Bloomington Normal

Bloomington-Normal, IL

WITH TOP-NOTCH FACILITIES AND INCREDIBLE ATTRACTIONS, THIS ILLINOIS HOTSPOT MAKES TOURNAMENT-PLANNING EASY

Scan to discover more of what BloomingtonNormal Area CVB offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com

PLANNER PERSPECTIVE

“Hosting major events is no easy task. Due to the efforts of the BloomingtonNormal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the BN Sports Commission, our association has been fortunate to put on first-class events in Bloomington-Normal for nearly half a century. Their ‘can do’ spirit will make your event a winner, too.”

— Kurt Gibson, Associate Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association

Shirk Center

Bloomington Arena

Champion Fields

Travelers heading to Bloomington-Normal by car will find Interstate 55 to be very convenient, which runs right through the area on the drive between Chicago and St. Louis. I-39 and I-74 are nearby as well. By air, Central Illinois Regional Airport is your go-to option, offering free parking, a shuttle service and access to five rental car agencies.

FACILITY SPOTLIGHT

Champion Fields

Baseball, softball

Considered one of the finest softball complexes in the Midwest, this facility boasts eight lighted diamonds in the main area and two lighted diamonds at Maxwell Park. The host site for 10 ASA/USA National Tournaments in the past two decades. Fields have covered dugouts, bleacher seating, scoreboards and a P.A. system. Each set of four fields also has a concession stand, making this one of the Prairie State’s go-to softball locations.

Hancock Stadium, Redbird Arena

Multisport

Hancock Stadium is a 13,391-seat, multipurpose facility in the heart of Normal. Home to the Illinois State University football team, in 1969 Hancock became the first college stadium in Illinois to feature artificial turf, which was replaced in 2010. That same year, a new scoreboard was installed. Other amenities include a state-of-the-art press level, a 5,500-square-foot indoor club, the Redbird Team Store and a spacious concourse. The crown jewel of Illinois State Athletics, Redbird

Arena is used by the men and women’s basketball teams as well as the women’s volleyball team. The multipurpose facility can hold up to 10,200 enthusiastic fans and is a raucous environment on game day.

Shirk Center at Illinois Wesleyan University

Multisport

The Shirk Center is a multipurpose athletic, recreation and wellness complex that contains facilities for basketball, volleyball, track and tennis. The facility seats 2,400 with room for an additional 400 spectators. Other incredible features include a 200-meter, six-lane indoor track, two batting cages and four courts for basketball, tennis, volleyball and badminton.

Bloomington Arena

Multisport

The premier arena in Bloomington for sports and concerts, this venue can hold up to 8,000 for a concert and 7,242 for basketball and features 24 private suites and two party suites that can host up to 50 people.

Corn Crib

Baseball, soccer, softball

A great stadium in Normal and built for fun, the Corn Crib is home to the Normal CornBelters, a collegiate summer baseball team. The ballpark has a capacity of 7,000 and opened in 2010.

BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL AREA CVB

Matt Hawkins, Director of Sports and Market Development 309-665-0033 matt@visitbn.org www.visitbn.org

POPULAR ACTIVITIES

▶Red pandas, river otters, a ZooLab and more await at Miller Park

Zoo, which offers families exciting chances to see a wide variety of exotic animals.

▶Touching the exhibits is encouraged at Children’s

Discovery Museum.

▶Explore the rich connections the area has to Route 66 and

Abraham Lincoln at the

Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66

Visitors Center.

▶Normal Theater features a classic cinema experience in a theater that opened in 1937.

▶Iron Coyote Challenge Park is a fun fitness center featuring a ninja gym and rope course.