From Small Towns to Big Cities, Indiana Has Something for Everyone
Sports culture runs deep in Indiana, a state that’s a natural for sports event planners
On behalf of Team Indiana and our statewide partners, I am excited to share with you why Indiana is the winning choice for your next event. Our state has been referred to as the birthplace of contemporary sport tourism, home to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and the Amateur Sports Capital of the World. We have hosted hundreds of youth, collegiate, Olympic national and international championships across the state, creating memorable moments for each.
Indiana communities are committed to being the best sports destinations in the country. Our venues span the spectrum from historic to state-of-the-art, so we can find the perfect space to fit your needs. No matter where you go in Indiana, you’ll find consistent, top-notch service from our community members and partners. In addition to experienced professionals, we possess that one invaluable resource – dedicated volunteers who cater to the needs of every participant and fan.
Our state is centrally located, so traveling to Indiana is convenient and affordable. We are within a day’s drive for most of the country, and we have several regional and international airports for those who are farther or prefer to fly. Once you arrive in Indiana, you may be surprised to find the terrain varies greatly across the state, from the beaches along Lake Michigan in the north to the rolling hills in southern Indiana. You’ll discover vibrant cities and quaint towns, boasting plenty of attractions for you to enjoy once the event has concluded.
For more information on the wide variety of sports-friendly communities, please visit team-ind.org or contact me at 317-237-5000. We are eager to help you in the planning process and look forward to sharing our Hoosier Hospitality with you.
Sports culture runs deep in Indiana, a centrally located state that seems like a natural for sports event planners scouting out their next tournament.
A premier destination for regional, national and international rights holders, the Hoosier State cherishes its sporting traditions. Indiana is home to the largest high school basketball gyms in the country—
mammoth houses of hoops that reflect their communities’ absolute love for the sport. In college athletics, the programs at Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame are legendary. On the pro level, the state hosts the Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts and several minor league baseball teams. And everyone knows the world’s mostattended single-day sporting event is the Indianapolis 500.
Offering top-rate facilities ranging from the historic to state-of-theart, Indiana’s small towns and large cities provide a myriad of choices for tournament planners seeking just the right venue.
New on the horizon in Columbus, about an hour south of Indianapolis, is NexusPark, a redevelopment of the former Fair Oaks Mall. The fieldhouse, scheduled for completion in late 2023, is expected to attract tournaments in
basketball, football, pickleball and other sports.
In Hammond, just 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, the new $100 million Hammond Central High School opened in 2021 and features three gymnasiums, a weight room, swimming pool, an outdoor track and a turf football/soccer field. Ukraine’s Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team held its training camp there from July 7-August 3, 2022.
Lafayette is bringing baseball and softball tournaments to sparkling new Loeb Stadium, which opened in 2021 on the site of the old stadium. Located in Columbian Park, the 1,910-seat venue hosts the Lafayette Aviators of the Prospect League and Lafayette Jefferson High School’s baseball team.
In Hamilton County, north of Indianapolis, Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield has made a name for itself since opening in 2015. The 400-acre, world-class complex offers 31 multipurpose fields, 26 baseball/softball diamonds and four indoor facilities, attracting more than a million visitors and participants annually.
At Indiana University in Bloomington, The Pfau Course, designed by Steve Smyers and Fuzzy Zoeller, opened in 2020 and has emerged as one of the premier public golf courses in the Midwest. It welcomes the LPGA Amateurs Championship Finals in July 2023.
The pride and joy of Terre Haute’s sports community is LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, one of the few purpose-built cross country courses in the world and one of the most spectator-friendly distance running courses.
Fort Wayne, the state’s secondlargest city, has distinguished itself in the world of adaptive sports. Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities, one of 11 Paralympic Training Sites in the U.S., attracts regional and national tournaments. Turnstone Plassman Athletic Center,
featuring a 75,000-square-foot fieldhouse with a 230-meter track, four collegiate basketball courts and a warm pool, hosts sports like wheelchair basketball, tennis and power soccer.
Indiana aquatic facilities host some of the best swimmers, divers and water polo athletes. Elkhart Health & Aquatic Center, which opened in 2019, boasts a larger than Olympic-sized pool that has 10 lap lanes and ranks as the fifth-largest public-use pool in the nation. Evansville’s Deaconess Aquatic Center, a two-story facility with separate competitive and recreation areas, opened in fall 2021. Indiana University Natatorium, located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus, holds up to 4,700 spectators. Hinkle Fieldhouse, a fixture on the Butler University campus in Indianapolis since 1928, is Indiana’s “basketball cathedral” and appeared in the 1986 movie Hoosiers. Also dating from 1928 is the huge Muncie Fieldhouse; the home of the Muncie Central High School Bearcats underwent a $1.7 million renovation in 2017.
Besides being able to book top-notch facilities, planners appreciate Indiana for a secret ingredient it offers out-oftowners—heaping helpings of Hoosier Hospitality. Not only will they find professionals from sports commissions and visitor bureaus, but each location will have an army of engaged volunteers—passionate, sports-minded people who add a heightened level of service to every event.
From museums to state parks and minor league baseball, fun-filled diversions await tournament-goers before and after the action
By Randy MinkWhen considering tourist activities in the Hoosier State, playing in the waves and sinking your toes into silky soft sand fringing a vast blue “ocean” may not the first thing that comes to mind, but
you can do just that along the shores of Lake Michigan in northernmost Indiana.
The 15 miles of beaches in Indiana Dunes national and state parks are one of many discoveries awaiting family travelers. Besides swimming, sunning and sandcastle-building, this protected
area of towering sand dunes, wetlands, prairies and forests is popular with hikers, cyclists, birders and campers. One trail leads to the state park’s three tallest dunes, or you can take a rangerled trek around the base of Mount Baldy, the largest sand hill in the national park.
Options for outdoor recreation are endless in Indiana, which boasts one of the country’s best state park systems. Many parks boast lakes, swimming pools and nature centers. Some have inns with modern hotel amenities and full-service restaurants, and a few contain historical sites.
Brown County State Park, Indiana’s largest and most visited state park, is just outside of Nashville, an hour south of Indianapolis. Families stay in lodge rooms or cabins and keep busy with an aquatic center, horseback rides, lakes for fishing and boating, and hiking and mountain biking trails. Near Albion in Noble County, Chain O’ Lakes State Park is a boater’s paradise with nine connecting lakes; it also offers family cabins and 23 miles of trails. There’s urban water recreation in Indianapolis, where you can paddle along the canal in White River State Park. Families mingle with friendly barnyard animals during a 1920s farm experience at The Farm at Prophetstown, part of Prophetstown State Park in West Lafayette.
Pioneer history comes alive at Conner Prairie in Fishers, just north of Indianapolis. A nationally acclaimed outdoor museum affiliated with the Smithsonian, it features costumed interpreters who take visitors back to the 1830s. In the Amish Country of northern Indiana, Barns of Nappanee, Home of Amish Acres offers tours of a historic Amish farmstead along with barns housing a theater and a restaurant that dishes up heaping helpings of countrystyle comfort food.
Kids can have fun for hours and learn along the way at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The largest such museum in the world touches on subjects ranging from outer space and dinosaurs to natural science and foreign cultures. At the three-story Terre Haute Children’s Museum, a laboratory of science and technology, youngsters can dig for dinosaur bones, play veterinarian, deliver a TV news or weather report, and build cars or houses out of blocks
or LEGOs. Some 200 hands-on exhibits demonstrate scientific principles at Science Central in Fort Wayne.
The mascots of sports teams take their place in the sun at the Mascot Hall of Fame, a kid-friendly museum in Whiting. In Indianapolis, the NCAA Hall of Champions celebrates college teams with memorabilia, a wide-screen film, interactive exhibits and displays for each of the 24 NCAA sports. In the Play gallery, guests can try a simulated downhill ski run or take a shot at the free-throw line. Several museums in Indiana appeal to car buffs. They include the Dream Car Museum in Evansville, Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. The RV/MH Museum in Elkhart displays vintage recreational vehicles.
Minor league baseball, with its affordable ticket prices and betweeninnings giveaways, contests and festivities, is always a hit with families, and several Indiana cities have attractive stadiums featuring professional action. The Fort Wayne TinCaps, an affiliate of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres, play at downtown’s Parkview Field, while the
South Bend Cubs, a Chicago Cubs affiliate, take to the diamond at Four Winds Field. The Indianapolis Indians, a Pittsburgh Pirates minor league team, play ball at Victory Field in White River State Park. Spectators also flock to Evansville’s historic Bosse Field to watch the Evansville Otters and to U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, home of the Gary SouthShore RailCats.
In southern Indiana, the big summer draw is Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, one of the Midwest’s top amusement parks. Located in the Christmas-centric town of Santa Claus, the themed attraction consists of Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Fourth of July lands with shows and rides, and it includes a world-class water park.
The hills of southern Indiana are dotted with caves that showcase the subterranean splendor. At Bluespring Caverns near Bedford, you can take a guided cruise on America’s longest underground river. The tour at Indiana Caverns near Corydon includes a boat journey as well. Glistening stalagmites and stalactites also can be seen at Marengo Cave and Squire Boone Caverns, both a short drive from Corydon.
The Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau would love to help you plan your next sporting event in the Midwest. Known as “The Crossroads of America,” Terre Haute provides a central location for any sport. With the Terre Haute Convention Center opening earlier this year, Terre Haute can easily provide a venue for your next competition. Our hotel selection continues to grow, offerering a variety of convenient rooms for teams. Popular stops include everything from wineries, breweries, unique restaurants, theaters, museums, spiritual walking tour at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods college campus, Griffin Bike Park and the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The veteran-themed Griffin Bike Park features trails that all have special riding styles for everyone of all ages. It has a new “Freedom Trail,” which is offered for those individuals with differing disabilities or those with adaptive riding equipment. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course has hosted a variety of races over many years including: NCAA Division I, Great Lakes Regionals, Division III Men & Women’s, NCAA Division I Championships, IHSAA Sectionals and State Championships and the Nike Cross Country Nationals. The course is constantly improving and now has a newly built medical buildings on-site.
The Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau would love to help you plan your next sporting event in the Midwest. Known as “The Crossroads of America,” Terre Haute provides a central location for any sport. With the Terre Haute Convention Center opening earlier this year, Terre Haute can easily provide a venue for your next competition. Our hotel selection continues to grow, offerering a variety of convenient rooms for teams. Popular stops include everything from wineries, breweries, unique restaurants, theaters, museums, spiritual walking tour at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods college campus, Griffin Bike Park and the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The veteran-themed Griffin Bike Park features trails that all have special riding styles for everyone of all ages. It has a new “Freedom Trail,” which is offered for those individuals with differing disabilities or those with adaptive riding equipment. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course has hosted a variety of races over many years including: NCAA Division I, Great Lakes Regionals, Division III Men & Women’s, NCAA Division I Championships, IHSAA Sectionals and State Championships and the Nike Cross Country Nationals. The course is constantly improving and now has a newly built medical buildings on-site.
The Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau would love to help you plan your next sporting event in the Midwest. Known as “The Crossroads of America,” Terre Haute provides a central location for any sport. With the Terre Haute Convention Center opening earlier this year, Terre Haute can easily provide a venue for your next competition. Our hotel selection continues to grow, offerering a variety of convenient rooms for teams. Popular stops include everything from wineries, breweries, unique restaurants, theaters, museums, spiritual walking tour at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods college campus, Griffin Bike Park and the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The veteran-themed Griffin Bike Park features trails that all have special riding styles for everyone of all ages. It has a new “Freedom Trail,” which is offered for those individuals with differing disabilities or those with adaptive riding equipment. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course has hosted a variety of races over many years including: NCAA Division I, Great Lakes Regionals, Division III Men & Women’s, NCAA Division I Championships, IHSAA Sectionals and State Championships and the Nike Cross Country Nationals. The course is constantly improving and now has a newly built medical buildings on-site.
The Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau would love to help you plan your next sporting event in the Midwest. Known as “The Crossroads of America,” Terre Haute provides a central location for any sport. With the Terre Haute Convention Center opening earlier this year, Terre Haute can easily provide a venue for your next competition. Our hotel selection continues to grow, offerering a variety of convenient rooms for teams. Popular stops include everything from wineries, breweries, unique restaurants, theaters, museums, spiritual walking tour at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods college campus, Griffin Bike Park and the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The veteran-themed Griffin Bike Park features trails that all have special riding styles for everyone of all ages. It has a new “Freedom Trail,” which is offered for those individuals with differing disabilities or those with adaptive riding equipment. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course has hosted a variety of races over many years including: NCAA Division I, Great Lakes Regionals, Division III Men & Women’s, NCAA Division I Championships, IHSAA Sectionals and State Championships and the Nike Cross Country Nationals. The course is constantly improving and now has a newly built medical buildings on-site.
The Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau would love to help you plan your next sporting event in the Midwest. Known as “The Crossroads of America,” Terre Haute provides a central location for any sport. With the Terre Haute Convention Center opening earlier this year, Terre Haute can easily provide a venue for your next competition. Our hotel selection continues to grow, offerering a variety of convenient rooms for teams. Popular stops include everything from wineries, breweries, unique restaurants, theaters, museums, spiritual walking tour at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods college campus, Griffin Bike Park and the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The veteran-themed Griffin Bike Park features trails that all have special riding styles for everyone of all ages. It has a new “Freedom Trail,” which is offered for those individuals with differing disabilities or those with adaptive riding equipment. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course has hosted a variety of races over many years including: NCAA Division I, Great Lakes Regionals, Division III Men & Women’s, NCAA Division I Championships, IHSAA Sectionals and State Championships and the Nike Cross Country Nationals. The course is constantly improving and now has a newly built medical buildings on-site. TERREHAUTE.COM
WITHIN 200 MILES OF CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS, ST. LOUIS AND LOUISVILLE, THIS SMALL TOWN OFFERS PARKS, MUSEUMS AND SOME TOP-NOTCH VENUES.
Scan to discover more of what Terre Haute CVB offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
An abundance of museums makes it a great town in which to learn and explore—venture over to the Indiana Track & Field & Cross Country Hall of Fame Museum, Terre Haute Children’s Museum or check out the military memorabilia on display at the Veterans Memorial Museum. Ready to head outdoors? This Hoosier State gem boasts a multitude of parks where children can play and adults can spend some time relaxing in the sun.
The Terre Haute Quarter Midget Association (THQMA) is based at the Hulman MiniSpeedway. Quarter Midget Racing is a familyoriented sport that involves racing that is designed specifically for kids aged five to 16. Racing is divided into many different classes based on age, skill level and motor type.
The Springhill Soccer Complex features 45 soccer fields for varying ages from four to 13
years of age. It is home to the Vigo County Youth Soccer Association and host of the Midwest Soccer Classic.
The Vigo County Aquatic Center, opened in 2016, is a 50-meter-by- 25-yard competition and teaching pool. It is an Olympic-sized pool that has 10- and 50-meter training lanes. The 10-by15-foot video board can show live competition. The center can seat up to 500 people for major events and is the home to three Vigo County High School swim teams, as well as the Terre Haute Torpedos, a local swim club.
This world-class, 240-acre course, located just east of downtown Terre Haute at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center, has the distinction of being one of the few purposebuilt cross country courses in the world, as well as one of the most spectator-friendly distance running courses. It has been home to the NCAA Division I Great Lakes Regional, Division III Regional and Men’s and Women’s NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. It has also hosted the Indiana State High School Championship Meet, Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Regional Meet, and numerous invitational and championship meets.
This full spectrum destination riding experience is designed for riders of all ages, skills and abilities. The Veteran-themed bike park was founded on honoring and empowering those who have served our country. This unique bike park has several specialized riding areas designed to provide a wide range of features for special riding style and disciplines. Griffin Bike Park also has a new “Freedom Trail” designed especially for those
with differing disabilities and using adaptive equipment. With a 5-acre terrain park, a basic training skills park, loop trail and racing venues all designed for large scale, national level races makes this park worth visiting.
“It would not be possible to provide the many soccer programs and events without the support of the many volunteers, soccer families, local businesses, colleges, universities and especially the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau.”
— Jim Wilkey, VCYSA Tournament Director and Past President
David Patterson Executive Director 812-234-5555 david@terrehaute.com TerreHaute.com
▶ The Terre Haute Action Track is a ½ mile dirt track located at the Vigo County Fairgrounds. It hosts USAC midget and sprint cars. Notable drivers have included A J Foyt, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.
▶ The Veteran’s Memorial Museum honors veterans from all branches of the military service. This 2,000-plus square feet commemorative space is filled with a variety of military memorabilia from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan.
▶ 177-acre Deming Park is home to a miniature train for children to ride, fields for softball and an ADA-certified playground.
Picture your average sports complex or park and multiply it by … a lot. The massive Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield covers 400 acres and is home to 31 multipurpose fields, 26 diamonds, four indoor facilities and has hosted over 100 events in a year. Grand Park welcomes 2.5 million visitors a year and in 2020 was voted Best Soccer Facility.
Soccer, lacrosse, football, ultimate frisbee, rugby, field hockey, baseball, softball, running
Grand Park’s 31 outdoor multipurpose fields and 26 diamonds accommodate soccer, lacrosse, football, ultimate frisbee, rugby and field hockey. The baseball and softball diamonds all have lighting, and eight of the 26 are synthetic turf. Be sure to also make use of the running/ walking trails that span for miles; the campus also features a mapped out 5K course that makes hosting a 5K run/walk a breeze.
Soccer, football, rugby, volleyball, lacrosse, cheerleading, national summits, conventions,
This indoor sports facility is a sight to be seen. Opened in 2016, the Event Center covers 377,000 square feet and features three fullsize synthetic turf fields, a 45,000-square-foot warmup area, four locker rooms, fully equipped conference rooms and is truly incredible. The facility also has a full-service sports pub, which offers viewing suites. 30,000 square feet makes up the mezzanine for spectators. The events center can accommodate sporting events
such as soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse, and cheerleading. The events center can also house events outside of sports such as consumer shows, large company outings, keynote presentations, consignment sales, and more! This building is home to the Indiana Soccer Association and Indiana Fire Juniors.
Dedicated to providing sports performance training, Pro X provides sport-specific programming for baseball, softball, golf and football using state-of-the-art technology to help each athlete reach their potential. Equally important to sports training is recovery, which Pro X offers sports rehab and physical therapy. Pro X understands all the factors that contribute to optimized athletic performance, which is why they further provide Sports Vision programs, Mental Training, and Nutrition consultations.
Located in Grand Park is this 88,000-squarefoot athletic facility for youth sports training, leagues, and tournaments in basketball,
volleyball, and futsal. Kids are welcome to take part in many different sporting events, camps, or club teams year-round. The Indy Youth Basketball League is the largest youth basketball league in the state and is proudly run by Pacers Athletic Center.
No sporting event can take place without food options, and Grand Park has you covered there also. Throughout the campus are seven concession stands conveniently located among the fields and diamonds where all the sports action will take place. If you are looking for a destination that will elevate your event, then Grand Park Sports Campus is the place to go.
▶ Grand Park is proud to be the home to the Indianapolis Colts Training Camp, which you can be a part of. Going to training camp means you get to watch the team practice and participate in the theme days, which feature food and drink deals, apparel deals, live music and entertainment, special activities, giveaways, and cheerleader performances. The camp is loaded with fun and excitement that you don’t want to miss.
Matt Trnian, Director 317-804-3010
mtrnian@westfield.in.gov grandpark.org
▶ Grand Park’s 26 diamonds are managed/operated by Bullpen Tournaments. This year they welcome 47 tournaments/events over the course of 30 weeks. Those events brought over 500,000 visitors throughout the 11,000 games that were played. As college baseball continues to grow, The College Summer League (CSL) hosted 233 college baseball players who represented 20 states and 153 colleges/universities. CSL has 8 teams that play throughout the course of the summer giving these players the opportunity to play and gain experience in their off-season.
“Indiana Soccer just completed hosting the third in a series of four US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional events. When we arrived to set up and decorate the facility for the event, the park looked amazing. The grass field conditions at Grand Park are the best in the Midwest, maybe the whole country. The Grand Park grounds crew, headed by Ryan Fisher, did a fantastic job of keeping the fields in top condition during the event, too. They were on top of every little detail so Indiana Soccer could deliver the best possible Regional Championship event experience to the participants.
In addition to the fields and the facility, the Grand Park operations staff, headed by Sean Owens and Rachel Nelson, worked with Indiana Soccer and the Midwest Regional Committee to prepare and deliver an excellent event the participants will remember for a lifetime. The staff was always cheerful and never more than couple minutes away from attending to any request. This is a group of people you want “on your team” for every event!”
Scan to discover more of what Visit Fort Wayne offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“We host events all over the nation and Fort Wayne is our favorite by far! Fort Wayne’s welcoming community and outstanding facilities are second to none.”
Fort Wayne, the second largest city in Indiana, is one of the top Midwest destinations for sports tournaments and events. With a wide selection of premier sports venues, first-rate hotels, familyfriendly entertainment, and restaurants, Fort Wayne excels in hosting tournaments of all sizes and skill levels.
Basketball, hockey, wrestling, volleyball
Indiana’s second largest public assembly facility with 1,000,000 sq. ft. With the capability to hold 13,000 spectators for basketball games and 10,480 for hockey, this massive arena has hosted many major sporting events since opening in 1952. Most recently, the arena has been the host destination for 2019 through 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championships. It is the home of the Fort Wayne Komets, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and Fort
Basketball, volleyball, futsal, pickleball
This 57,000-square-foot multipurpose facility is a premier destination for indoor competitions, with its eight hardwood volleyball courts which can transition into six high school regulation basketball courts. Equipped with bleacher seating, on-site storage, and a sports performance area, many
clubs around the area including Summit Volleyball, Fort Wayne Futsal, and Gym Rats Basketball call this facility home. Located steps from the TownePlace Suites makes a perfect location for tournaments.
With three NHL-sized ice surfaces, SportONE Parkview Icehouse is the only three-sheet facility in Indiana. The Icehouse has partnerships with Fort Wayne Amateur Hockey Association, Fort Wayne Ice Skating Club, and the Indiana Tech Hockey teams. The onsite, full-service restaurant and bar overlooks all three surfaces to ensure you won’t miss a moment. The Icehouse has hosted many large tournaments such as the 2022 US Figure Skating Championship presented by Toyota and the United States Roller Hockey 2019 and 2020 State Wars National Championships. Home of the Fort Wayne Spacemen.
An official Olympic and Paralympic training site, Turnstone is the only paralympic training site in the state and one of three dedicated adaptive facilities in the U.S. The Plassman Athletic Center at Turnstone features a 75,000-square-foot fieldhouse with a 230-meter track and 4 collegiate sized basketball courts. Home of USA Paralympic Men’s and Women’s Goalball, Turnstone has hosted prestigious events such as the International Blind Sports Federation’s Goalball and Judo Paralympic Qualifying Competitions.
Jazmin Zavala, Sports Sales Manager
260-424-3700
jazmin@visitfortwayne.com VisitFortWayne.com/ TournamentFacilities
Experience rides, animals and unique hands-on experiences at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, one of the top zoos in the nation.
Watch the TinCaps battle it out on the diamond at Parkview Field, then run the bases after the game concludes.
Check out more than 200 exhibits at Science Central, a fun interactive science center.
Submerge into an oasis of natural wonders at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, where you can traverse luscious gardens before finding a cascading waterfall.
Scan to discover more of what Noble County Convention & Visitor Bureau offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“Noble County is home to awardwinning golf courses, miles of trails, and other recreational activities, making Noble County a great place to stay active.”
— Grace Caswell, Visit Noble County
Founded in 1836, Noble County, Indiana has a rich history centered around the natural elements in the region. Visitors will enjoy a variety of outdoor recreational activities, unique public art displays and historical landmarks that will take you back in time.
Explore Noble County’s communities, each possessing its own character.
Chain O’Lakes State Park is a small boater’s paradise and hiker’s haven. Nine connecting lakes will be the center of your adventures at Chain O’ Lakes. Paddle through the chain of serene kettle lakes, hike the 29 miles of trails, fish the electric-motors-only lakes, stay overnight in a forested hillside family cabin, or explore the Nature Center and historic OneRoom Stanley Schoolhouse.
This award-winning 18-hole course in Kendallville is a premier public championship golf course and event center, offering golf situated on 240 beautiful acres of rolling terrain with challenging features throughout the course. Newly introduced in recent years, the course has a set of five tee boxes – sure to benefit golfers of all skill levels. A highly rated Northeast Indiana public golf course, Cobblestone will give you the quality experience you come to expect at top rated public golf courses.
An 18-hole links course, Noble Hawks Golf Course is Northeast Indiana’s most unique public golf facility and the perfect combination of links and traditional golf. “The Hawk” features a unique design and theme featuring the perfect combination of links and traditional golf while
showcasing a variety of beautiful golf holes. Some are pure “up-north” with serene tree-lined fairways. Others appear to be transplanted from Florida with lots of sand and water.
Home to 89 acres of ball diamonds, soccer fields, basketball courts, shuffleboard, and more, the Kendallville Outdoor Sports & Recreation Complex is an ideal venue for any sports event. It offers four diamonds, three soccer fields, basketball, shuffleboard courts and parking for over 700 cars.
Grace Caswell 260-636-3602
grace@visitnoblecounty.com www.visitnoblecounty.com
Scan to discover more of what Greater Kokomo Visitors Bureau offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“Kokomo not only provided a first-class facility, but more impressively they showed everyone working and attending our event that we mattered to the community and that Kokomo wanted us to be there and have a great experience in their city.”
— Jay Jones, Commissioner (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) host of 2022 HCAC Baseball Championship
Filled with historic museums, art glass tours and roadside attractions, the Kokomo, Indiana area offers a large variety of sights to see. Downtown Kokomo features live music, festivals, local food, shopping, trails and public art at every turn. Set against a backdrop of historic buildings and public art spaces, the city center is home to unique experiences and tastes.
▶ At Kokomo Opalescent Glass, experience art glass that is hand-ladled and rolled from a 2,500-degree furnace and watch blown glass demonstrations from skilled artists as they make amazing hand-blown glass creations in the KOG Hot Glass Studio. Tours must be scheduled in advance.
This beautiful championship stadium features seating for up to 4,000 including stadium, lawn, and indoor suite level seating. The 360-degree concourse allows fans to walk around the entire playing field, so you can catch the game from every angle. The playing surface is all artificial turf, making it suitable for multiple sports and special events in nearly any weather. Kokomo Municipal Stadium is located in downtown Kokomo within walking distance to local restaurants, breweries, shops, walking trails, and public art.
Opened in April 2021, Championship Park is an outdoor complex that includes eight baseball/softball diamonds, including four high school-sized and four softball/ youth league-sized. Its features include full
artificial turf fields arranged in two quads, concessions, outdoor batting cages, large parking, and other amenities.
Northwest Park offers five lighted regulation adult softball diamonds. The park also offers two outdoor-roofed picnic shelters, grills, basketball court, tennis courts, large playground, concessions, restrooms and parking. The park is host to many softball tournaments throughout the year.
Sherry Matlock smatlock@visitkokomo.org 765-457-6802 VisitKokomo.org
Scan to discover more of what Visit Evansville offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“The new turf and other renovations to Deaconess Sports Park really helps tournament directors market and sell their events. Rising costs in fuel and other supplies make teams want to be confident, when they sign up for tournaments, that they will be playing regardless of rain and other mild weather conditions. I am hopeful that in 2023, I will be able to bring a couple of new, major events to the Evansville area that could boost revenue for the entire city. ”
Foster,State Director Indiana USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association)
There’s always something to do in beautiful Evansville. This city has more than 300 locally owned and operated non-chain restaurants and food trucks, many of them serving you from local farms.
Sports fans will appreciate Evansville’s history, as it is home to historic Bosse Field, the first municipally owned sports stadium in the nation and the third-oldest ballpark still in regular use for professional baseball.
Deaconess Sports Park is an eight-field complex ideal for girls, women’s and men’s fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball, adult and coed softball league play, and boys baseball for 13 and under tournaments. These state-of-the-art fields recently underwent a $3m renovation which included installation of turf infields and improved irrigation across all playing grounds, allowing for fewer rainouts and longer playing seasons. Additionally, the park features
batting cages, shaded spectator seating, brick-covered dugouts, bullpens, team warmup areas and a Wi-Fi tower for live streaming games. For family members and spectators, the park offers a nine-foot wide, mile-long walking path, two playgrounds, a spray park, amphitheater and a large common area.
A multi-purpose sports facility designed to serve local and regional tournaments and the community at large, Goebel Soccer
Complex completed a $2.3 million renovation in 2019. The complex covers 70 acres with 10 different playing fields, including two fescue fields, seven Olympic-size irrigated Bermuda grass fields and one Olympic-size AstroPlay synthetic turf, six of which are lighted. Amenities at this top-notch sports facility are concessions, a training room, on-site restrooms, a visitor’s center, office and ATM machine. Events at Goebel Soccer Complex include the Veterans Invitational Tournament; the facility also hosts several other soccer and lacrosse events throughout the year.
Evansville’s newest city pool and recreation center, Deaconess Aquatic Center features an outdoor splash pad, a recreation pool, a 50-meter competitive pool and a separated diving well. It has four separate locker rooms for both participants and officials and has relay touch pads and a timing system. It contains just under 1,000 seats for spectators. These seats are a level higher than pool level for optimal viewing.
As the region’s center for sports and entertainment, Ford Center Arena is a stunning and exciting multi-purpose facility with 290,000 square feet and the capacity to seat 11,000 spectators. With 20,000 square feet of usable space, the arena can be modified for basketball, hockey, concerts, conventions, rodeos, expos and any other event imaginable. Home of the NCAA Division I University of Evansville Aces men’s basketball team and the SPHL Evansville Thunderbolts hockey team, Ford Center Arena has all the necessary amenities a sports facility needs, including wheelchair accessible seating, men’s, women’s and family restrooms and concessions.
L’Oreal Mitchell
lmitchell@visitevansville.com 812-598-8186 www.visitevansville.com
▶ Burdette Park provides a recreational and educational environment consisting of approximately 170 acres of wooded hills. It also features an outdoor aquatic center and BMX track.
▶ Wesselman Woods provides environmental education and outdoor recreation experiences designed to awaken the senses and enrich the lives of visitors.
▶ At Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden, players, families and spectators can explore this 45-acre zoo situated on rolling hills and featuring over 700 animals from around the globe. Visitors can gaze upon thousands of exotic and regional botanic species as well as animals.
▶ Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the USS Landing Ship Tank 325 is a fully operational amphibious vessel designed to landbattle ready tanks, troops and supplies directly onto enemy shores. The ship offers hour-long, guided tours for groups and sports teams.
Scan to discover more of what Hamilton County offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
Just north of Indianapolis, Hamilton County is home to world-class sports facilities and within a day’s drive for over half of U.S. residents. It is an easy-toreach, affordable destination with top-tier sports facilities, amenities and attractions. Come to Hamilton County for our sports; you’ll see why it’s regularly hailed as one of America’s great places to live, work and play. Learn more at HamiltonCountySports.com.
Youth baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball and lacrosse
Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield is one of the largest complexes of its kind, operating more than 350 days a year and annual attendance topping 1 million. The facility boasts 26 diamonds, 31 multi-purpose fields, eight indoor basketball/volleyball courts and three full-size indoor soccer fields.
Grand Park’s diverse roster of playing spaces and amenities make it ideal not only
for sporting activities – from small youth events to national championships – but trade shows, corporate engagements and public events. Since opening in 2014, Grand Park’s staff and facilities have earned a national reputation for excellence and the trust of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, which utilize it for the preseason Colts Training Camp, and hosted Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Soccer championships.
Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel has hosted numerous PGA, LPGA and USGA events including the PGA Championship, Solheim Cup and BMW Championship. But Hamilton County is home to four more championship courses that regularly host major collegiate and amateur tournaments: Prairie View, Purgatory, Sagamore and Chatham Hills.
The City of Noblesville’s Forest Park Aquatic Center holds one of America’s few remaining outdoor platform diving wells. Combining the championship-caliber diving facility with an Olympic–sized competition pool, Indiana Diving Academy’s RipFest Diving Camp has trained Olympic medalists.
Basketball, volleyball, soccer, track
Indiana is basketball crazy, but Hamilton County fieldhouses regularly welcome all sports. Six venues – Pacers Athletic Center, Finch Creek, Best Choice Fieldhouse, Boys & Girls Club, Westfield MPIF and Carmel Dad’s Club Sports Complex – offer 34 courts for basketball and volleyball. The brand-new CDC complex also has
three batting cages and an indoor turf field for year-round football and soccer training, ringed by a running/walking track.
The Carmel Ice Skadium, Indy Fuel Tank and Arctic Zone combine for five sheets of ice. If you’re looking for warmer water, two large reservoirs – Geist and Morse – and the White River are perfect for fishing tournaments and open water competitions.
Indianapolis hosts the world’s largest singleday sporting event, the Indianapolis 500, but the Hamilton County Sports Authority and partners think big as well. The City of Carmel hosts the Carmel Marathon each spring. It’s among the country’s Top 100 marathons by participants and a Top 50 Boston Marathon Qualifier.
Laura Kelner
Director of Sales 317-848-3181 lkelner@hamiltoncountytourism.com www.HamiltonCountySports.com
▶ Explore Strawtown Koteewi Park for outdoor activities including aerial adventures, horseback riding, hiking, archery and more.
▶ Step into the story at Conner Prairie, a Smithsonian Institute affiliate outdoor history museum that inspires curiosity and fosters learning for all ages.
▶ Play games, catch a movie, relax and unwind at Carmel’s Midtown Plaza or Fishers District
▶ Rock out to your favorite band or musician at venues like Ruoff Music Center. From free to famous, enjoy music nearly every day of the week.
▶ Ride the rails with Nickel Plate Express during a themed excursion.
▶ Explore the arts! Public art is everywhere in Hamilton County. Enjoy engaging murals, statues and even art in roundabouts.
The Hamilton County Sports Authority understands the challenges faced in staging events and tournaments. The HCSA provides many ground services, grants and assistance to make your event a success. We help with site selection, lodging, receptive services, health and safety, event planning, publicity, visitor experience and more.
Located in the Midwest region of the country, Elkhart County is home to alluring cities that are filled with attractions. From classic small towns to energetic centers, the welcome mat is always out. Elkhart County also features excellent sports facilities, many of which are considered among the best playing surfaces in the country.
Elkhart Health & Aquatics is great for people of all experiences and ages. It features a largerthan-life Olympic-sized pool that holds 1.1 million gallons of water and uses adjustable bulkheads to separate the pool into sections to cater to events. Whether that is for lap swimming, swim lessons, diving, birthday parties, training or swim meets, the facility can do it all.
The facility has a pool with 10-lap swimming lanes, spring diving boards (one and three
meters), platform diving (three and five meters), a full-size diving well, a warm water therapy pool, a whirlpool and adjustable bulkheads. The facility also has a seating capacity of 1,200 and family, men’s and women’s locker rooms. The certified, trained instructors offer more than 30 swim lessons a week.
You can even rent basketball courts that are adjustable for sports, tournaments or live events. The facility also has conference rooms featuring flexible space designed to meet your event needs. The space includes three combinable rooms each with a capacity of 36 guests. The Grand Hall is also available and
features an open and inviting space that is perfect for large events.
Riverview Park and Softball Complex in Elkhart hosts one of the largest adult slow pitch tournaments in Indiana with more than 50 teams. The ballpark features four diamond fields (lighted for night play), fenced-in dugouts with roofing, and scoreboards with remote controls. It seats approximately 500-600 people.
Amenities include concessions, restrooms, a spacious parking lot, and open patches of grass for stands or otherwise. The park is affiliated with USA Softball of Indiana and is a great space to hold your softball or baseball tournament.
Notable events hosted here include USA Softball of Indiana Adult Slow Pitch Tournament, NCSA College Regionals and Invitationals, USA Elite Select Youth Fastpitch and USSSA Northern State Fastpitch competitions and various corporate tournaments and competitions.
Rugby has a huge following in the United States. So much so that it’s found in Elkhart
County in a great sports facility called Moose Rugby Grounds. The Grounds features four championship-sized rugby fields, 12 acres of flat, grassy land, two entrance gates on the Grounds, paved parking for nearly 500 cars and buses and additional grass parking. Its 12-plus acres of playing surfaces are all well maintained and irrigated four days per week, mowed twice daily and fertilized four times a year to provide what many say is one of the best playing surfaces in the country. There is also a 250seat pavilion with concessions and restrooms. Notable rugby events hosted here include the Rugby Indiana Semi-State Championship, Rugby Indiana State Championship, Midwest Boys Championship, Midwest Girls Championship, Midwest All-Star Challenge, Boys High School National Championship, Big Ten Men’s Championship, and NSCRO – Small College regional championship.
Located 120 miles East of Chicago on I-80/90 ecconv@eccvb.org 800-262-8161 www.visitelkhartcounty.com/sports/
▶ The Wellfield Botanic Gardens, located in the heart of Elkhart, is a 36acre natural enclave touted as a “living museum” featuring themed gardens, ponds and waterfalls.
▶ Bonneyville Mill Park, located in the town of Bristol, is embraced by the charming Little Elkhart River. Popular activities here include mill tours, hiking, and mountain biking.
▶ Enjoy Das Dutchman Essenhaus, located in the town of Middlebury. This peaceful escape in the country offers a homestyle bakery, boutique Inn, cozy shops and Indiana’s largest restaurant.
▶ Coppes Commons, located in the city of Nappanee, is a historic red brick building offering Amish shops, out of this world ice cream and a Hoosier Cabinet Museum.
▶ Visiting the Soapy Gnome, located in the city of Goshen, is a must-do while in Indiana. Have you ever smelled a soap bar made from buttermilk?
Scan to discover more of what Visit South Bend Mishawaka offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“Great location, hotel selection and an abundance of first rate athletic facilities make South Bend a great choice for tournament planners! My organization operates several weekend events each season in South Bend each year and have experienced great success. Overall, I would be hard pressed to find another area that offers so much to my patrons.”
— Tony Prpic, Hockey Time Productions
Perhaps best known as the home of the University of Notre Dame, South Bend is the economic and cultural center of Northern Indiana. The city truly has it all — whether you like Minor League Baseball or college football, chocolate factories or a night at the casino, this Hoosier State gem is the perfect place to hold a sports tournament.
One of the oldest zoos in Indiana, Potawatomi Zoo features around 400 animals with fun activities for everyone.
At East Race Waterway, visitors can go rafting or kayaking only in the summer on the first artificial white-water course in North America. At 2,000 feet long, East Race is perfect for rafters of any skill level.
Opened in 2011, Compton Family Ice Arena is the home of the Notre Dame hockey team. The team regularly attracts more than 5,000 fans, yet this facility is used for things other than just ice hockey. It serves the South Bend community as a whole, hosting a wide range of activities including sled hockey, figure skating and public skating on two ice sheets. Compton Family Ice Arena is perfect for a hockey or figure skating tournament, as it also boasts a four-sided, center-hung scoreboard, 36-seat press area and a merchandise shop.
Looking to host a softball tournament in the Hoosier State? Look no further than Byers Softball Complex, which features electronic scoreboards, a PA system, team dugouts, bleacher seating and a full-service concession
stand. The complex has hosted the U.S. Women’s Olympic softball team and multiple Amateur Softball Association national championships.
This complex features nine full-size soccer fields, adjustable for any sport. The North Complex was developed in 1999 and offers five full-size fields. It has two stadium fields with large bleachers, a scoreboard and press box, lights for night games and 600 parking spots. The South Complex which opened in 2010, features four full-size multi-use athletic fields. It also offers 550 parking spots, spectator bleachers and line customization for all sports.
Nick Kleva 574-400-4021
nkleva@visitsouthbend.com www.visitsouthbend.com
Scan to discover more of what Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“We hosted our National Collegiate Club Golf Association’s Championship at the Birck Boilermaker Complex. With over 300 golfers traveling from across the country to West Lafayette, the Kampen and Ackerman-Allen courses couldn’t have been in better shape for a great challenge. This was the second time the championship was hosted here and we will be sure to come back in the future.”
— Matt Weinberger Director, Nextgengolf Operations
Lafayette-West Lafayette offers a small-town feel with plenty of city-sized opportunities. Delectable restaurants, art galleries, museums, cool coffee shops, nightlife & entertainment, interesting architecture, unique shops, and festivals create a place full of vibrancy and charm.
▶ Visit any of the three districts in Downtown LafayetteWest Lafayette, where a slew of restaurants, shops and entertainment options await.
▶ The arts and culture scene around Lafayette and West Lafayette offers some of the best art galleries around the Midwest.
Baseball, Soccer, Lacrosse, Softball, Cornhole, Kickball, Quidditch, Rugby, Ultimate Frisbee
Dedicated in March 2021, the new Loeb Stadium has many new, exciting state-of-theart features. This multi-use stadium features two concession areas, a large multi-purpose concourse, and ample retail and office space.
With the combined lawn and stadium seating, Loeb Stadium features a seating capacity of approximately 2,600.
Enjoy the one of a kind Purdue golf experience at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. The complex features two 18-hole championship golf courses as well as a stateof-the-art training facility and driving range.
The two courses, Ackerman-Allen and Kampen, each offer their own benefits and experience. Kampen has been rated one of the top
collegiate courses in the nation and awarded 4.5 stars on Golf Digest’s “Places to Play”. The complex most recently hosted the PGA Canada Forme Tour in 2021.
Schwartz Tennis Center is Purdue University’s first indoor tennis center. The six indoor Basham Courts and 12 outdoor Schwartz Family Courts are available to the public. Six outdoor courts were added to the original six varsity courts in the fall of 2010. The 60,000-squarefoot facility includes locker rooms for the teams, offices for administrative staff and coaches, an athletic training room, and seating areas for fans on the mezzanine above the courts.
Emily Weisenberger, Sports Marketing Manager 765-447-9999 eweisenberger@homeofpurdue.com www.homeofpurdue.com
Scan to discover more of what South Shore CVA offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com
“The South Shore Sports team has the resources and expertise to handle our every need and they always make us feel at home when we are in the South Shore.”
— Bill Horton, President of the National Softball Association
The South Shore of Lake Michigan is situated just 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. Our state-ofthe-art sports facilities and unique attractions draw youth, amateur and collegiate sporting events from around the nation. With a wide selection of top quality hotels, family friendly entertainment, and delicious restaurants, Northwest Indiana excels in hosting tournaments of all sizes.
▶ Satisfy your sweet tooth at Albanese Candy in Merrillville where you’ll find the World’s Best Gummies.
▶ Visit the Mascot Hall of Fame for some science-based, furry fun in Whiting.
Rohrman Park has hosted its fair share of impressive events, including the National Softball Association Girls Fastpitch ‘B & C’ World Series. The park has a total of five soccer fields, four lighted softball/baseball fields, one unlit baseball field and features a playground, large parking area and a one mile paved trail throughout the park.
Basketball, dodgeball, pickleball, soccer, volleyball,
The state-of-the-art facility features six hardwood basketball courts, six regulation-size volleyball courts (12 cross-court), two indoor turf soccer fields and six indoor batting cages. Other amenities include an elevated, quarter-mile walking/running track, hospitality room, the Union Bar & Lounge and concession stand. The complex is host to the largest NCAA volleyball
tournament in the country, the Midwest Region Crossover Volleyball Tournament.
US Steel Yard Baseball, mixed martial arts, sand volleyball, rugby
The stadium is home to the Gary SouthShore RailCats, a professional baseball team and member of the American Association. The Steel Yard can also transform into a concert and mixed martial arts venue. The facility seats 6,000 and features three fully-stocked concession stands, 18 luxury suites and a 2,000 square foot reception area.
Megan Goodan
Chief Sports & Leisure Officer 219-301-7762
mgoodan@southshorecva.com www.alongthesouthshore.com
