n last month’s article, we highlighted the grant opportunities for new sporting events to help bolster the economic impact of our region’s sports tourism economy. Last fall, you most likely heard about the Sports Commission and its efforts to extend our one-half cent local option sales tax as a partial funding mechanism for improvements to existing and possible construction of new regional recreation facilities. While many people have heard of us, we routinely get asked “What is the Mankato Sports Commission?”.
WHAT
The Mankato Sports Commission was established in 2014 after a multi-year process and assistance from the Rochester (MN) Amateur Sports Commission. It is a division of Visit Mankato, the local Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is housed under the umbrella of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. The primary purpose is to increase the economic impact of sports in our region. People who travel to Mankato for a sporting event (tournament, game, camp, etc.) spend money on everything from sports drinks to hotel rooms. They eat at our restaurants, shop at our stores and fill up the family vehicle at a gas station before heading home. When out-of-towners travel here for a sporting event, they are fueling our local economy in numerous ways. We work with a wide array of organizations and often provide support at events as opposed to owning/operating events. That support comes in a variety of ways including grant dollars, marketing assistance, research, securing venues, hotel room blocks and more.
WHO
I have been the Sports Commission Director since February 2015. During that time, we have expanded our reach in terms of the number of events we support and continue to pursue others that can provide a boost during those weekends that are historically slower in terms of hotel occupancy. The commission itself is currently comprised of 18 volunteers who serve a three-year term with the opportunity to be reappointed for a second term. These volunteers come from varying professional backgrounds, but all share the common traits of a love for sports and a desire to make the Greater Mankato area a better
By: Chris Willaert, Sports Commission Director
place. The expertise and guidance they bring from their personal and professional lives in areas like marketing, communications and sales is extremely valuable. Go to the “About Us” tab on our website at MktoSports.com and click “Our Commissioners” to see the names and faces of these generous community members.
WHY
Last month we shared our goal of filling the “slower” weekends through our grant program. This is just one of the goals of the commission – it’s ‘up to bat’. There are many other initiatives ‘on deck’ and ‘in the hole’. With the recent launch of the website, our vision is to knock that one out of the park and have it be the go-to resource or “hub” for all things sports-related for our community, as well as visitors and other organizations. Want to find out what sporting events are going on in town on a Saturday afternoon? Check out our calendar. New to town and wondering how to sign up your daughter for softball? Check out the local organization’s pages. In addition to the website, we are also actively working with local organizations to offer support and find out what they’d like to see from us in the future. With communication being a current focal point for the commission, we ask that you check out our website at MktoSports.com and become a member. You will find instructions in the “Become a Member” tab of the home page menu. If you are part of an organization that may benefit from our assistance, visit the website and you will find contact information for me or our Commissioners. Or better yet, introduce yourself when you see me at a youth sporting event, a Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks hockey game or my favorite place to relax on a summer evening - the “Frank” - for a MoonDogs game.
@MktoSports
#MktoSports
mktosports.com
Dave Wittenberg, Chair
Brett Skilbred, Vice-Chair
Chris Willaert, Director
