Hammond is wrapping up a $10 million expansion of the Hammond Sportsplex that will make it one of the largest volleyball facilities in the Midwest. A developer is eying indoor basketball courts at the Southlake Mall.
Sports have become a big business in Lake County.
Sports events will contribute an economic impact of around $40 million to Lake County this year, according to the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.
More than 100 sports events, ranging from youth sports and college tournaments to a college bowl game, were scheduled on the calendar for 2025 in Lake County, SSCVA Director of Sports Jimmy Nelson said.
"At the end of the day, that extra economic boost to our region saves annual taxes for our local residents. And the residents get shiny new things like beautiful state-of-the-art sports complexes," Nelson said. "There's never a shortage of sport events, and the event owners are always looking for the best destinations to host their events. We work hard to show that Northwest Indiana has plenty to offer those event owners and their visitors. Any new or renovated sports venues in the Region only helps to bring more visitors and more visitor spending."
Sporting events are expected to draw 74,000 visitors to Lake County, who will contribute $40 million to the economy.
"That calculation considers the visitor spending along with so many other factors. We are seeing hotel bookings increased, restaurant and shopping districts impacted and the sports venues are constantly booked with events," he said.
Travel sports have been surging in popularity since the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.
"Purpose-driven travel has increased rapidly since COVID, with a strong emphasis on sports event travel," Nelson said. "We saw the sports tourism industry survive the pandemic as we all craved to get outside and soak up some fresh air and vitamin D, especially those of us in harsh winter climates."
Sports ETA, an Oklahoma-based trade association for the sports event and tourism industry, found that sports tourism resulted in $47.1 billion in direct spending in the United States last year. The industry supported 664,860 jobs and contributed $8.5 billion in tax revenues.
Its annual study found that 109.7 million people traveled at least 50 miles to go to a sporting event last year, with more than 63.5 million staying overnight in a hotel or Airbnb.
Sports travel has been booming nationally, Nelson said.
"The sports tourism industry saw a jaw-dropping economic impact in 2024 of around $114 billion. Whether we are traveling to see the Savannah Bananas or Chicago Bears or even young Nicholas play in a tournament, we traveled for sports," he said, "and we continue to do so in 2025."
The SSCVA, Lake County's tourism agency, helps bring in events like the NSA Fastpitch Northern World Series, in hich more than 150 collegiate teams compete. The Cal Ripken World Series draws teams from all over the world.
The Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover Tournament brings in 38 NCAA Division 2 teams. America's Crossroads Bowl is one of only two NCAA Division 2 football bowl games in the country.
"Our track record speaks volumes as we continue to host some major events," Nelson said.
A total of 47 teams competed for a $12,000 grand prize in the South Shore Bass Open this year. Leon's Triathlon and Obstacle Course races have taken place annually at Wolf Lake in Hammond since the 1980s. The PBA50 brings professional bowling, while the Elite Fight Night hosts professional mixed martial arts bouts.
"To us, they're all big events. Every visitor means so much to us," he said. "We are always thinking outside the box for the next big event to bring to Northwest Indiana."
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