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Committee hears feasibility talks for sports‑venue development on underused parks
Summary
Staff reported early conversations with private investors and city/county parks about feasibility studies to convert underutilized park spaces into sports venues, a strategy staff and committee members said could generate hotel demand and year‑round stays.
City staff told the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee that private investors and local parks agencies have discussed feasibility studies to convert underused municipal land into sports venues, such as improved fields at Vancouver Lake, that could host dozens more events annually.
"We've been approached by what is, I guess, loosely called venture capital firms that have organized together to do this sports venue development," said Cliff (staff member). "Feasibility studies would study the idea of these particular areas...we could turn on about 20 more events at that lake."
Staff said conversations are informal and the city and county parks departments are interested but not ready to commit public capital. Committee members pointed to regional examples — Centralia's Sports Hub and Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District facilities — as models where indoor and multi‑court venues have driven hotel demand and weekend stays.
Members noted both the upside and the operational challenges of sports tourism. "Sports is recession proof. Right? As parents, we still need to get our kids to their games," one committee member said, while staff warned organizers often overestimate attendance and that event estimates can be "clunky."
No feasibility contract or formal funding request was approved; staff said the next step would be to scope possible studies and engage parks agencies and potential private partners for detailed proposals. Committee members asked staff to identify which facilities and what public‑private structures would be required to make venues viable.
Why it matters: Sports events can fill hotels in shoulder seasons and produce repeat visits, but developing venues on public land requires feasibility work, public‑private agreements and careful demand estimates.
