On behalf of Arkansas Tourism and the Arkansas Sports Team we’d like to welcome you to The Natural State for your next sporting event.
Centrally located in the mid-South, with a moderate climate year-round, Arkansas is a beautiful, affordable destination for sporting events. An easy drive from anywhere in the south or mid-west with great interstate connectivity, we are also home to two major airports – Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Bentonville. Once you arrive, you will find many reasons why The Natural State works well for groups of all sizes. We hope that your team has time to take a break from playing to seek out adventure in Arkansas. We offer an exciting contrast of fast-paced and laid-back, urban and scenic, business and pleasure, all with genuine hospitality you just can’t find anywhere else.
Need help planning? Arkansas Sports Team members put the “pro” in proficient when it comes to hosting events. The Arkansas Sports Team is comprised of 13 destinations scattered throughout Arkansas with members who represent cities with a wide array of facilities so you can be sure to find the perfect location for any event. From Texarkana to Jonesboro, monster truck rallies to baseball tournaments, and everywhere and everything in-between, Arkansas is the natural choice for sports!
Sincerely, Shelbey and the Arkansas Sports Team
SHELBEY MORRIS
Sales Specialist
Division of Arkansas Tourism
1 Capitol Mall, STE 4A-900 Little Rock, AR 72201 p: 501.682.1081 | c: 501.813.9332 Arkansas.com
ON THE COVER: 50th Anniversary of Title IX celebrated with softball tournament hosted by Cowart Sports.
Photo courtesy of Will Newton/ Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
The sales section of Arkansas Tourism, in collaboration with the Arkansas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, promote The Natural State as a prime sports destination in the United States and internationally. Professional, collegiate, interscholastic, amateur and youth events are all welcome. Arkansas is home to outstanding destinations, sites and venues that enhance recruiting efforts and support events coming to the state. Sports tourism enhances the quality of life for residents of Arkansas and presents a welcoming place to visit and play for visitors. The 13 partners of Arkansas Tourism share a common goal of ensuring sporting events will achieve their greatest success.
The Slaughter Pen trails in Bentonville provide a unique urban mountain biking experience. The 40- plus miles of single-track flow alongside the paved Razorback Regional Greenway and by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where the path is dotted with public art. The Slaughter Pen system includes trails ranging in difficulty from beginners to expert, with connector trails taking riders between the various hubs of the system.
softball, tennis,
Memorial Park is home to several sporting facilities, including a tennis complex with 12 lighted courts, five lighted baseball fields, six lighted softball fields and four T-ball fields. The soccer complex has seven lighted soccer fields and two multi-purpose fields. It has two basketball courts, four lighted sand volleyball courts, one multiuse skate and bike part, and an aquatic center featuring an Olympic size pool and a separate diving pool with a water slide..
Both complexes have numerous facilities, college-like stadiums, and indoor practice facilities. Events can seat over 6,000 people with over 232,000 square feet. Both feature courts, arenas, auxiliary gyms, and hardwood surfaces. There are also track/soccer stadiums; championship softball fields and Philips Park, a 40-acre home to Bentonville High School and American Legion baseball teams.
WITH MORE THAN 1,200 HOTEL ROOMS, CONWAY HAS PLENTY OF SPACES FOR YOU TO REST YOUR HEAD AFTER ENJOYING A LONG DAY AT A TOURNAMENT.
FAYETTEVILLE IS MORE THAN A CITY. IT’S AN EXPERIENCE. WITH A SLEW OF BIG-TIME SPORTS, FAYETTEVILLE IS A GREAT PLACE TO HOLD A TOURNAMENT.
A top park in the state, Conway Station Park is home to eight fields with a 225-foot fence, while the final field features a 350-foot fence, giving sluggers an impressive challenge to aim for. This massive park is also equipped with its own concession stand, heated/cooled bathrooms, maintenance shed, and a beautiful pond.
The gorgeous layout of this lovely award-winning park in Conway allows enough room for five entire softball fields. After being completed in 2009, City of Colleges Park has become known as one of the top softball parks in the area. It also features a playground for children to enjoy. This park is also home to Central Baptist College, St. Joseph High School, and Homeschool softball.
This beautiful tennis center has eight courts where lessons, leagues, events and reservations are available for players to hone their tennis skills. If a reservation is made, the Conway Tennis Center even rents out ball machines for a small fee. The center is made up of eight courts surrounding two smaller buildings with bathrooms and lounging areas.
This regional park is home to six lighted soccer, four lighted baseball fields, and two restroom/concession buildings. On its 620 acres, the park is also home to historic Kessler Mountain. The park operates as a regional sports park with popular areas for mountainbikers and hikers, with more than 10 miles of natural-surface trails that tie back into the amazing Razorback Green-way trail system.
Large enough for more than 10,000 visitors, Baum Walker Stadium is home to the University of Arkansas baseball team. This stadium won Baseball America’s poll of best college facilities in 1998 and took second in the same poll five years later. Baum Walker Stadium has hosted five NCAA Regionals and a NCAA Super Regional and has undergone three renovations including the enclosure of hitting and pitching cages and adding 2,600 chair back seats.
Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium houses the University of Arkansas football team. Following a major $110 million renovation project prior to the 2001 season, the stadium’s capacity was increased to 80,000. The east concourse is “Championship Alley” with displays of conference championships, the 1964 national title and every football letterman. The south end zone concourse is “All-American Alley” and is dedicated to Razorbacks All-Americans.
CONWAY CVB
Rachel Shaw Executive Director 501-932-5409 rachel@conwayarkansas.org
The infinitely flexible Fort Smith Convention Center offers 116,800 sq. ft. of usable event space and a state-of-the-art performing arts center just steps from downtown dining, shopping, and entertainment. The column-free, 40,000 sq. ft. Exhibition Hall (divisible into 5 sections) features 34’ ceilings and accommodates up to eight (8) volleyball courts; eight (8) Tennis Courts; sixteen (16) pickleball courts; four (4) basketball courts.
The expansive Ben Geren Regional Park offers a 12-field Soccer Complex; 10-field Softball Complex; 6-court Tennis Center; 27-hole Golf Course; three (3) 18-hole Disc Golf Courses; three (3) Sand Volleyball Courts; a premier Arkansas Mountain Biking Trail System (21+ miles). It is also home to Parrot Island Waterpark and a miniature golf course.
Evans Club includes three (3) Baseball/Softball Fields; two (2) Indoor Basketball Courts; two (2) Outdoor Basketball Courts; one (1) Soccer Field. Goldtrap Club includes four (4) Baseball/ Softball Fields; one (1) Indoor Basketball Court; one (1) Soccer Field. Jeffrey Club includes three (3) Soccer Fields. Stephens Club includes three (3) Soccer Fields; one (1) Indoor Basketball Court; one (1) Outdoor Basketball Court.
1. Bank OZK Arena Basketball, cheer, volleyball, pickleball, concerts
Bank OZK Arena seats 6,300 and is connected to the Hot Springs Convention Center, Hotel Hot Springs and Embassy Suites. Bank OZK Arena has hosted the Sunbelt College Basketball Championships, FLW Bass Fishing Tournament, Arkansas High School Basketball Championships, Arkansas High School Cheer Championships, and GAC Volleyball Championships. The Arena has hosted U.S. Indoor Pickleball Championships, and concerts ranging from Foreigner to Tony Bennett to Willie Nelson.
Oaklawn is known for its 100 + year tradition of professional horse racing which is highlighted each season by The Arkansas Derby. The tracks infield has also proven to be a great setting for the Arkansas High School Cross Country Championships. Oaklawn’s newly opened expansion includes a 4-star hotel, spa, multi-purpose event & concert hall, multiple restaurants, sportsbook, and casino.
The Majestic Park Baseball Complex was specifically designed for youth baseball & softball tournaments and features five fields. Three of the fields are 225 feet to center field, lighted, and fenced with artificial turf infields and outfields, as well as, stationary mounds. The other two fields are 200 feet and 400 feet to center field, lighted and fenced. This new park is one of the best in its area with covered dugouts, covered grandstand seating, concessions and playground.
FORT SMITH IS EASY TO REACH BY ROAD—OR BY SKY— AND OFFERS AN IDEAL MIX OF GROUP-FRIENDLY DINING, SHOPPING, AND ENTERTAINMENT
This 770-acre park opened in 1937 and in the last 20 years, the park has gone through numerous renovations improving the playgrounds (4) and RV campgrounds (41 spaces).Craighead features many popular outdoor activities such as basketball, hiking, disc golf, softball, volleyball, mountain biking, camping and fishing.
The Joe Mack Campbell Sports Complex is home to 14-stunning baseball fields as well as 19 soccer fields. Right off Interstate 555, this complex has baseball fields that accommodate athletes from 7U to 14U leagues. Ten of the 14 fields have turf infields and manicured grass outfields. The complex also has its own batting cages. Soccer has 6 micro fields for 6U all the way up to high-school sized fields. Spectators can enjoy watching all the games in designated picnic areas around the complex with 4 full-function concession stands.
The Southside Softball Complex hosts the Mountain Dew Grand Slam Classic, the oldest youth tournament in the state of Arkansas. The complex has six batting cages and 10 softball fields, split between four pavilions. The softball complex also has two large and fully equipped concession stands for athletes and spectators to enjoy food at the ballpark. The fields are available day or night with updated lighting system installed in 2018.
The Rebsamen Tennis Center is a tennis player’s utopia. Open year round, the tennis center offers 17 lighted courts, three lighted backboards and is a past recipient of the USTA‘s National Public Facility of the Year Award. Rebsamen hosts Adult and Junior Arkansas tournaments, and the tennis center has hosted USTA Southern Region tournaments and an annual USTA Men’s Pro Circuit Tournament.
The $25-million Jack Stephens Center is a state-of-the-art 5,600-seat, multi-purpose arena at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Stephens Center hosts the school’s men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, the Boy’s and Girl’s State High School Wrestling Tournament, regional dance and cheer competitions, and the U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships.
At 1,700 acres, Burns Park is Arkansas’s largest municipal park. The Burns Park Soccer Complex boasts 17 irrigated fields with tournament lighting on seven fields and 1,500 parking spaces. The complex has hosted several US Youth Soccer Region 3 Tournaments and the 2008 USYS National Tournament. The Burns Park Tennis Center has 24 lighted outdoor courts, six lighted indoor courts and has hosted state and regional tournaments and a Davis Cup Tournament!
The premier soccer complex of the South, Burns Park Soccer Complex contains 17 irrigated fields located between White Bayou and the Arkansas River. The complex features tournament lighting on one quadrant, Stadium Field, pavilions and 1,500 parking spaces. Sitting on 135 acres of preserved wetland, Burns Park is home to three-mile hiking and biking trails, trees and plenty of scenic beauty. The 1,700 acres of Arkansas’ largest ubran municipal park offers two 18-hole golf courses, a baseball complex, softball complex, Bonzai BMX track, the Burns Park Soccer Complex, a tennis center and a disc golf course.
This 3.3-acre park with a 17-mile trail system along the Arkansas River is the perfect starting point for large events. A popular run for numerous 5K events, adventure races and marathons there are plenty of open spaces for competitors to relax after the event. Competitive cycling events also call North Little Rock Riverfront Park home with riders in Arkansas’s largest competition the Big Dam Bridge 100 beginning their journey here.
North Little Rock High School opened multiple new facilities in the 2015-16 school year, including a brand new 5,000-seat stadium and track which is utilized for football. Along with the stadium is a fitness center, locker rooms, a weight room and a wrestling room.
Located in the heart of Pine Bluff, the $11 million 36,000-square-foot center offers first class facilities including an eight-lane, 25-yard short course competition pool with water maintained at 82 degrees, state-of-the-art timing scoreboard, a therapy pool, water sports area, and can accommodate up to 1,600 people.
Taylor Field Baseball Stadium is a regulation-size baseball field featuring a U-shaped grandstand that holds 1,800 seats behind home plate. The stadium was constructed in 1939 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It seats 2,400 and reaches 315 feet to the right and left field foul poles, 360 feet in left centerfield, and 390 feet to the deep corner in centerfield.
Home of the world-renowned King Cotton Holiday Classic basketball tournament, this impressive center features a 23,000-square-foot arena with tiered seating for up to 7,600. Recent upgrades include the latest in audio visual technology such as overhead communications module with live video feed, replay, and broadcast, 12-foot videoboards, 18-foot digital scorer’s table, NCAA-approved lighting, renovated restrooms and dressing rooms, and adjoining concourses with flat-screen monitors and concession stands.
Erica Warden, Director of Events 501-404-0192 erica@northlittlerock.org
Tennis,
Located right across the Rogers city line in Lowell, Matrix Racquet Club offers high-quality tennis facilities for camps, tournaments and events. With both indoor and outdoor courts, the facility is perfect for year-round events. The facility features 12 tennis courts, the ability to have 56 pickleball courts simultaneously, three padel courts, a café, and a health club.
Softball, baseball, kickball,
Rogers Regional Sports Park features six baseball/softball fields, a water fountain in every dugout and a designated warm-up area for each team along with a central concession stand. Veterans Memorial Park features two baseball fields, two softball fields, five grass multi-purpose fields, and one turf multi-purpose field.
Fishing, boating, swimming, scuba diving, kayaking
Beaver Lake, a 28,370-acre freshwater lake, is located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains and is a popular place to boat, camp, fish, scuba dive, canoe, wake board, kayak, stand up paddle board, and swim.
Basketball, volleyball, cheer, dance, wrestling, table tennis, flag football, lacrosse
Arkansas Athletes Outreach is a newly built indoor/outdoor facility that features four indoor multi-purpose courts and two outdoor 100-yard grass fields.
Russellville Soccer Complex has multiple soccer fields for tournament play and plenty of open space for outdoor activities. The park has a 1.1-mile trail that can be used for running and walking. The path is also paved so it’s ADA accessible. The soccer complex has 3 lighted fields.
This park is located in two areas on Lake Dardanelle, a 34,300 acre reservoir on the Arkansas River. It features a fishing pier, boardwalk trail and visitor center with five aquariums and the Lakeview Room meeting facility. There are 57 campsites in the Russellville area of the park. The park is also a National Park Service-certified site on the Trail of Tears water route.
Pleasant View Park and Shiloh Park have 6 softball fields with covered pavilions, restrooms and a dog park. The 7-field M.J. Hickey Park baseball complex has 3-lighted pavilions, restrooms, picnic tables and a 50-meter municipal swimming pool. The baseball and softball fields all feature benches, barbeque grills and picnic table so fans can eat heartily while enjoying the action
This park features several amenities including one lighted football field, three lighted tennis courts, four artificial turf baseball fields with concessions, six soccer fields, a dog park, a paved walking trail, two pavilions, play structures and a splash pad open daily.
This state-of-the-art 220,000-square-foot recreation, community and event center is located in the heart of Northwest Arkansas. This massive facility houses a year-round ice arena, junior-Olympic-sized lap pool, activity pool with a slide, world-class bike park, basketball court, fitness center, indoor track, conference center and chapel/auditorium. Also located in the center is a cafe with a menu designed in collaboration with local partners.
This newly remodeled facility boasts six indoor hardwood courts for basketball and volleyball, two indoor soccer fields, group fitness areas, and weight training equipment. The center is home to area youth sports and is an ideal location to host a tournament or camp at any age level. Ample parking, spectator seating, and full-service concessions are available to accommodate guests. The Springdale Recreation Center offers yearly memberships and facility reservations to meet any number of needs.
Ed Worrell Park in Texarkana has 115 acres of recreational land area with amenities including seven lighted baseball fields, running/jogging trails, parking, restrooms and two concession stands. It features concessions, off-street parking and is located near the Texarkana Regional Airport.
The Ermer Dansby Pondexter Sports Complex is home to five fields, a walking trail, playground, a huge pavilion, concession stand, air-conditioned bathrooms, plenty of shade for a picnic, and lots of parking. Guests appreciate the digital scoreboards courtesy of Youth Scoreboards of Arkansas as well as the convenience of using debit/credit cards at the concession stand. Players and coaches enjoy the playing surface, new lights and 200-foot tournament fences.
Nestled in southwest Arkansas, just one mile from the Texas border in Texarkana, the Arkansas Convention Center is the premier location for events in its area. Its 10,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility was newly constructed in 2014, and is conveniently located on Interstate 30, just miles from I-49 south. The ballroom can be divided into four breakout rooms and it features a brightly lit gallery space that connects the four rooms.
CITY OF TEXARKANA ARKANSAS
Adam Dalby Director of Parks and Recreation 870-779-4943 Adam.Dalby@txkusa.org
Across the state of Arkansas, sports-minded destinations are rolling out the welcome mat for major events. Rights holders and planners are responding and regardless of the size of your event, The Natural State has the staff, volunteers and awesome venues to guarantee success. Here are some great events the state has hosted and will host in the future.
On May 23, 1972, the United States Senate and House of Representatives reached agreement and recognized Title IX. This 37-word gender equality law clause was part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It banned sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The bill became law when signed on June 23, 1972. Title IX has had a huge impact on women’s sports in addition to opening the doors to admission, academic majors and vocational programs.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, Cowart Sports, an innovative leader in high-quality sports tournaments, hosted a major softball event split between Burns Park, North Little Rock and Bishop Park, Bryant. Regardless of your North Little Rock event, when the games are over, check out The Old Mill, do a scavenger hunt all around North Little Rock, or visit World War II naval vessels downtown.
The NJCAA, along with the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau and Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, announced War Memorial Stadium is the site for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 National Junior College Athletic Association Football Championship games.
“The NJCAA cannot think of a better place than Little Rock to host the upcoming football championships for our dedicated fans and student-athletes,” said Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA president and CEO.
“War Memorial Stadium’s iconic facility and atmosphere align with our mission to provide opportunities and the best overall experience possible. We look forward to having our championship in a destination city like Little Rock.”
Since opening in 1948, War Memorial Stadium has gone through several renovations and expansions. Host to major college football games, concerts and events, seating is now 54,000. Little Rock is proud to showcase its improved stadium and provide a memorable experience for the fans. Before or after the games, there’s always something big to do in Little Rock from exploring presidential history and early Arkansas to downtown treasures and unique eats.
The 2022 Walmart UCI Cyclo-cross World Championship was held in January of 2022. The Fayetteville event was only the second time the 73 cyclo-cross championships were held outside Europe. Representing 21 nations including the United States, 219 cyclists competed.
To host a world cyclo-cross championship event, a remarkable championship venue is needed. The City of Fayetteville had the foresight to create Centennial Park,
which has been praised by the international cycling press, riders and coaches as one of the world’s most unique and high-quality venues. The 218-acre Centennial Park also features a world-class mountain bike trail and has already hosted USA Cycling Pro Cup. If you’re coming to Fayetteville for a specific event, take time to enjoy all this vibrant college town has to offer, including live music venues, delicious food, historic sites and a world-class botanical garden.
For five years the Disc Golf Pro Tour Elite Series Jonesboro Open has found a welcoming site at Disc Side of Heaven Championship Course. The classic course is a major reason the tournament is on the pro circuit and a favorite of the competitors. The community supports the tournament with volunteers and turning out for the event. The pros certainly appreciate that support, but they also care about how tournament directors run the event. Tournament Director Brad Pietz brought disc golf interest to Jonesboro and years of big-time event experience including sold-out concerts and major college football bowls.
There were 115 professionals participating in the 2022 Jonesboro Open with Kristen Tattar winning the Female Pro Open and Calvin Heimburg taking first in the Men’s Pro Open. Whether you’re competing or a visiting spectator, spend time on the Crowley’s Ridge National Scenic Byway and downtown Jonesboro where you’ll find great shops, art galleries, a day spa and restaurants.
The year was 1976 and the Pine Bluff Convention Center had just opened. In an attempt to revive a high school basketball championship, a group of civic-minded residents led by Travis Creed had the dream of a national invitational tournament for great high school teams. Planning was well underway when a meeting with Nolan Richardson resulted in his telephone call to Bob Wade, the legendary coach of Baltimore’s Dunbar High School. The reigning No. 1 high school team in the nation committed to compete in the 1983 classic. They won and successfully defended their championship the following year. In 1987, ESPN televised the classic, making it the first high school tournament to be shown in prime time.
The tournament built a great reputation for 17 years before closing down. Under new leadership and energy from Go Forward Pine Bluff (GFPB), the legendary King Cotton Holiday Classic returned in 2021. That didn’t miss a step. The 2022 tournament is scheduled for December 27-29 and will feature high school powerhouse boys basketball teams from California, New York, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Alabama and Arkansas.
“We are excited about the talent-rich field that will assemble to compete in this year’s tournament,” said Tournament Director Samuel Glover. “I am confident in saying King Cotton 2022 will boast one of the top tournament fields in the country.”
When not on the court, there are plenty of options for players and their families, from museums and historic homes to Murals on Main and the Gov. Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center.
Arkansas is blessed with fabulous sporting events, settings befitting The Natural State and talented photographers to capture the moment.
Meet Will Newton, one of two photographers employed by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. Most of the images featured in this article are credited to Will. For the State of Arkansas, Will has photographed sporting events, concerts, conferences, meetings, 52 state parks, nature, wildlife, cityscapes and commercial shoots. He guesses he covered 30 sporting events in 2022, while logging more than 5,000 miles.
Will’s background is photojournalism having graduated from Anne Arundel Community College, Maryland. He’s worked as a freelance photographer for some of the world’s top news agencies, including the Washington Post, The Associated Press and Getty Images. He’s photographed a World Series, Super Bowl and an inauguration.
Photographs from Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism are available to any planner promoting an Arkansas event.
It’s fun to play in a tournament celebrating Title IX.
Competition is always intense at the King Cotton Classic.Photo courtesy of Will Newton/Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
Graced with temperate weather all year round, Arkansas is stunningly beautiful. Our terrain is one of the great unsung natural treasures of the nation, threaded with lakes and rivers and host to the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains.
Our thriving cities offer a wealth of family-friendly activities, a variety of restaurants and comfortable, convenient lodging. But even in our largest cities, Arkansas is still a budget-friendly sporting event destination thanks to our low cost of living. With two major airports and several interstate highways connecting to surrounding states, Arkansas is close to everywhere and affordable for everyone!
All Welcome Centers offer complimentary coffee and multiple restroom stalls. Open 9-5 everyday.
Come experience our warm hospitality and give your athletes and competitors a taste of The Natural State.
If you said to everyone in the United States, “We’re going to pick a spot right in the middle of where you all live, and we’re going to hold our sporting event there,” you would be talking about a place very close to ARKANSAS
Branson to Little Rock 3.5 hours Dallas to Little Rock 5 hours Jackson to Little Rock 5 hours Kansas City to Little Rock 6.5 hours Memphis to Little Rock 2 hours New Orleans to Little Rock 7.5 hours Oklahoma City to Little Rock 5 hours Shreveport to Little Rock 3.5 hours St. Louis to Little Rock 6 hours Tulsa to Little Rock 4 hours
Successful tournaments and sporting events are right at home in The Natural State. With the perfect combination of fields and facilities, plus plenty to see and do when the games are over, Arkansas is where teams and their families make winning memories. Find out more at Arkansas.com/sports. ARKANSAS.COM/SPORTS
TITLE IX TOURNAMENT, BRYANT
UCI CYCLOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, FAYETTEVILLE
SALT BOWL AT WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM, LITTLE ROCK