CITY OF CHARLESTON AND KANAWHA COUNTY COMMISSION ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR A SPORTS FACILITY, LARGEST JOINT VENTURE

(Charleston, W. Va.) The City of Charleston and the Kanawha County Commission—along with Senator Joe Manchin, state and local elected officials and members of the community—today announced plans to establish the Capital Sports Center which will have the capacity to host major regional and national events. The project will be the largest financial joint venture between the Kanawha County Commission and the City of Charleston.

Commissioner Salango and Mayor Goodwin highlighted key findings from a sports tourism study by The Huddle Up Group for the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCVB) that show the economic impact sports tourism can have on a region and the need for a singular indoor facility to host large regional and national events. 

The proposed Capital Sports Center will feature an aquatic center, six basketball courts or 12 volleyball courts, an indoor turf field, two wrestling mats, eight pickleball courts, an elevated running/walking track and more. 

According to the most recent study by the Sports Tourism and Events Association – State of the Sports Industry Report 2021, the participant driven part of the domestic sports tourism sector was responsible for more than $39 billion in direct spending at the end of 2021, as compared to $15 billion in 2019.

“In order to position our Capital City to attract top-tier, revenue generating events and the associated economic impact, we must have the necessary facilities to compete.  Through the proposed Capital Sports Center, we will have the opportunity to attract major regional or national swimming, volleyball, basketball and pickleball events,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “In addition to the economic impact of sports tourism, this facility will also provide our young athletes with a state-of-the-art facility in which to train—better preparing them to compete in collegiate athletics or other sports opportunities they may want to pursue.”      

“I am so excited to announce our partnership with the City of Charleston to build the Capital Sports Center,” stated Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango.  “Youth sports tourism is a booming industry, and this indoor facility will enable us to compete on a national level.  This state-of-the-art, 247,000 square foot facility will have a significant economic impact for our local businesses and economy.  With the incredible success of the Shawnee Sports Complex, Kanawha County and the City of Charleston are well positioned to be leaders in sports tourism.”

“This moves our community one giant step further in truly being a destination hub.  Sixty percent of America’s population will be within a day’s drive to this facility,” stated Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper.

Kanawha County Commissioner Lance Wheeler commented, “We have an opportunity to move Charleston and Kanawha County in the right direction.  We must do this not for our generation but our children’s generation.  We need to move our County forward economically, and this Capital Sports Center will do just that.”

The CCVB, with funds received through the City of Charleston’s ARPA funds, contracted with The Huddle Up Group to conduct an audit of the current sports tourism work of the CCVB and an analysis of the area’s sporting venues. The study identified facility enhancement/development as an opportunity to grow sports tourism in Charleston. More specifically, it noted the importance of having “anchor” and “tournament friendly” facilities to attract “top tier participant focused championships and their related tourism dollars.”

“Sports tourism continues to be a top priority for the City of Charleston, Kanawha County, and the Region—with extensive work being done through the CVB to expand sports tourism efforts,” said Tim Brady, CCVB President and CEO. “The CVB has recently partnered with Airstream Ventures to focus solely on selling Charleston and the County as a sports tourism destination, adding a world-class sports facility to downtown Charleston will create endless possibilities for attracting events to our community.”

The City of Charleston and Kanawha County Commission partnered with ZMM Architects & Engineers to do draft renderings for proposed sites in downtown Charleston, Kanawha City and North Charleston.