HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-08-077 - Sport Tourism StrategyJ
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Community Services
Report To: Community Services Committee
Date of Meeting: September 8, 2008
Submitted By: Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs & Services
(x2687)
Prepared By: Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs & Services
(x2687)
Ward(s~ Involved: All
Date of Report: August 25, 2008
Report No.: CSD-08-077
Subject: SPORT TOURISM STRATEGY
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Sport Tourism Strategy (STS} developed by Cameron Hawkins & Associates
Inc., dated June 2008, be received; and,
That the STS Framework, consisting of the following 5 platforms: Developing Community
Capacity, Enhancing Event Impact, Attracting New High Impact Events, Exploring
Opportunities for Created Events, and Increasing Community Support and
Understanding for Sport Tourism, be approved; and,
That staff be directed to review the core and optional recommendations outlined in the
STS, and implement the recommendations using existing resources; and,
That staff be directed to implement the STS Organizational Model -Option 2 jointly with
the City of Waterloo; and further,
That the content and considerations that address facility development in the STS be
referred back to the Community Services Department to be considered in conjunction
with the Leisure Facilities Master Plan, individual facility business cases and the
development of future partnerships.
BACKGROUND:
Sport tourism is an area that many communities have been looking to significantly invest in.
Economically, sport tourism is seen to be vital to the community in terms of job creation,
economic sustainability and enhancing the revenue generation capacities of key facilities, thus
reducing financial impacts on the community and users. For over fifty years the City of
Kitchener has been a major host community to significant sport tourism events at the regional,
provincial, national and international levels.
Within the 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan (LFMP), questions emerged relative to sport
tourism and where the city's priorities should be in this regard. Questions included:
Report No: CSD-08-077
2
what is the City's current role in sport tourism,
what is the City's capacity to support sport tourism in the future,
• who are the potential partners,
• what are the possible economic impacts of sport tourism, and
• what future facility requirements are necessary to be competitive at the different levels of
the sport tourism market.
The LFMP recommended a review of the potential and future roles of the City of Kitchener in the
sport tourism market, and to consider a realistic range of facility and operational investments.
Policy and decisions emerging from this Strategy address future investment and support to our
community in the area of sport tourism, as well as provides key considerations for the future
when developing recreation facilities in the Kitchener community.
Although not recommended in the LFMP, the completion of the Sport Tourism Strategy was a
joint effort between the City of Kitchener and the City of Waterloo. Understanding that there are
minor sport groups, who host tournaments, and who operate in both municipalities, as well as
instances when the City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo partner when bidding for sport
tourism events, it was recognized that a joint strategy could possibly identify ways that the two
Cities could complement each other, as well as identify opportunities where efficiencies might
be found to support sport tourism in the future.
REPORT:
Current Situation
The City of Kitchener seems to be positioned very well to be successful in the sport tourism
market. With a regional population of approximately 450,000 people, and a total market
population base in excess of 5,000,000 within a 1.5 hour drive, it is evident that the City of
Kitchener is well positioned geographically to provide sport tourism events that can be easily
accessed by a number of people.
Also, the City of Kitchener has extensive staff and community experience in the sphere of sport
tourism on all levels, having hosted over 100 provincial, national and international sporting
events in the last 15 years. Staff, through the Enterprise and Operations division, and with the
assistance of volunteers has provided operational and facility support for professional, national
and international events. However the community has also contributed to many sport tourism
events via the 35 minor sport organizations and many adult sport groups who organize their
own affordable, recreational, and/or competitive sport tournaments from local to international
caliber. Volunteers are the foundation of these groups, serving as executive members,
coaches, team managers, special event organizers and fund-raisers. Besides support from
local businesses and other partners in the greater community, support is also provided to these
volunteers by the City of Kitchener through the Aquatics and Athletics, Enterprise and
Operations divisions.
There are limitations however which currently restrict our expansion into sport tourism.
Currently there is little capacity at City of Kitchener facilities to accommodate for increased sport
tourism events. Investigations show that indoor facilities (arenas and aquatic facilities) are at
90% + capacity during peak time periods, accommodating local community programming. For
the City's outdoor facilities, although there may be some capacity in the early spring and fall to
host tournaments on the City's ball diamonds and stadium, a review of current bookings show
that there is little capacity available for the scheduling of tournaments and other events during
prime time. Currently, the City of Kitchener is struggling to meet the demand required from
community programs, for appropriate outdoor sport fields, within the current field inventory.
Report No: CSD-08-077 3
It has also been found that Kitchener's main sports facility (KMAC) has lost some national and
international events as the hosting standards and seating capacity requirements have
increased. However, staff has adjusted for the changes and continues to look at attracting
niche market events that are local, regional and provincial, designed to match current capacity
and facility requirements.
To increase sport tourism activity in most indoor and outdoor facilities, it would either require an
expansion of facility capacity and/or a reallocation of priority for prime time for sport tourism
activities. However, to address the first point, the strategy states clearly, and staff agree, that
sport tourism events and activities by themselves can not justify the capital costs involved in
facility development, nor can it generate the revenues required to sustain operations. The
development of new sport facilities must be justified primarily on an established community
need. Also, currently broad-based community participation and community competitive
programs are the top priority for community use of facilities, except in the instance of KMAC.
Any type of reprioritization of facility use, from community use to sport tourism, would require
significant consultation and buy in from community sport groups. Not only are they the City's
key stakeholders, they are also the volunteers that would be required to either take a lead role
or assist with hosting and running sport tourism events.
Although the City of Kitchener's current situation implies that presently there is little opportunity
to increase sport tourism events, unless additional capacity is acquired (either through facility
expansion or reprioritization), the Sport Tourism Strategy suggests that there is room to grow
within existing facilities if addressed strategically. Provided in the Sport Tourism Strategy is a
framework, which outlines five specific areas of concentration, as well as associated
recommendations for staff to consider. The consultants feel that implementing the Strategic
Framework is critical, not only to the further development of sport tourism but also to the
continued success of current sport tourism events in the community.
Sport Tourism Strategic Framework
Section ten outlines the five platform framework, as well as the core and optional
recommendations that make up the Sport Tourism Strategy. Appendix A provides a summary
of the framework and corresponding recommendations in aflow chart.
The strategy is built on the following platforms including:
1. Developing Community Capacity,
2. Enhancing Event Impact,
3. Attracting new, high impact events,
4. Exploring Opportunities for creating events, and
5. Increasing community support for and understanding of Sport Tourism.
As alluded to above, both City of Kitchener staff and community groups (sport, special interest)
pursue and attract sport tourism events to host in the City of Kitchener. First, the Enterprise
Division, who operates the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC) does, among other
events, seek out sport tourism events of local, provincial, national and international caliber.
With an interest in keeping the KMAC active throughout the year, staff takes the lead by writing
and submitting bids, pulling major stakeholders together as well as attracting and managing the
many volunteers necessary to host the event. In the community, many minor and adult sport
groups also offer their own tournaments, of various caliber, throughout the year at city facilities.
Although they may receive some support from City of Kitchener staff from time to time, these
groups take the lead, plan and run their own tournaments with, often times, limited knowledge
and aid.
Report No: CSD-08-077 4
The Sport Tourism Strategy suggests that increased support to sport tourism organizers and
events is critical to ensure ongoing success in Kitchener. The framework provides
recommendations to strengthen the organizational and marketing support that the City of
Kitchener provides to our community event organizers as well as our own events. First,
recognizing that volunteers and volunteer capacity is vital to the success of all sport tourism
events, recommendations outline a series of programs specifically directed to assist event
organizers in delivering well-managed and sustainable events. Also, suggestions are provided
to assist with further developing sport tourism events (when appropriate) through marketing and
communication strategies, and developing approaches to help selected events increase
economic and community development impacts.
In total, the Sport Tourism Strategy makes 17 core and 8 optional recommendations. Staff
believes the recommendations have merit, and would like a chance to review, prioritize and
determine how they can be implemented using existing resources. Staff acknowledges, that
there may be instances where it will not be possible to implement one or more
recommendations to the extent or within the timeframe outlined in the strategy due to resource
limitations. There may be occasions where the implementation of recommendations may be
delayed and/or, if additional resources are required, brought back to Council separately for
consideration and approval.
Governance and Leadership
As outlined in the background of this report, the development of the Sport Tourism Strategy was
a joint effort between the City of Kitchener and the City of Waterloo, considering the needs of
both Cities and investigating the possible ways of supporting sport tourism as partners. To this
end, the consultants reviewed organizational and governance models of other municipalities in
Canada and the United States to identify the best organizational structure to manage and
provide leadership and support to sport tourism in Kitchener and Waterloo. Generally, it was
found in the United States that sport tourism organization bodies were most commonly
independent, not-for-profit corporations, while in Canada sport tourism was often housed within
a municipally controlled and funded department such as parks and recreation, economic
development, or part of an established tourism agency.
Although there were not specific examples of formal organizational models where two or more
municipalities came together to support sport tourism initiatives, the consultants were able to
forward five organizational options, considering the best practices in the industry. Each option
differs mainly in the extent that the two municipalities work together. At one end of the
continuum, the two municipalities work completely separately on sport tourism initiatives while at
the other end, the functions for both municipalities are completely integrated and delegated to
an outside group. Section eleven provides more detail on each of the five models as well as
the benefits and challenges of each. The five models forwarded in the strategy include:
1. Maintaining completely separate organizations addressing sport tourism,
2. Integrating organizational capacity, marketing and communications initiatives with
separate event acquisition and event support initiatives,
3. Fully integrating both organizations, executed by a joint municipal working group,
4. Developing a fully integrated sport tourism commission at arms length,
5. Delegate sport tourism responsibilities to the Regional Destination Marketing
Organization.
The consultants recommend, and staff agrees that initially the twin cities should adopt option
two of the organizational models, integrating organizational capacity, marketing and
communications initiatives, while keeping event acquisition and event support initiatives
Report No: CSD-08-077 5
separate. It was felt that this option provided opportunities to capitalize on the existing facility
inventory as well as the market size, which spans both cities, by positioning Kitchener-Waterloo
as one sport tourism destination. It was also felt that this option provided an opportunity to
reduce the duplication of efforts that would likely occur if both cities pursued their own separate
initiatives for supporting sport tourism. It also begins to acknowledge the fact that many of the
sport groups in the area are regional in their scope and serve citizens in both Kitchener and
Waterloo, and they would be better served by both cities having similar processes and providing
similar support. This option also recognizes and preserves municipal autonomy. It allows each
municipality to continue to decide what event opportunities to pursue and the level of staff and
financial support appropriate for bid preparation etc. If there were a need and opportunity for
joint bids, they would be developed through ad hoc working groups made up of staff from both
municipalities.
The consultants suggest that, to best support sport tourism initiatives in the Kitchener-Waterloo
area, the goal should be to move the organizational model from option two to three in the next
three years with the ultimate goal of moving to organizational model four over the next ten
years. Staff believes the recommendations have merit however suggest that before any change
is made, a status review of the Sport Tourism Strategy is completed including any resource
needs that may be required to implement a different organizational model, which would be
considered by council.
Sport Facility Development Considerations
Section eight of the Sport Tourism Strategy outlines a number of sport facility gaps within the
City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo, which were determined by an assessment of current
facility inventory, market requirements and input received from stakeholders. It also provides a
number of options, with significant capital dollar requirements, if the Twin Cities were to
consider filling these gaps. However, it is important to note that the consultants did not forward
any recommendations for facility development in the Sport Tourism Strategy. Page thirty-five of
the Sport Tourism Strategy states, "When considering the development of new sport facilities, it
is important to acknowledge that sport tourism activity, in and of itself, cannot justify the capital
cost involved in facility development, nor can it generate the revenues required for sustained
and viable operations. The development of new facilities must be justified primarily on an
established need within the community....... Sport tourism activity may influence building design
criteria and provide a periodic source of additional demand, but can not be the primary
justification for new facility development."
The consultants suggest that there are four issues that should be considered if the City was to
look at modifying building design to meet sport tourism requirements, when developing future
sport facilities. First, any development of sports facilities also being considered for sport tourism
should ensure that it would be able to maintain capacity to host tournaments and events well
into the future. As mentioned above, KMAC is already seeing erosion in the events it can host
as the facility requirements increase. Any development of new facilities or expansion of existing
facilities should meet more than the minimum requirements of the desired events to ensure
capacity to host is maintained well into the future.
Second, the Cities will have to determine exactly what the purpose of the facility will be, whether
that is for broad-based community use/maximizing participation, high level athletic training
and/or sport tourism. Consultations found that some local sport organizations aspire to support
high performance athletes and believe that municipalities should take a stronger leadership role
with respect to providing facilities to meet these needs. However, high performance training
facilities have traditionally been provided at university venues or the responsibility of provincial
and federal governments. Except for KMAC, the City of Kitchener has continued to focus on
developing facilities for broad-based community use and this continues to be the priority focus
Report No: CSD-08-077 6
that most municipalities take throughout Canada. Care has to be taken, when investigating the
development of future facilities for sport tourism, that those facilities budgeted for based on a
community use model, (e.g. to service growth in the City are not sacrificed.
Third, the Cities have to determine whether the size and scale of sports facility needed to
accommodate sport tourism events is sustainable given the population size to draw from. The
strategy states clearly that alone, each City does not have the population base to support the
expanded facility requirements for many high level sport tourism events. Any consideration of
entry into this level would require partnerships between the Twin Cities and perhaps the
Universities as well.
Finally, it is possible that the introduction of a sports venue equipped to host sport tourism
events will displace expected community use. Therefore it is necessary for the City to address
community use priorities at a policy level. This policy needs to clearly outline what the priority is
between community use, high performance athlete development and sport tourism. Typically
service focuses on the benefits for the majority of the tax base, associated with physical activity,
well-being and socialization, youth engagement etc. Competitive and sport tourism would begin
to disrupt this programming and intensify accessibility challenges. Besides stating facility use
priorities, this policy would address questions such as how much disruption to community use is
acceptable, process for accessing space etc.
There is value in looking at future sport facility development from a sport tourism lens and
considering appropriate modifications to accommodate for the attraction of sport tourism events
in our community. However, as outlined in the strategy there are four significant issues that
need to be addressed when determining the costs and benefits of including these requirements.
The 2005 Leisure Facilities Master Plan recommended that any new facility construction or
expansion over $250,000 require the development of a business case. Staff suggests that the
issues and other considerations in the Sport Tourism Strategy be addressed as the business
cases for future sport facilities are developed.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The consultants forwarded operating budgets for each organizational model, in section twelve of
the strategy. Given resource constraints, staff is looking and believes there may be opportunity
to accommodate the implementation of Option 2 by reprioritizing work within the existing budget.
However, there may be instances where some recommendations within this strategy will have to
be delayed and/or, if additional resources are required, brought back to Council separately for
consideration and approval.
COMMUNICATIONS:
The results of the Sport Tourism Strategy will be shared in a public meeting, in the near future,
with those who participated in the public consultations, during the information collection stage.
The City of Waterloo will also be considering the Sport Tourism Strategy, and staff report with
similar recommendations, at their Council meeting on September 8, 2008.
Mark Hildebrand
Director, Community Programs and Services
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Sport Tourism
Strategy
June 2008
Cameron Hawkins &
Associates Inc.
F.J. Galloway Associates Inc.
theTourism Company
Cameron Hawkins
& Associates Inc.
Advisory Services to the
Hospitality & Tourism Industries
June 27, 2008
Mr. Mark Hildebrand
Interim Director,
Community Programs & Services
City of Kitchener
City Hall
200 King Street West
Kitchener, ON N2G
Mr. Steven Scherrer
Manager of Marketing & Business Development
Recreation & Leisure Service
City of Waterloo
City Hall
100 Regina Street S
Waterloo, ON N2J 4A8
Gentlemen:
In accordance with the Terms of Reference for our engagement, we are pleased to enclose our
report entitled Sport Tourism Strategy for the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo. We appreciate the
opportunity to be of continuing service to the both Kitchener and Waterloo, and look forward to
discussing this report with you at your convenience.
Sincerely,
.~
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Cameron Hawkins Fred Galloway
President President
Cameron Hawkins & Associates Inc. F. J. Galloway Associates Inc.
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Purpose and Scope of Project ............................................................................................ .. 1
2.0 Overview of Sport tourism in Canada ..................................................................................... ..1
2.1 Sport tourism Defined ......................................................................................................... .. 1
2.2 Industry Size and Structure ................................................................................................. .. 2
2.3 Benefits of Sport Tourism ................................................................................................... .. 3
2.4 Event Acquisition ................................................................................................................ .. 5
3.0 Environmental Scan ............................................................................................................... .. 6
3.1 Kitchener-Waterloo Market Positioning .............................................................................. .. 6
3.2 History in Sport Tourism ..................................................................................................... .. 9
4.0 Organizational Capacity ......................................................................................................... 10
4.0 Sports Facility and Ancillary Infrastructure Capacity .............................................................. 12
4.1 Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex ........................................................................... 12
4.2 Centennial Stadium ............................................................................................................. 12
4.3 Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex ............................................................................ 12
4.4 RIM Park ............................................................................................................................. 13
4.5 University Stadium .............................................................................................................. 13
4.6 Baseball .............................................................................................................................. 13
4.7 Soccer Fields ...................................................................................................................... 14
4.8 Aquatics .............................................................................................................................. 14
4.9 Gymnasia ............................................................................................................................ 14
4.10 Other Sports ...................................................................................................................... 15
4.11 Accommodation ................................................................................................................ 15
5.0 Stakeholder Consultation ....................................................................................................... 16
5.1 Community Groups ............................................................................................................. 16
Waterloo Sports field Users .................................................................................................... 16
Aquatics .................................................................................................................................. 18
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Team .......................................................................................... 19
Waterloo Minor Hockey Association ...................................................................................... 20
6.0 Sport Tourism Delivery Models .............................................................................................. 22
6.1 Case Studies ....................................................................................................................... 25
7.0 Sport tourism Best Practices .................................................................................................. 30
7.1 Attracting Event Organizers/Marketing the Venue ............................................................. 30
7.2 Community Capacity Building ............................................................................................. 30
7.3 Event Development ............................................................................................................. 32
7.6 Local Ambassadors ............................................................................................................ 34
8.0 Sports Facility Development Considerations .......................................................................... 35
8.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 35
8.2 Market, Use and Investment Perspectives Involving Major Sport Facilities ....................... 36
8.3 Facility Investment and Development Alternatives ............................................................. 39
8.3.1 Arena orMulti-purpose Sports and Entertainment Venue with Over 10,000 Seats .... 39
8.3.2 Track and Field Stadium .............................................................................................. 42
8.3.3 Aquatic Facilities .......................................................................................................... 45
8.3.4 Soccer /Fields Complex .............................................................................................. 48
8.3.5 Baseball ........................................................................................................................ 52
8.4 Facility Development Strategies ......................................................................................... 52
8.5 South Kitchener District Park l Community Centre ............................................................. 55
9.0 Findings and Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 57
9.1 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities &Threats .............................................................. 57
10.0 Strategic Framework ............................................................................................................ 59
10.1 Developing Community Capacity ...................................................................................... 59
10.2 Enhancing Event Impact ................................................................................................... 60
10.3 Attracting New, High Impact Events ................................................................................. 61
10.3.1 Establishing an Event Evaluation Framework ............................................................ 61
10.3.2 Identifying Prospective Events ................................................................................... 64
10.4 Exploring Opportunities for Event Creation ...................................................................... 70
10.5 Increasing Community Support for and Understanding of Sport Tourism ........................ 71
11.0 Governance and Leadership ................................................................................................ 72
11.1 Organization Mandate and Scope .................................................................................... 72
11.2 Organization Options ........................................................................................................ 72
11.4 Preserving Municipal Autonomy ....................................................................................... 80
11.4 Stakeholder Participation .................................................................................................. 80
11.5 Evolution of the Organization ............................................................................................ 81
11.5.1 Scope of Services ...................................................................................................... 81
11.5.2 Target Markets ........................................................................................................... 82
11.5.3 Organizational Autonomy ........................................................................................... 82
11.6 The Events Halifax Model ................................................................................................. 82
12.0 Resource Requirements ....................................................................................................... 83
12.1 Staff Requirements ........................................................................................................... 83
12.2 Financial Requirements .................................................................................................... 84
12.3 Significant Assumptions and Notes to the Financial Projections ...................................... 87
12.4 Resource Requirements-Summary ................................................................................ 88
13.0 Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................. 88
13.1 Timing ............................................................................................................................... 88
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 91
Appendix 1 Consolidated Sports Facility Inventory ....................................................................... 93
Executive Summary
The Twin Cities have a strong history in hosting major sports events. In addition to marquee events
such as the Brier and Memorial Cup, Kitchener and Waterloo have hosted many provincial and
national events for a wide range of sports, including annual tournaments for hockey, baseball,
soccer, aquatics, figure skating, lacrosse and other sports. Both Kitchener and Waterloo have major
venues that are not only suited for, but in varying degrees reply on sport tourism.
Given their history, organizational capacity and infrastructure, both Cities have a vested interest in
continuing to pursue sport tourism events. The Twin Cities have the potential to remain competitive
with other Tier 2 municipalities across Canada, provided that they adopt the management and
marketing strategies that are now considered "best practices" in the field of sport tourism.
While some major events will be out of reach unless additional capacity is provided, there is
considerable room to grow with existing facilities. In fact, the Consultants believe that the
organizational and marketing recommendations contained herein are critical to the ongoing success
of the Twin Cities' major sports venues. This is particularly true for the City of Kitchener, as both the
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium and the Peter Hallman Ball Yards are focused, in part, on major sport
tourism events. The City of Waterloo's major facilities -the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex
and the Manulife Financial Sportsplex and Healthy Living Centre -are more actively programmed
with community-based activities, but these venues are also engaged in sport tourism activity and
provide the City of Waterloo a platform for growth in the sport tourism field.
Sport is a major economic activity in Canada, accounting for $15.8 billion of household spending or
1.2% of Canada's gross domestic product. Canadians participate in many sports, but not
surprisingly, ice hockey is in a class by itself as the most popular for participants, volunteers and
spectators. Four other sports -soccer, baseball, basketball and volleyball -also enjoy strong
popularity.
While the majority of sports activity is local in nature, sports and travel have an important
relationship. The economic value of sport travel has been estimated by the Canadian Tourism
Commission at $1.3 billion, while the total economic benefit of sport travel (including locally incurred
event staging costs) is estimated at almost $2 billion annually.
For the purpose of this study we have defined sport tourism as:
Visitors who have travelled more than 40 kilometres one way from home and/or stay
overnight, whose primary reason to travel is to participate in an organized sports-related
activity.
The benefits of sport tourism are broadly based, but can be generally categorized into three areas -
Health and well being; Social, and Economic. These benefits are generally aligned with municipal
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy i
goals, objectives and strategies, allowing for the creation of a "benefits-based" framework for the
evaluation of sport tourism initiatives.
Market Capacity
In terms of market size and access, Kitchener-Waterloo is connected to a significant population base
and enjoys high capacity transportation infrastructure. Within a 1.5 hour drive of Kitchener-Waterloo
is a total market population in excess of 5,000,000 people. For larger events, travel times of three to
five hours provide access to other potential communities such as Windsor, Detroit, Buffalo, Barrie
and beyond.
Community capacity is a critical element in a sport tourism strategy. The stability and experience of
local sports teams and their linkages to senior sport governing bodies are important factors in
tournament hosting bids. The Twin Cities are well served in organizational capacity for three of the
top five sports -ice hockey, baseball and soccer. Municipal staff also have considerable expertise in
bid preparation and tournament operations. A number of organizations involved in sports such as
aquatics and field hockey have the desire and the potential to become more prominent in the sport
tourism field.
The Kitchener-Waterloo area has a host of excellent recreation and sport facilities with proven
capacity for sports events. Most notable amongst these facilities are the Kitchener Memorial
Auditorium Complex, Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, Budd Park, RIM Park and the Peter
Hallman Ball Yard, along with facilities provided by post-secondary education institutions. As good
as these facilities are, they do not provide any particular competitive advantage, as cities such as
Ottawa, London and Hamilton have larger arenas and stadia. Facility size precludes the pursuit of a
number of national and international events that these and other municipalities such as Halifax and
Winnipeg are able to pursue. However, it can be argued that a series of smaller events, and in
particular recurring annual events, can bring more long-term economic benefit to a community than
one major event every decade.
Sport Facility Development Considerations
When considering the development of new sport facilities, it is important to acknowledge that sport
tourism activity, in and of itself, cannot justify the capital cost involved in facility development, nor can
it generate the revenues required for sustained and viable operations. The development of new
sport facilities must be justified primarily on an established need within the community. This need
can be evidenced through the presence of a viable anchor tenant, by strong demand for commercial
occupancy of multi-use facilities, or by the current and project community demand for recreational
programs. Sport tourism activity may influence building design criteria and provide a periodic source
of additional demand, but it cannot be the primary justification for new facility development.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy
The ability of the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo to increase their current level of sport tourism
activity is dependent on three key inputs:
• Capacity utilization for existing facilities;
• Community use versus sport tourism event use priority within existing or new facilities;
• The capacity of existing and new sport facilities to meet event hosting requirements.
From a capacity utilization perspective, most arenas and indoor aquatic facilities operated by the
two cities are at 90% plus capacity utilization during peak periods (which are typically required to
host sports tournaments). Therefore, to increase sport tourism activity in these facilities would
require either an expansion of facility capacity and l or allocating a higher level of prime time for sport
tourism activities.
For sports fields and stadia, there is a range of possible unused capacity. Clearly, both University
and Centennial Stadiums have unused capacity from June through October. Also, some baseball
and soccer field capacity exists during the summer months when these programs may be less
intense. However, many of the venues that are available have constraints such as limited seating or
locker facilities, that limit the type of events that could be held. Accordingly, there are some
opportunities available, primarily for local, recurring tournaments and for regional and provincial field
and stadium-based events, with limited opportunity for larger-scale events due to facility constraints.
The second input involves a city's policy for community use versus sport Tourism. Typically,
communities utilize the pyramid approach to service delivery and facility allocation, based on the
following hierarchy:
• Broad-based community participation as the top priority, as such use reaches the
most residents and ratepayers and realizes the greatest benefits from recreation
participation;
• Local competitive sports, hobby groups and developmental programs, as they respond
to a considerable range of interests, especially at younger age levels, and support a
significant number of participants in recreational activities;
• High performance 1 highly competitive uses which often constitute less than 10% of
any particular activity participant base and represent individuals who are likely
attempting or are motivated to compete at the national, international or professional
levels.
This latter group becomes a greater consideration for municipalities when they decide to pursue
more sport tourism initiatives, resulting in venue allocation decisions becoming more complex. Many
of the sport tourism activities, whether one time or recurring events, can interrupt the schedules for
regular community use activities. If the community is successful in securing several events in the
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy iii
same year, concerns may be raised about the number and scale of disruptions and "bumping" that
occurs. These discussions bring into focus the purpose and priority of municipal sports and
recreation facilities and the municipality's role in the development of higher performance athletes.
Some municipalities are now developing policies to address limitations on the number of sport
tourism events per year and whether regular scheduled activities can be "bumped" within a certain
framework.
The third input to this question is whether a municipality has the facilities that meet event hosting
requirements. For Kitchener and Waterloo, the current major sports facilities define the level of
events that can be hosted. This report has identified the possible loss of national and international
events as the hosting standards and seating capacity requirements for such events increase.
Therefore, to generate increased sport tourism activity with the current facility inventory, priority must
be given to recurring local, regional and provincial events designed to match current capacity, niche
market events that require more modest seating and other facilities, and created events.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy iv
If new facilities are not developed, the primary question before the
municipalities in terms of increasing the current level of sport tourism activity
and high performance athlete training, will involve policy decisions related to
facility use priorities and rescheduling of regular community users.
For both cities, an increase in the number of recurring sport tourism events
can be achieved by:
• Encouraging existing organizations that operate these types of
events, to increase the number of events that they currently
undertake; or,
• Identifying other community sporting groups that do not
currently host such events, but have the interest and (some)
organizational capacity.
The cities can take a more direct leadership role in supporting new created
events, including providing incubation funding for events in this growing
market segment.
As noted earlier, a number of marquee events that have been hosted in the
Twin Cities now require larger venues. As event hosting requirements evolve
for major sport governing bodies and rights holders, the Twin Cities may see
further erosion in their competitive market position.
Probably the most significant consideration in developing a strategy for this
sport tourism market segment is the future of the Kitchener Memorial
Auditorium Complex. Redevelopment of Centennial Stadium is dependent
on the future direction for the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, and therefore,
these two initiatives are closely aligned in terms of the alternatives available.
To attract more prominent
national and international
events, the municipalities
will have to provide
additional sport venues,
most notably:
• A 10, 000 plus seat
sports and
entertainment complex
• A track and field facility
of contemporary
standards.
• An indoor fifty-metre
aquatic facility
• A soccer complex with
multiple fields, field
house and stadium
seating.
Of these major new
projects, soccer facilities
have the greatest feasibility,
as community demand will
increase substantially over
the next ten to fifteen years.
A comprehensive discussion of facility requirements, development, use and management options is
provided in the body of this report.
Strategic Framework
The Sport Tourism Strategy is built upon five platforms:
1. Developing community capacity -programs and services to assist event organizers in
delivering well-managed and sustainable events.
2. Enhancing event impact -strategies to help selected events increase economic and
community development impacts.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy v
3. Attracting new, high impact events -initiatives to attract new events that support the
Twin Cities' goals and objectives.
4. Exploring opportunities for created events
5. Increasing community support for and understanding of sport Tourism
Our recommendations are summarized below:
Developing Community Capacity
1. Core Program -assemble and disseminate an Event Planning Tool Kit for current and
prospective Event Organizers.
2. Core Program -develop and implement a series of ongoing workshops and roundtables for
event organizers.
3. Optional Program -provide web-based assistance in volunteer recruitment and/or event
registration.
4. Optional Program -provide event management assistance through direct involvement of sport
tourism staff on the Organizing Committee for selected events.
5. Optional Program -provide event financial assistance through a Sports Event Grant Program.
Enhancing Event Impact
1. Core Program -working with local Destination Marketing Organizations and Event Organizers,
develop and implement an "Attendance Builder" program for use by Event Organizing
Committees.
2. Core Program -facilitate the development of accommodation packages by bringing together
key stakeholders including event organizers, accommodation, restaurant and attractions
operators.
3. Optional Program - underwrite a portion of the marketing costs to develop and/or promote such
packages.
Attracting New High Impact Events
1. Core Program -finalize the draft Event Evaluation Framework based on goals, objectives and
strategies outlined in approved municipal and departmental strategic plans.
2. Core Program -develop and implement a marketing and communications strategy to promote
the Twin Cities as a sport tourism destination. The primary vehicle for this strategy should be a
dedicated sport tourism website.
3. Core Program - establish a prospect list of Sport Governing Bodies and the events they control
at the provincial, regional, national and international level.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy vi
4. Core Program -confirm the level of organizational support and capacity available from local
sports organizations.
5. Core Program -establish the "top prospects list" of events that produce Health & well being,
Community and Economic benefits most closely aligned with municipal goals; that can be hosted
by facilities currently available within the communities; and that have strong support and
organizational capacity from local sports groups and other stakeholders.
6. Core Program -establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Sport Governing
Bodies identified as Top Prospects.
7. Core Program -prepare Business Case for targeted events, identifying funding and other
commitments required from the municipalities and other stakeholders.
8. Core Program - establish a Bid Development fund to assist in Host City bid preparation for
selected events.
9. Optional Program -establish an Event Development fund to provide financial assistance for
staging selected high impact events.
10. Optional Program - -provide event management assistance through direct involvement of
municipal staff on the Organizing Committee for selected events.
Exploring Opportunities for Event Creation
1. Core Program -investigate niche market opportunities for new event types and to identify
emerging marketing trends.
2. Core Program -identify local market support, participation levels, infrastructure and
organizational capacity.
3. Core Program -prepare Business Case for new events determined to have market potential
based on track record of comparable events and local capacity.
4. Optional Program -establish an Event Development fund to provide financial assistance to
selected new events.
Increasing Community Supportforand Understanding of Sporttourism
1. Core Program - develop a communications and advocacy strategy aimed at the community at
large, and at the key stakeholder groups most directly affected by the proposed sport tourism
strategy.
2. Core Program -develop the collateral material and the distribution strategy to reach the
intended audiences. The communication strategy should take advantage of existing municipal
communication channels where possible.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy vii
3. Option Program -prepare Economic Impact reports on selected sports tournaments to
reinforce the benefits of sport tourism to the community.
Governance and Leadership
From an organizational perspective, the Twin Cities are at a disadvantage compared to most of their
provincial and national rivals, which have specialized sport tourism marketing organizations and
destination marketing organizations. While sport tourism organizations take on many forms, they
typically encompass most or all of the following functions:
• Sport tourism sector development and capacity building
• Bid planning, development and facilitation
• Managing relationships with provincial and national sport governing bodies
• Event creation and development
• Marketing and promotion of community sport hosting
• Sports event calendar coordination
• Event hosting support
• Coordination of local groups (in the sport, tourism, economic developmentlbusiness
and municipal sectors)
To undertake the core and optional programs outlined above, a sport tourism organization would
require the following mandate and scope:
• Promoting the municipality as a sports event destination (e.g. web site, facilities
database, event planner kits)
• Providing guidance to local groups on bid development and event organization
• Providing promotional support for event
• Facilitating volunteer recruitment
• Providing a forum for stakeholder participation and input
• Ongoing liaison with sports federations and event organizers
• Identification of event bid opportunities
• Preparation and submission of bid documents
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy viii
• Event applicationlhosting administration (e.g. facility rental forms, grant applications,
facility calendar and specifications)
• Promoting a greater understanding of the role of sport tourism
• Administering financial assistance programs
The functions and activities required to undertake the core and optional programs outlined in the
preceding section can be broadly categorized into three areas:
1. Organizational Capacity
• Providing event planning tools (e.g. facilities database, event planner kits, event
organizers workshops)
• Event application and hosting administration (e.g. facility rental forms, grant
applications, facility calendar and specifications)
• Administration of financial assistance programs
2. Marketing and Communications
• General promotion of the municipality as a sports event destination (e.g. web site,
facilities database, event planner kits)
• Providing a forum for stakeholder participation and input (e.g. tourism sector,
community groups)
• Promoting a greater understanding of the role of sport tourism
3. Event Acquisition and Event Support
• Identification of event bid opportunities
• Assisting local groups on bid development and event organization
• Preparation and submission of bid documents
• Facilitating volunteer recruitment
• Providing promotional support for event (e.g. attendance builder programs, visitor
guides, maps, pins, banners)
• Ongoing liaison with sports federations and event organizers
Organization Options
Sport tourism organizations take on many forms, although the most common would be as an
independent, not-for-profit corporation, or as a department within a municipally controlled or
municipally funded parks and recreation, economic development or tourism agency.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy ix
The Consultants considered a number of organizational options for the Twin Cities sport tourism
initiatives. The status quo -separate and autonomous strategies and organizations -can be
considered one endpoint on a continuum of organizational options, while a single, fully integrated
strategy executed by one organization can be considered the other end of the range. Along this
continuum are a number of organizational options. On the following pages we have outlined the
advantages and disadvantages of a range of organizational models.
Option 1: Completely separate initiatives and organizations
Option 2: Common organizational capacity, marketing and communications; separate event
acquisition and event support
Option 3: Fully integrated strategy executed by a joint working group of municipal staff
Option 4: Fully integrated strategy executed by an arms length sport tourism commission
Option 5: Fully integrated strategy executed by an arms length regional Destination Marketing
Organization
Within each model we have also outlined a range of options for funding and staffing.
Option 1: Maintain completely separate organizations
Description Each municipality would pursue sport tourism events through separate and autonomous
initiatives, operated within Recreation and Leisure Services for the City of vvaterloo and
Community Services for the City of Kitchener.
Advantages Easiest and fastest to implement
Resource allocation can be tailored to the objectives and strategies of each
municipality
Potential to cooperate on an ad hoc basis
Disadvantages Duplication of efforts and costs
Does not capitalize on Twin Cities strengths
More difficult to coordinate joint bids
Less able to attract qualified sport tourism personnel
Staffing and Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new municipal employees
Resource Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through existing
Options corporate communications channels
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by existing staff, new
municipal employees or contract staff assigned to specific bids or events.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy x
Option 2: Integrated organizational capacity, marketing and communications initiatives. Separate
event acquisition and event support initiatives
Description Common organizational programs and initiatives -event organizers tool box, on-line
facility inventory, sports organization data base. Common destination marketing (web site,
calendar of events) and stakeholder communication programs.
Event acquisition and event support would be undertaken independently by each
municipality.
Advantages Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Resource allocation can be tailored to the objectives and strategies of each
municipality
Can evolve to a more integrated organizational model
Responsibilities can be readily devolved to the municipalities or to another
organization (e.g. regional DMO)
Disadvantages Some duplication of efforts and costs
More time required to establish joint service delivery strategy and agreements
Twin City bid opportunities may not be fully exploited.
Less able to attract qualified sport tourism personnel. Greater burden on existing
municipal resources for supervision of new initiatives, and for ongoing event pursuit
and bid preparation.
Staffing and
Resource
Options Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new municipal employees
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through existing
corporate communications channels
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by existing staff, new
municipal employees or contract staff assigned to specific bids or events.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy
Option 3: Full inte rated strate executed b 'oint municipal workin roup
Description The municipalities would pursue sport tourism events through one working group that
develops and implements initiatives that support sport tourism across the Twin Cities, for
events that are focused on one or both municipalities. This entity would be attached to
one of the existing municipal departments responsible for sports and recreation, and a
joint working group would be established to provide leadership, funding and administrative
support.
Advantages Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Responsibility (and resources) can be devolved at a later date to a third party
organization (e.g. Sport tourism Commission or Regional DMO)
Disadvantages More difficult and time consuming to establish and manage
Resource allocation must be agreed on by both municipalities, which may have
different objectives for sport tourism
Devolution of responsibilities back to the municipalities may have adverse market
consequences.
Benefits and costs may not be fully aligned at all times
Perception of bias if one municipality provides office space, administrative support and
day to day supervision.
Greater burden on existing municipal resources for supervision of new initiatives.
Staffing and Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new municipal employees
Resource
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through existing
Options corporate communications channels
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by existing staff
assigned to new sport tourism position or new municipal employees. Event bid and
event operations support can be supplemented through contract staff assigned to
specific bids or events.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xii
Option 4: Fully integrated sport tourism commission established as an arms length corporation
Description The municipalities would pursue sport tourism events through one entity that develops and
implements initiatives that support sport tourism across the Twin Cities, for events that are
focused on one or both municipalities. This entity would be established as an arms length
Corporation similar to the new Regional Destination Marketing Organization, with an
appointed Board of Directors. The Corporation would be funded by the municipalities and
through its own revenue generating activities.
Advantages Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Responsibility (and resources) can be devolved to a third party organization (e.g.
Regional DMO) without adverse market consequences.
Reduces perception of bias if organization is directed by and accountable to an
appointed Board of Directors
Better able to attract qualified sport tourism personnel
Disadvantages Less control by the municipal funding partners
Devolution of responsibilities back to the municipalities may have adverse market
consequences.
Cost to establish and manage corporate entity
Time and costs associated with recruiting and maintaining Board of Directors
More difficult and time consuming to establish
Resource allocation must be agreed on by both municipalities, which may have
different objectives for sport tourism
Benefits and costs may not be fully aligned at all times
Staffing and Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
employees of the new organization
Resource
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through or supported by
Options existing corporate communications channels
Municipalities can continue to provide housing, IT, legal, human resource,
procurement, accounting and other administrative support on an in-kind basis.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xiii
Option 5: Sport tourism responsibilities delegated to regional destination marketing organization
Description The responsibility for sport tourism would be assigned to the newly-formed Regional
Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). The DMO would be responsible for promoting
the region as a sport tourism destination, and for identifying potential bid or event hosting
opportunities. Municipalities would supplement bid development and event hosting
support through existing departments.
Advantages Economies of scale on web site, facility inventory, calendar of events, attendance
builder programs, administration
Organization model in place, with core funding secured from Region and local
municipalities
Established model (Tourism London, Tourism Hamilton)
Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Sport tourism activities could be spun off to a separate organization in the future
without adverse market consequences.
Disadvantages DMO organized on a regional basis with all municipalities and townships participating
in the funding and governance
Devolution of responsibilities back to the municipalities could have adverse market
consequences
Would have to re-visit the approved business plan and funding model if the
organizational mandate was broadened.
Organization has broad focus, making it more difficult to ensure sport tourism receives
adequate attention
No funding in current business plan for sport tourism
May be more difficult to find qualified senior management if focus of organization
becomes too broad.
Benefits and costs may not be fully aligned at all times
Staffing and
Resource
Options Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new DMO employees
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be supported by existing municipal or
DMO communications channels
Municipalities can continue to provide housing, IT, legal, human resource,
procurement, accounting and other administrative support on an in-kind basis.
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by staff assigned to
new sport tourism positions, and can be supplemented by other DMO employees or
contract staff assigned to specific bids or events.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xiv
Resource Requirements
This sport tourism strategy has been developed to guide the Twin Cities over the next five to ten
years, with the specific recommendations phased over the first three years. Our strategy contains
both Core Programs that we believe are essential if the municipalities are to compete in the sport
tourism market, as well as Optional Programs that would enhance the competitive position but are
not considered essential in the short to medium term. Some of these optional programs include
grants for event marketing and operations, which cannot be quantified as they are contingent on a
successful event bid.
Staff Requirements
The organizational model chosen to implement the sport tourism strategy will have an obvious
impact on staffing needs. The Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Communications initiatives
outlined in this Strategy will require one full time manager and one part time administrative position to
fully implement. The Event Acquisition and Event Support recommendations are scalable, allowing
the municipalities to establish the appropriate level of resources to be attached to these initiatives.
Financial Requirements
The staffing budget required for the Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Communications
initiatives has been estimated at $120,000 for recurring staff (one manager at $80,000 per annum,
one half-time administrator at $15,000 per annum, plus burden at 30%). We believe that one full
time management position will be required for Event Acquisition and Event Support initiatives.
Both municipalities are currently providing staff resources and other financial support to the
acquisition and management of sport tourism events. The budget figures provided herein do not
take into consideration any savings or efficiencies that could result from the re-tasking of existing
municipal staff and financial resources.
In addition to staffing, start-up and ongoing costs, funds should be available for Bid Preparation,
Event Development, Event Marketing and Event Management.
The financial requirements to implement this sport tourism strategy under Options 1 through 4 are
summarized in the following tables. As we do not believe that Option 5 is viable at this time, we have
not attempted to forecast the financial resources required for this Option. The significant
assumptions underlying these projections are summarized in the Notes immediately following the
tables.
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xv
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rrnQ
VJ
Significant Assumptions and Notes to the Financial Projections
No provision has been made for inflation, or for occupancy costs, information technology, human
resource, legal or accounting services. We have assumed that these services will be provided on
an in-kind basis and be covered under a services agreement by the municipalities.
Note 1: Under all four Options we estimated that the staff required to implement the Organizational
Capacity, Marketing and Communications recommendations will be the equivalent of one manager
and one half-time administrative support position. As these initiatives are relatively fixed in scope,
both municipalities would incur similar costs if these initiatives were pursued independently as in
Option 1. In Options 2 - 4 this duplication would be eliminated.
Note 2: Advisory Committee or Board expenses include the cost of meetings and presentations.
Under Options 1 and 2 these costs would be duplicated to a large extent. Under Option 4, these
costs would be higher as there are more frequent meetings, as well as audit and legal costs.
Note 3: Operating and marketing grants for smaller sports events are typically in the range of
$1,000 to $10,000 per event. Operating grants may be in the form of direct financial assistance, fee
waivers or in-kind services. Marketing grants should be for events that have the potential to serve
as a regional, provincial or national draw. Marketing grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000.
Assuming five operating grants of $5,000 each and three marketing grants of $7,500 each, a grant
budget of approximately $50,000 would allow the municipalities to support up to eight tournaments
annually. In Option 1 this has been allocated 60% to the City of Kitchener and 40% to the City of
Waterloo.
Note 4: Under all four Options we have assumed that the aggregate effort assigned to pursue new
sports tournament opportunities for both municipalities (including events for each municipality on a
stand alone basis and joint-city bids) will be the equivalent of one full time employee, staffed at a
supervisory level with an equivalent annual salary of $50,000 plus burden. Under Options 1 and 2
we have arbitrarily allocated 60% of this cost to the City of Kitchener and the balance to the City of
Waterloo, recognizing that the City of Kitchener will, in any given year, likely have more tournament
hosting opportunities. Other Event Pursuit and Bid Preparation Costs are budgeted at $10,000 per
year and include printing, research and similar costs. In Option 1 these costs have been allocated
60% to the City of Kitchener and 40% to the City of Waterloo. No provision has been made for the
supervisory time provided by existing municipal staff under Option 1.
Note 5: Under all options we have assumed that communications initiatives and support (e.g.
website, brochures, production of manuals etc.) could be provided by one or both of the
municipalities. To more accurately illustrate the cost of implementing the sport tourism strategy, we
have assigned a dollar value to these services for each option.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xviii
Summary and Conclusions
In the long term, the Consultants believe the sport tourism strategy would be most effective if
directed by a new, dedicated organization focused exclusively on sport tourism i.e. Option 4. The
day-to-day operation of the organization would be assigned to dedicated staff, funded on a cost-
sharing basis by the municipalities. Strategic direction and policy formation would be the
responsibility of an appointed Advisory Board or Board of Directors, structured as follows:
• One representative from each municipal council
• The CAO or a designate from each municipality
• Four representatives from local sports organizations
• Two representatives from the educational sector, to include at least one representative
from either Wilfred Laurier University or the University of Waterloo
• Four representatives from the business community, to include at least one accommodation,
one attraction and one media
• One citizen representative from each municipality
for a total of 16 members. In addition to the Board members, consideration should be given to
having selected municipal employees, drawn from the parks and recreation, community services or
enterprise departments, to provide technical support to the Board and staff.
While this organizational model is, in our view, the most suitable in the medium to long term, a
transitional or staged approach to the establishment of an arms length sport tourism organization
should be adopted. In reaching this conclusion, consideration was given to the following:
• The Twin Cities, like all municipalities in Ontario, face considerable budget pressures
to deliver existing services and fund municipal infrastructure. A phased
implementation plan reduces the immediate operational cost of implementing the
strategy, and allows the municipalities to move forward on those initiatives that have
the most immediate impact and highest return.
• The City of Waterloo is currently conducting a Recreation and Leisure Service Policy
Review, addressing Facility Allocation Policy, Pricing Policy, Community Liaison
Policy, Community Cash Grant Policy and Paymentl Fee Assistance Policy.
• The City of Waterloo has recently commenced work on a new Recreation and
Leisure Services Master Plan.
• The City of Kitchener and the City of Waterloo are both reviewing their Community
I nvestment Strategy
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xix
Given the significant level of policy review underway, the Consultants believe it would be prudent to
defer the creation of a new organization until the policy framework had been finalized. Therefore,
we have established a transitional strategy which highlights those operational initiatives that, in our
view, will have the most immediate impact and highest return. These elements of this sport tourism
strategy can move forward immediately, are scaleable in terms of the resources that can be
allocated, and can be implemented while major policy reviews are underway. Accordingly, we
recommend the following organizational development sequence and implementation plan:
Year One
Organizational Model: Option Two -Integrated organizational capacity, marketing and
communications initiatives. Separate event acquisition and event support initiatives
• Establish agreement on municipal cost sharing and support
• Retain or second the required staff
• Develop communications strategy
• Establish Sport Tourism Terms of Reference, Mandate and Advisory Committee, and
recruit members
• Develop event organizers "Tool Kit"
• Develop attendance builder program for existing events
• Complete events data base and establish Prospects List
• Canvass local sports organizations to develop Top Prospects list
• Develop guidelines for Event Development and Event Marketing grants
• Develop packaging strategy with local attractions, hotels, retailers and events
Year Two
Organizational Model: Option Two -Integrated organizational capacity, marketing and
communications initiatives. Separate event acquisition and event support initiatives
• Implement Event Marketing and Operations grant program
• Develop cooperative marketing programs and packages to enhance economic impact
of selected events
• Launch Sport tourism Web-site (basic tourism information, facility and grant
applications etc.)
• Active, ongoing solicitation of new events by both municipalities
• Marketplace scan to identify opportunities for new Created Events
• Review of organizational effectiveness
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xx
• Development of Business Case, Business Strategy and Implementation Framework
for integrated strategy
Year Three
• Organizational Model: Option Three -Fully integrated strategy executed by Joint
Municipal Working Group
• Prepare business case for new Created Events
• Web site enhancements (on-line best practices, event organizers handbook,
templates)
Year Four
Organizational Model: Option Three -Fully integrated strategy executed by Joint
Municipal Working Group
• Review of organizational effectiveness
• Development of Business Case, Business Strategy and Implementation Framework
for integrated organization
• Develop Sport tourism Commission Terms of Reference, Mandate and Board
structure and recruit members
• Prepare articles of incorporation and by-laws
Year Five
Organizational Model: Option Three -Fully integrated sport tourism commission
established as an arms length corporation
There will always be events that are out of reach, based on available facilities, ancillary
infrastructure or community capacity. The development of new sports facilities may address this
gap, but the justification for such facilities must come from community needs, not the opportunity to
host a major event every ten to twenty years. By building on the considerable expertise already in
place within the community and by targeting events on a "best fit" basis, a structured and pro active
sport tourism strategy can be implemented immediately for a relatively modest budget. This
investment will help the Twin Cities build on the strong event hosting experience obtained over the
past thirty years.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport tourism Strategy xxi
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Purpose and Scope of Project
The Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo ("the Twin Cities") commissioned Cameron Hawkins &
Associates, FJ Galloway Associates and t"e Tourism Company ("the Consultants") to prepare a
comprehensive market assessment of their current and potential role in, and the benefits from sport
tourism. The scope of the study included public and agency consultation, identification of the
benefits of alternative sport tourism strategies and the associated investment, and the development
of a sport tourism strategy which substantiates the directions the Twin Cities should follow over
multiple levels including regional, provincial, national and international events.
2.0 Overview of Sport tourism in Canada
2.1 Sport tourism Defined
There is no formally accepted definition for sport tourism. The combination of some form of sporting
activity with tourism is an obvious starting point. Therefore we must first agree on what is meant by
the terms sports and tourism.
In its August 2005 report on The Socio-Economic Benefits of Sports Participation in Canada, the
Conference Board defined sport as:
an activity that requires a degree of physical exertion and skill and that typically involves
competition with others and a set of rules, or a physical activity undertaken to improve
personal sporting performance (for example, training).
Source: Conference Board of Canada -The Socio-economic Benefits of Sport Participation in Canada
This definition excludes competitions using motorized vehicles and physical activities that involve
neither competition nor the intention of improving personal sporting performance.
The generally accepted definition of tourism is:
all overnight trips, regardless of the distance travelled, and same day trips with a minimum
one-way distance from a respondent's home of 40 kilometres, excluding trips taken as a
member of an operating crew of a bus, plane, truck, ship etc., commuting to one's usual
place of work or school, or moving to a new residence.
Source: Statistics Canada
Some organizations have suggested that sport tourism involves all tourists participating in a sport or
physical recreational activity. By this definition, single tourists visiting the Twin Cities to golf at Grey
Silo or canoe the Grand River would fall under the definition of sport tourism. The Canadian Sport
Tourism Alliance defines sport tourism as "any activity in which people are attracted to a particular
location as a sport event participant, an event spectator, or to attend sport attractions or business
meetings."
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 1
For the purpose of this study we have defined sport tourism as
Visitors who have travelled more than 40 kilometres one way from home and/or stay
overnight, whose primary reason fo travel is fo participate in an organized sports-related
activity.
Participants come from three major categories:
1. Active participants-individuals who engage in sport for the purposes of competition with
others, under a set of rules, or to improve their personal sporting performance;
2. Volunteers-individuals who volunteer their time and expertise in sport (for example, as a
coach, a driver, an official or a fundraiser); and
3. Attendees-individuals who attend sporting games or events to observe.
Other stakeholder groups and economic participants include vendors and suppliers. For the
purpose of this study, we have included all those who would not otherwise have visited the region
had it not been for a specific sports event.
2.2 Industry Size and Structure
Sport is a major economic activity in Canada. In 2004,
$15.8 billion of household spending was on sports,
representing 1.2% of Canada's gross domestic product.
While the proportion of adults who actively participated in
sports dropped from 45% in 1992 to 31 % per cent in 2004,
sports spending rose significantly during the same period,
from 0.9 % of GDP to 1.2%.
Canadians participate in many sports, but the majority of
time, effort and resources are concentrated on a handful of the most popular. Not surprisingly, ice
hockey is in a class by itself as the most popular sport in all categories, leading all other sports in
Active participants, Volunteers and Attendees. Four other sports attract significant participation in
Sport % of Adult
Population # of Adult
Participants
Ice hockey 6.6% 1,646,000
Golf 6.5% 1,621, 000
Baseball 4.7% 1,172,000
Skiing 4.0% 998,000
Soccer 3.8% 948, 000
Volleyball 3.1 % 773,000
Basketball 2.8% 698, 000
Tennis 2.6% 649,000
Curling 2.6% 649,000
Bowling 2.4% 599,000
all three categories -soccer, baseball, basketball and volleyball. The top ten sports, in terms of
Active participants are shown in the adjacent table.
While the majority of time, effort and expenditures on sports are local in nature, sports and travel
have an important relationship. In 1998 the Mills Report, one of the first comprehensive studies on
competitive sports in Canada, estimated that more than 200,000 sports events take place each year
in Canada. That same year, the Canadian Travel Survey estimated that 37% of the 74 million
domestic trips taken by Canadians were for sports-related reasons. The economic value of sports
travel has been estimated by the Canadian Tourism Commission at $1.3 billion, while the total
economic benefit of sports travel (including locally incurred event staging costs) is estimated at
almost $2 billion annually.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 2
The market for sports events may be segregated by:
• the nature of the event activity - single or multi sport
• the geographic focus of the event -local, provincial, regional, national or
international
• invitational events -events that are open to a limited number of participants that
meet specific event criteria (performance standards, league standing, win-loss
record)
• created events - an increasingly common form of event, often created specifically to
generate tourist activity during shoulder or off-peak seasons, or to enhance the
impact and appeal of an anchor event
• professional sports teams -while most of the attendance for professional sports is
from the local or day-trip market, they do generate economic activity from visiting
teams and from post-season play
• competitive versus non-competitive events (e.g. coaching clinics)
Sport Canada, a branch of the federal Department of Canadian Heritage and the federal agency
responsible for sports policy, has developed the following hierarchy of sports events:
• Level 1 -Major international events, single or multi-sport. Examples -
Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games
• Level 2 -Small international events. Examples -Bell Capital Cup
• Level 3 -National and Provincial events. Examples -Vanier Cup, Memorial Cup,
Grey Cup
• Level 4 - Intra-provincial and open events. Examples - OFFSA Track & Field
Championships
• Level 5 -Local Event - KW Granite Club Springfest Bonspiel
2.3 Benefits of Sport Tourism
The benefits of sport tourism are broadly based, but can be generally categorized into three areas -
Health and well being; Social, and Economic.
Health and well being benefits include physical fitness and health; fun, recreation and
relaxation; sense of achievement; family or household activity, and skills development.
Social benefits include family and community cohesion; interpersonal connections;
community safety; promotion of culture, heritage and diversity, and youth development.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 3
Economic benefits include direct and indirect expenditures by participants, volunteers and
attendees; enhanced municipal profile, and the creation of event legacies.
To the extent that the benefits in these three categories are aligned with municipal goals, objectives
and strategies, we can create a "benefits-based" framework for the evaluation of sport tourism
initiatives. For example, within the Guiding Principles for the City of Waterloo Recreation & Leisure
Services Department we find three directly relevant Department Outcomes:
Health and Wellness -residents experiencing improved levels of health and wellness
through active living and participation in a wide range of enjoyable recreation and leisure
pursuits.
Communifyldentity-residents taking pride in their community, past and present, through
an appreciation of parks, recreation and cultural resources.
Economic Development -residents benefiting from increased business activity, the
retention of existing business, and enhanced investment associated with the desirability of
high quality recreation and leisure services.
Economic impact typically receives the most attention when discussing the positive benefits of sport
tourism, and there is no doubt that the economic impact of major sports events can be
considerable:
• The Bell Capital Cup, Ottawa's annual minor hockey tournament, attracts more than
400 teams from seven countries. Visitor spending for the 2005 event was estimated
at $4.4 million. When the multiplier effect of direct expenditures is taken into
consideration, this event is estimated to generate $11.1 million in economic activity,
including $2.5 million in wages and $2.2 million in taxes to the federal, provincial and
municipal governments.
• Last year's IIHF World Junior Championship, held in British Columbia, generated
almost $23 million in direct expenditures by the organizing committee and visitors,
and an estimated $41 million in total economic activity. These benefits included $8.1
million in wages and $4.6 million in tax revenues to all levels of government.
• The 2004 Nokia Brier, held in Saskatoon, set a record for attendance with over
238,000 spectators. The event's hospitality venue (the Brier Patch) hosted an
estimated 140,000 fans and generated over $1 million in food and beverage sales
over the nine day event. Total visitor expenditures were estimated at $6.5 million,
and operational expenditures (including media) were a further $6.4 million. Including
indirect expenditures, the total economic impact for this event was estimated at $23.2
million, including $3.7 million in wages and $3.1 million in taxes.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 4
• The 2002 IAAF World Youth Athletics Championship, held in Sherbrooke Quebec,
featured 1,000 track and field athletes participating in a range of track and field
events over a period of five days. The average expenditure per trip for participants
was $208 while the average expenditure per trip for overnight spectators (average
length of stay 4.3 days) was $361. The combined spending (operations, capital and
visitors) was estimated at $18.9 million with an estimated economic impact for the
City of Sherbrooke of $29.6 million.
The majority of the direct economic benefits flow either to private business, or to the senior levels of
government. Municipalities can receive additional facility rental income, although in many instances
sports tournaments displace other user groups and the incremental revenue is modest. In the case
of larger events, municipalities must often underwrite certain event staging costs in order to secure
the event, resulting in a net cost to the host municipality. Unlike the provincial and federal
governments, which benefit directly and immediately from incremental taxes on sales and wages,
municipal tax revenues are more likely to flow over the long term, in the form of business attraction
and retention. The non-financial benefits -health & wellness, quality of lifelquality of place,
community profile -provide the justification for a pro active sport tourism strategy at the municipal
level.
The development of a benefits-based framework for event evaluation will be discussed further in
Section 10.3.
2.4 Event Acquisition
The process for bidding on and acquiring events varies widely and is generally established and
administered by the Sport Governing Body responsible for administering sports policy at the
relevant level (i.e. provincial, national or international). In the most complex instances, such as the
International Olympics Committee, cities must first be selected as Candidate Cities, either by the
international governing body or by the respective national governing body. Candidate cities must
then follow a very elaborate and structured bid process, demonstrating their ability to meet or
exceed highly refined venue and host city specifications covering everything from sports facilities to
security. At the opposite extreme, some of the smaller sport governing bodies have no formal bid
specification and are constantly looking for tournament hosts. It is not uncommon for such events
to return to the same venue year after year because no other event hosting applications have been
received.
While each sport governing body has its own unique requirements, the following generally
describes the process for bidding on and acquiring sports tournaments:
1. Sport governing body identifies tournament hosting opportunities. Most major tournaments
are committed at least two years in advance. If a formal geographic rotation policy is in
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 5
effect, the next open opportunity for a specific region may be eight to ten years in the
future.
2. Sport governing body provides technical specifications and other Organizing Committee
responsibilities. This typically covers sports facility requirements (including specifications
for playing surface and spectator capacity), accommodation and other ancillary facilities,
financial obligations.
3. Bid Team prepares Bid Application documents. This may be a single or multi-stage
process. In a multi-stage process, the Bid Team must typically demonstrate that it can
meet the technical and financial requirements of the Event Organizing Committee. This
would then be followed by a more comprehensive bid document describing organizational
and community resources, hosting experience, financial pro formas etc.
4. Site inspections may be undertaken by the Sport Governing Body to verify the information
set out in the bid documents.
5. Venue selection -typically made by the full board or a standing committee of the Sport
Governing Body.
There are a number of cities that can host marquee events such as the Memorial Cup or the
Tournament of Hearts, and for such events, the gap between hosting opportunities can be
measured in decades, not years. In the past twenty years, for example, only Quebec City has
hosted the Memorial Cup more than once, and only the Twin Cities have hosted the Tournament of
Hearts more than once (although indifferent facilities). Events requiring arenas with 8,000 or more
seats have a much shorter list of candidate cities. During the same twenty year time frame the Brier
has returned to Saskatoon three times, and to Edmonton, Hamilton, Regina, Ottawa, Calgary and
Halifax twice.
3.0 Environmental Scan
3.1 Kitchener-Waterloo Market Positioning
As noted earlier, sport tourism participants include Active participants, Volunteers and Spectators.
Market size and access are critical in determining the potential for the Host City to sell individual
tickets or ticket packages, to generate corporate sponsorship dollars, and to secure volunteers
which many larger events require in significant numbers.
The Waterloo Region has a population of approximately 450,000 in the six municipalities that
constitute the Region. Approximately 65% or 300,000 live in Kitchener or Waterloo. Approximately
another 100,000 live in the City of Cambridge directly to the south of Kitchener and the remaining
population lives in the three adjoining Townships.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 6
Based on the Region's Growth Strategy Report and population projections from the Planning
Department, the Region's population over the next twenty years is anticipated to exceed 550,000.
As a result, Kitchener-Waterloo, from a sport tourism perspective, has an immediate market
population of approximately 500,000 people.
Tourists are defined as those that travel at least 40 kilometres or stay overnight. In the immediate
market area of the Twin Cities, this would include cities such as Hamilton with in excess of 400,000
residents; Brantford with nearly 100,000 residents and numerous smaller communities such as
Woodstock with 40,000 residents. Therefore, within 40 to 80 kilometres of the Twin Cities the
market would include approximately 700,000 individuals.
Moving beyond this immediate tourist market, the population grows significantly as it encompasses
the Greater Toronto Area, London and the Niagara Peninsula. Within an 80 to 150 kilometre drive
from Kitchener-Waterloo lie the Regions of York, Durham, Halton, Mississauga and Niagara, the
Cities of Toronto and London and many smaller communities. This market is estimated at
approximately 4,000,000 people.
Therefore, within a 1.5 hour drive of Kitchener-Waterloo is a total market population in excess of
5,000,000 people. For larger events, travel times of three to five hours provide access to other
potential communities such as Windsor, Detroit, Buffalo, Barrie and beyond.
In terms of market size, Kitchener-Waterloo is connected to a significant population base, both in
the immediate area and within a more extended market trading area.
Access to Kitchener-Waterloo from outside the Region is an important consideration for both Active
participants and Attendees. The following are the key transportation considerations:
• Highway 401 is a direct route from Toronto through to Windsor and Canada's busiest
controlled access highway. It is currently being upgraded in terms of capacity and
traffic flows through Cambridge, Kitchener, Woodstock and London.
• Highways 7 and 8 from Highway 401 travel directly into Kitchener with an interchange
at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, continuing into Waterloo as a four
lane divided highway. This roadway is currently being upgraded to six lanes from
Highway 401 to the Conestoga Expressway.
• Highway 7 connects Guelph to Kitchener, and provides an alternate route to Highway
401 via the Hanlon Expressway. Both of these routes are being improved to four
lane divided highways over the next decade.
• Highway 6 connects the Niagara Peninsula, the Region of Halton, Highway 403 and
the Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 401. This highway is currently undergoing
significant improvements, particularly in the area of Highway 403.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 7
• Via Rail travels on a corridor route connecting Sarnia, London, Kitchener and Toronto
with several stops daily in Kitchener.
• The Waterloo-Wellington Airport has been upgraded over the last number of years
and offers limited scheduled service. It has facilities and capacities to service
general aviation jet aircraft and charter flights.
• There are numerous bus and alternate transportation services to bring Active
participants and spectators from Pearson International Airport in Toronto to the
Kitchener-Waterloo area.
• An intercity bus terminal, operated by Greyhound Bus Lines, also provides multiple
avenues of access directly into Downtown Kitchener.
The Kitchener-Waterloo market population and transportation infrastructure are very supportive of
successful sport tourism initiatives.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 8
3.2 History in Sport Tourism
For more than 50 years, Kitchener, and in more recent years Event Name (Event Year
Description Hosted
Waterloo, have been actively involved in hosting a wide array of sport
CHL Memorial Cup 2008
tourism events. With the opening of the Kitchener Memorial
Auditorium in the mid-1950s, the development of the Westmount Golf ISC World Softball
Championships 2007 &
2006
Club, the 1967 opening of Centennial Stadium and the more recent
Canadian Mixed Curling 2006
development of Budd Park, the Peter Hallman Ball Yard, the Championship
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex and the RIM Park Complex, Four Nations Cup - 2006
International Women's Ice
a strong facilities base now exists to support sport tourism. As well, Hockey
the ongoing development of key sport and athletic facilities at the Canadian Wheelchair 2006
Basketball National
University of Waterloo and Wilfred Laurier University has created Championships
additional capacity to host events. Jack Donahue 2006
International Classic -
As a result of these resources, the Twin Cities have a strong history Invitational Women's
Basketball
in hosting major sports events. Some of the significant tournaments
World Junior Figure 2005
held in the Twin Cities during the past decade are shown in the Skating Championship
adjacent table. President's Cup Canadian 2005
Lacrosse Championship -
Beyond these national and international sport tourism events,
Pan American Cup Indoor 2005
Kitchener and Waterloo have hosted many provincial and regional Field Hockey
events for a wide range of sports, including numerous annual meets Jiu Jitsu World 2004
and tournaments for hockey, baseball, soccer, aquatics, figure Championship
skating, lacrosse and other sports. Examples of these locally- Canadian JR Men's 2003
Fastball Championships
promoted events include the K-W Oktoberfest Atom International
Scott's Tournament of 2003
Hockey Tournament, the Waterloo Memorial Tournament, and the Hearts- Canadian Women's
Curling Championship
Kitchener International Soccer Tournament.
CIS Men's Hockey 2002
Kitchener and Waterloo also have a track record of successful Championship
collaboration for event bids and event hosting. Joint municipal bids CIAO Men's Hockey 2001
Championship
are becoming increasingly common for larger sports events, but very
ISU Grand Prix Figure 2001
few cities enjoy the proximity and the established working relationship Skating Finals
of Kitchener and Waterloo. Canadian National Junior 1998
Track & Field
Finally, both cities have a strong track record in hosting training Championship
camps for professional and elite amateur sports teams, including the IIHA Women's World Ice 1997
Hockey Championship
Toronto Raptors, the National Women's Ice Hockey Team and
others World Horseshoe Pitching 1997
. Championship
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 9
4.0 Organizational Capacity
A successful sport tourism strategy depends on strong grassroots support. Sports governing
bodies assess not only physical infrastructure, but also community capacity when selecting host
cities. The stability, experience and capacity of local sports teams or leagues, along with their
linkages to the senior sport governing bodies, are often critical factors in the success of tournament
hosting bids.
Organizational capacity includes:
• Local support for ticket sales, advertising and sponsorships. This can be an intangible
criteria based on factors such as the average attendance at local events, or it can be a
more substantive commitment in the form of a financial guarantee.
• Tournament hosting experience, access to technical experts and volunteer base.
• Access to facilities - as local leagues are often major users of playing fields and arenas,
securing facility time can be difficult without their active participation.
In the Twin Cities local sports organizations are structured along municipal lines (e.g. Kitchener
Minor Hockey, Waterloo Minor Hockey), on a Twin City basis (KW Skating Club, KW Track and
Field) and on a regional basis (ROW Swim Club).
Many of the minor sports organization such as baseball, soccer and hockey are aligned along
municipal boundaries. This often results from tradition and rivalries, or it may be required by the
senior governing body. The Kitchener and Waterloo Minor Hockey Associations are separate
entities, for example, although the teams face each other in league play.
The second type of local sport organizations are those serving the Twin Cities. Figure and
precision skating clubs and many of the adult sport leagues operate on this basis. This occurs
because no provincial or national associations exist, or governing bodies allow local leagues to
expand beyond municipal boundaries. These groups wish to maximize the number of participants
they can serve. An increasing number of local groups are organized in this manner and draw on
the populations of both communities.
The third form of local sport organization is the regional-based groups, such as the Region of
Waterloo Swim Club or the Waterloo Region Cricket Club. These tend to be more specialized
activities, either based on a more narrow market for Active participants, or requiring very specialized
facilities. These groups tend to serve the entire Region of Waterloo, and may attract participants
from an even wider geographical area.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 10
As noted earlier, the most popular sports in terms of Active participants, Volunteers and Attendees
are ice hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball and volleyball. The Twin Cities are well served in
organizational capacity for three of these top five sports -ice hockey, baseball and soccer.
Ice Hocke
Organization Kitchener Minor Hockey Waterloo Minor Hockey Association
Association
Scope Rep and house league boys and Provides four levels of competitive play:
girls hockey. Recreational Hockey (House League},
Minor Development (Carded Select},
A/AA Seeded and AAA.
Tournament International Blueline AAA Waterloo Memorial Tournament -
Hosting Tournament (2007 will be the 36t" features teams from across North
History year for this event} America competing in four divisions -
K-W OktoberfestAtom Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam and
International (2007 will be the 33rd Minor Midget. AAIA teams.
year for this event, co-sponsored Gold Puck Tournament features teams
with Waterloo Minor Hockey) from across North America in four
different divisions. AAA only.
K-W Oktoberfest Atom International, co-
sponsored with KMHA.
2007 "AAA" Midget Central Region
Championship.
Baseball
Or anization KW Fastball Promotions
Scope KW Fastball Promotions is comprised of Kitchener Minor Boys Softball,
Kitchener Minor Girls Softball, Kinsmen Club of Kitchener-Waterloo,
Countr Hills Optimists and Kitchener Fastball Lea ue)
Tournament
Hosting
Histo
Soccer
Or anization Kitchener Soccer Club
Sco e Rep and house lea ue bo sand irls soccer (indoors and outdoors)
Tournament
Hosting
Histo Kitchener International Tournament. 2007 will be the 21 S year for this
event. The event features a total of 20 age divisions for boys and girls and
uses s orts fields throu hout the Twin Cities.
In addition to established leagues and hosting capacity in these "top five" sports, the KW Water
Polo Club also has established tournament hosting capacity, and stages annual competitions at the
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex and Wilfred Laurier University Athletic Complex. A number
of other sports groups have the potential to become more prominent in the sport tourism field,
subject to addressing issues related to organization or facility capacity.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 11
4.0 Sports Facility and Ancillary Infrastructure Capacity
In assessing sport tourism potential one must consider the scale, quality and placement of sports
facilities, as well as the ancillary infrastructure required to host large events. Ancillary infrastructure
includes transient accommodation (hotels, motels, student residences), banquet and meeting
facilities, public transportation and medical facilities. The Twin Cities offer a number of high-quality
sports venues that have proven capacity to host provincial, national and international events. The
major facilities are described in the following section, and a more complete inventory is provided in
Appendix 1.
4.1 Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex
The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex is a 39-acre multi-use facility that includes the 6,000-
seat Dom Cardillo Arena, the Kinsmen and Kiwanis Arenas, the 3,200 seat Centennial Stadium and
1,400 seat Jack Couch Baseball Park. This facility completed a major expansion and upgrade in
2001 including the provision of new foodservice concessions, luxury suites, licensed restaurant and
group sales areas. The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex is a full service facility and has for
more than 50 years hosted hockey tournaments, curling bonspiels, horse shows, floor shows,
concerts and other activities. The facility is home to the OHL Kitchener Rangers.
The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex is well recognized as a major sport tourism facility,
and is the key indoorlice-based sport tourism facility in the area. In recent years it has been
surpassed in terms of seating capacity by the 19,000 seat Copps Coliseum in Hamilton and the
9,100 seat John Labatt Centre in London.
The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex has played host to many of Canada's marquee sports
events. However, many of these events now require larger venues, typically 10,000 seats or more.
4.2 Centennial Stadium
Located at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, this is a 3,200 seat outdoor facility built in
1967, with an eight-lane rubberized track and full field event capacity. The facility is now
considerably aged, has few modern amenities and has had problems in recent years with the
quality of the track surface. The 2005 Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan identified a need for
a major rehabilitation of Centennial Stadium or an alternate facility as this venue has limited
capacity to host other than local and regional track and field meets, some soccer games and related
activities.
4.3 Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex
This facility opened in 1993 and features the Clarica Arena with 3,400 seats and approximately
1,000 additional standing room capacity. It also houses the Swimplex, amulti-purpose aquatic
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 12
facility featuring a 30 metre pool, one metre and three metre springboards and five metre diving
tower, and gallery seating for 300. It is the home of a number of local sports teams including the
Waterloo Siskins (Junior B hockey), Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks (OUA Hockey), KW Water Polo,
KW Diving Club and KW Braves (Jr. A Lacrosse).
The Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex has hosted a number of major sports tournaments,
including the Scott's Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian Ringette Championship and CIAU
University Cup (Men's Hockey National Championships).
4.4 RIM Park
RIM Park is the City of Waterloo's premier 500-acre park and recreation facility. With 18 outdoor
sports fields, Manulife Financial Sportsplex and Healthy Living Centre, trails, parkland, and Grey
Silo golf course, RIM Park is one of the largest comprehensive sports and recreational venues in
Canada.
The Manulife Financial Sportsplex and Healthy Living Centre opened in 2001 and includes a four
pad ice complex, indoor soccer and gymnasium. The Sportsplex is home to the Kitchener Waterloo
Skating Club, Wildhawk Basketball and a number of City of Waterloo adult recreational leagues.
While the Sportsplex offers some of the newest ice facilities in the area, seating capacity is relatively
limited, from 250 to 500 persons per pad. From a sport tourism perspective the facility is best
suited to local and regional events, or for practice or preliminary rounds of larger events using the
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex or Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex for playoffs
and finals.
4.5 University Stadium
University Stadium supports the University of Waterloo and Wilfred Laurier University football,
soccer and lacrosse teams as well as other community-based leagues. The stadium has a seating
capacity for 5,500 spectators, and a lit turf field. The stadium also has an outdoor track with six
lanes that can host larger regional events. Its primary focus is on university sport programs and
events.
4.6 Baseball
The City of Kitchener maintains 14 ball diamonds to A-1 standard (clay surface, irrigated field,
backstop, team benches, fenced outfield and sports field turf maintenance program). The Peter
Hallman Ball Yard in Kitchener is the premiere baseball facility in the Twin Cities area, with three
diamonds (two lit), spectator seating for 1,000 and the capacity to handle fastball and slo-pitch. It
has hosted the 2002, 2006 and 2007 ISC Fastball World Tournament and the ICS II Tournament of
Champions. A hardball venue, Jack Couch Park is located at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Complex. This is a single field hardball facility with approximately 1,400 bench seats. It is home to
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 13
the Kitchener Panthers and Kitchener Dodgers senior and junior ball teams plus minor baseball at
the Midget level. The facility is lit and has support facilities (press box, concession stand, bullpen,
batting cages) to support smaller tournaments.
Both Waterloo and Kitchener have other fastball, slo-pitch and hardball fields that can be used for
provincial, regional and local tournaments and related activities. The facilities vary in quality and
capacity, and our consolidated sports facility inventory (Appendix 1) includes only those facilities
maintained to A-1 standards.
4.7 Soccer Fields
In addition to the 12 multi-use sports fields at RIM Park, soccer pitches or multi-use sports fields are
available in Kitchener (four at Budd Park, five at Meinzinger Park, three at Resurrection, two at St.
Mary's, one at Woodside and the infield at Centennial Stadium) and Waterloo (five at Bechtel Park).
We have included only those facilities classed as A-1 Quality Fields. Budd Park also offers an
indoor soccer facility. Not all of these venues have the necessary ancillary event facilities such as
change rooms, grandstands and concessions. There is potential to host local, regional and
provincial championships. However, beyond that scale the facilities are limited in capacity,
especially when competing with large soccer venues being developed in the Greater Toronto Area
and other locations.
4.8 Aquatics
As noted earlier, the Swimplex at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex houses a 30 metre
pool. The University of Waterloo also has a 25 metre pool, while Wilfred Laurier has a 50 metre, six
lane pool. The City of Kitchener operates four indoor pools, all twenty-five metres with no diving
tower or higher board facilities.
The hosting of major aquatic events is constrained by facility capacity. The only 50 metre pool has
six lanes (most major events require eight) while the remaining pools are 25 or 30 metres.
Note: Subsequent to finalizing this report, Wilfred Laurier University announced it would close its 50 metre pool
for an indefinite period, commencing August 31, 2008. The closure of this venue does not change any of the
findings or recommendations contained in this report.
4.9 Gymnasia
In addition to the facilities at RIM Park, the Twin Cities offer a host of double and triple gymnasia in
secondary schools, as well as major gymnasium facilities at the two universities and Conestoga
College. The universities have hosted CIAU tournaments for volleyball, basketball, gymnastics and
other activities. School board facilities have been used for local, regional and provincial events, but
have limited utility for national events.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 14
4.10 Other Sports
The area does have some field hockey, cricket and related specialty fields. However, they tend not
to be at a quality level that would support more than local or regional events.
4.11 Accommodation
After sports facility infrastructure, accommodation is
typically the most important consideration for a Host
City. The Twin Cities offer a range of accommodation,
including fullservice hotels, limited service motels, bed
and breakfasts and student residences. The ability to
house a significant number of Active participants
(including family members and chaperones) in a single
property is often a determining factor in venue selection.
Properties offering in excess of 150 guestrooms are
shown in the adjacent table.
Pro ert # Rooms
Delta Kitchener 201
Holiday Inn 184
Kitchener-Waterloo
Hotel & Conference
Centre
Radisson Hotel - 172
Kitchener
Waterloo Inn & 155
Conference Centre
Smaller properties in the Twin Cities provide an additional 500 guestrooms. Other commercial
accommodation in Waterloo Region, most notably in Cambridge, can provide significant additional
capacity.
Post-secondary institutions can be an important source of housing for sports tournaments, and the
Twin Cities are well-served in this regard. Conestoga College, University of Waterloo and Wilfred
Laurier University all offer seasonal accommodation, typically available from May through August.
In total, almost 1,900 rooms are available in this category.
Banquet and meeting facilities are also important for staging sports tournaments. Some events
require large hospitality venues within the sports facility, while others will use banquet and meeting
facilities within the headquarters hotels. From a sport tourism perspective, the facilities shown in
the following table are noteworthy.
Venue Meeting Rooms >
2,000 s . ft. Largest Room (sq.
ft.
Bin emans 7 20,000
Delta Kitchener 3 4,800
Holida Inn Kitchener Waterloo 2 4,800
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium 2 3,940
Waterloo Inn & Conference Centre 5 8,396
RIM Park 1 10,000
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Com lex 1 7,200
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 15
5.0 Stakeholder Consultation
5.1 Community Groups
Waferloo Sporfs field Users
Five representatives of the Waterloo Minor Soccer Association, Waterloo Sunrise Cricket Club and
the Waterloo Minor Fastball League participated in this focus group.
Waterloo Minor Soccer Association
• Waterloo Minor Soccer Association has been operating for thirty-four years.
• Tournaments are a significant activity in terms of dollar generation in order to keep
participant fees low.
• Would like to bid for the Ontario Cup, but have been turned down repeatedly, as there
is not the quality or the quantity of soccer pitches available to qualify for hosting.
• Would also like to undertake an indoor soccer tournament, however, all times are
booked.
• Believes the municipal government needs to take a stronger coordinating role in
accessing facilities for tournaments and developing the necessary infrastructure for
these types of activities.
• Too many of the soccer fields are not of sufficient quality in terms of playing surface.
The three high quality fields available at Bechtel Park may be converted to cemetery
use in the future.
• Mississauga and Oakville have developed soccer complexes with artificial turf. They
believe they are recovering their costs in three to five years.
• The soccer program starts in the second week of May and then converts to football in
the fall, which puts tremendous stress on the fields.
• The Association has undertaken a soccer field study, but needs community support to
move forward.
Waterloo Sunrise Cricket Club
• A regional organization that plays within the South Ontario Cricket League which
covers the area Windsor to Kitchener-Waterloo.
• The provincial body, the Ontario Cricket Association, has a series of annual
championships. As well, national championships are also held annually.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 16
• Currently the local organization hosts one tournament, but would like to host two
regional tournaments and bid to host provincial and national tournaments.
• The primary issue for this group is the lack offields and supporting amenities.
• The Club would like to establish a children's program, but there are no fields available.
• They believe there will be significant growth in cricket with the growing immigrant
population in the Waterloo Region.
• A clubhouse and field amenities are key requirements to attract tournaments and
broader-based play, as well as higher quality playing surfaces that hopefully could
eventually be artificial field turf.
Waterloo Minor Boy's Softball
• Currently hosts an annual championship with eight to twelve teams. Would like to host
a provincial tournament
• The Association has been travelling to open tournaments as far away as Kingston and
Owen Sound for many years.
• The City needs to provide greater facility support relative to field access and overall
organization.
• Currently only have one acceptable fastball field at Hillside Park. Kitchener has more
appropriate facilities with the Peter Hallman Ball Yard for national and international
fastball tournaments.
General Comments
• Strong belief that the municipal governments needs to be more engaged in facilitating
tournaments and meets at all levels.
• Access to facilities, particularly with supporting amenities, is critical to support
tournaments beyond a regional level.
• Tournaments are important fundraising initiatives for the local organizations.
• Tournaments also diversify the overall sports program and create greater interest in
participation.
• All the groups would like to host provincial and national championships if the resources
and facilities were available.
• All the organizations would like to offer both house league and competitive level
tournament opportunities.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 17
Aquatics
Three representatives of the Region of Waterloo Aquatic Club and the local Water Polo and the
Diving Clubs participated in this focus group.
Diving Club
• Currently host a Tier 2 provincial level meet which they can host every three years.
• Have participated in the Ontario Winter Games every eight years or so.
Region of Waterloo Aquatic Club
• Hosts six invitational meets from one day to three days in length.
• Have undertaken some provincial tryout meets. Cannot be involved in any
tournaments above a regional level due to facility constraints.
Water Polo
• Hosts two annual tournaments in the fall.
• The provincial meet is available to be hosted in February or March if local interest
exists.
General
• All three groups would like to move beyond regional meets and be engaged in hosting
provincial, national and even international meets.
• The main constraint is the lack of facilities capable of hosting major aquatic events. An
eight-lane fifty-metre pool is a basic requirement once you move beyond the provincial
meet level.
• Kitchener has no pool capacity to facilitate aquatic meets of any type except possibly
smaller regional events. Waterloo does have some access to the Wilfred Laurier fifty-
metre pool.
• The Region of Waterloo Aquatic Club often sends members to train in London or
Etobicoke where there are fifty-metre pools available.
• The primary constraint is an adequate facility, followed by reasonable access for
training and hosting of events.
• A general sense that the municipalities are focused on public use, maximizing revenue
and related perspectives, which can reduce the opportunities for aquatic sports groups
to host tournaments and develop skills that would energize tournament bids.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 18
• All three groups anticipate continuing growth in membership and participation in
aquatics activities.
• The Wilfred Laurier University pool has limited access as student needs come first.
The pool is also used by high school swim clubs and for recreational swimming from
4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
• The ideal facility configuration would be two pools, one for recreational use and one a
competitive tank for lane swimming, lessons and related activities, primarily focused on
swim meets and training.
• The two Cities have come together over the years to host various events. "Why could
they not come together to build a single fifty-metre pool plus diving well like London,
Etobicoke and other centres, so that a population of over 350,000 people has this
quality of facility?"
• A general sense that Kitchener has a strong community development focus in
supporting sports groups organizationally. Waterloo tends to not be as engaged with
local sports groups.
• Some expectation that the new Waterloo YMCA will relieve some of the pressure on
the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, which may open up some training
opportunities.
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Team
An interview was held with the President of the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club, which plays in the
Ontario Junior A Hockey League.
Since their inception the Kitchener Rangers have played at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in
the Dom Cardillo Arena. This is also the primary venue for their practices, although they use other
venues if the Dom Cardillo Arena is occupied.
The following were some of the key points provided:
• The Club would like to move eventually to an arena that has 10,000 seats. The basis
for this is as follows:
o Larger arenas have been developed in London, Ottawa and other locations
which creates a more competitive environment;
o The Club has been essentially sold out for season tickets for the last four
years with athree-year wait list. Many people stop waiting and give up.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 19
• The Club has developed a proposal fora $1.4 million, 437 seat addition to the venue.
The Rangers and City of Kitchener are reviewing financing options for this project,
which has a projected payback of less than ten years.
A discussion on a possible location for any new arena facility was undertaken with the following
input:
• The current location lacks access to retail, restaurants or other amenities that have
been a significant part of the economic development surge around the John Labatt
Centre in London and other centres, and which provide an enhanced spectator
experience and economic impact. A downtown location should be considered.
• The current venue is ideally situated for transportation infrastructure and there is
significant parking at the facility.
• The current mix of spectators is 5,000 to 5,500 season ticket holders with 1,500
tickets for groups.
• The past renovations to the Auditorium have had a five to six-year payback, as the
corporate rent for boxes and increased game attendance have helped to pay for the
addition.
• In terms of major sport tourism events, the only one identified was the Memorial Cup,
which could be hosted once every fifteen years.
• The City has maintained the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex at a very high
level and it is an excellent facility.
Waterloo Minor Hockey Association
The following information was provided by a representative of the Waterloo Minor Hockey
Association.
• The following tournaments are run by the Waterloo Minor Hockey Association:
Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Atom International Tournament in October each year
(co-hosted by KMHA); Waterloo Memorial Tournament held in November each year
involving Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam and Minor Midgets at the AA/A levels;
Golden Puck Tournament held in December each year at the Minor Bantam, Bantam,
Minor Midget and Midget levels for AAA teams; Waterloo Minor Hockey Association
Fun Festival held in March each year for house league teams involving Novice and
Atom.
• They believe that if more ice was available, more minor hockey tournaments would
be hosted, but ice capacity is the issue.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 20
• Tournaments after end of regular season play are difficult, as many children are
looking for alternate experiences such as soccer, baseball, golf or just to have a
break. Therefore, the primary tournament season is from early September to the end
of April.
• Are considering a bid for the AAA Midget National Telus Cup Championship.
Field Hockey
The following information was provided by representatives of the Kitchener-Waterloo Olympic
Hockey (KWOH) and the Waterloo Women's Field Hockey Club, which provide a range of indoor
and outdoor programs.
• KWOH hosted the Pan-American Indoor Hockey Championships at RIM Park in
2005. This was the Qualifier for the Americas for the Indoor Hockey World Cup in
Austria in 2007.
• Both organizations would like to increase the number of events hosted, certainly
would target provincial tournaments andlor championships and ultimately national
championships. KWOH has also targeted the Junior World Cup Qualifier in April
2011. Hosting this event would require a new sports field, and they are currently
investigating funding options.
• Field capacity is the major issue for higher level events such as national
championships. KWOH is prepared to participate in funding new capacity.
• KWOH is working with Field Hockey Ontario to provide training and tournament
capacity, using University Stadium.
Baseball
The following information was provided by representatives of Kitchener Fastball Promotions and
Kitchener Fastball League.
• Organization hosts fastball tournaments, one of which is the International Softball
Congress (ISC) World Fastball Tournament. Hosted the event in 2002 and 2006.
Were asked to fill in for 2007 as the selected host community was forced to withdraw.
• Will continue to host provincial, national and international events, including periodic
bids for ISC World Championships.
• Believes region has the best Fastball facilities in the province, in the top three
nationwide. Sponsorship and full-time (paid) executive staff would be the biggest
barriers to promoting more events.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 21
6.0 Sport Tourism Delivery Models
A growing number of municipalities have incorporated sport
tourism into their overall tourism or economic development
strategies. The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance counts
amongst its members 47 municipalities, 43 Destination
Marketing Organizations, and four sports commissions, while
the US based National Association of Sports Commissions
includes in its 400 members 97 municipal, regional or state
sports commissions and an additional 184 municipal or regional
Destination Marketing Organizations.
In order to assess benchmarks and best practices for sport
tourism in Canada, case studies were completed through a
combination of secondary research and interviews with key
stakeholders. A growing number of jurisdictions have combined
sport tourism with other cultural events tourism, so the following
case studies include examples of both.
Sport tourism brings together and leverages the resources and
energy from three sectors in a community:
• Sports organizations and groups both in the
community, the province and nationally
• Tourism/hospitality and broader economic
development sectors
• Municipal departments involved in sport and
recreation
Working together on coordinated sport tourism strategies
enables communities to recognize and maximize the following
types of benefits:
• Attracting visitors in times when capacity exists in
the tourism infrastructure
• Creating new economic activity and impacts
• Attracting media attention and Increasing
community profile
• Helping to improve and develop community
faci I ities
• Contributing to community health, social cohesion
in the community, skills development and
community pride
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Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 22
Six cities are presented as case studies including:
1. Brantford - `Tournament Capital of Ontario' was officially recognized on June 4, 1998 by
the Provincial Legislature, through a private members bill (www.brantford.caltco)
2. Kamloops - `Tournament Capital of Canada' was launched in 2001 by the Mayor and
Council (www.city.kamloops.bc.caltournamentcapital)
3. Saskatoon -guided by `Saskatoon Sport Tourism' anon-profit partnership organization
managed by Tourism Saskatoon (www.tourismsaskatoon.com)
4. Thunder Bay -Operated for the City of Thunder Bay by the Sports Bid Administrative
Advisory Committee (www.city.thunder-bay.on.ca/events)
5. Hamilton -sport tourism is a key priority for Tourism Hamilton
(www.tourismhamilton.com)
6. Edmonton - `Edmonton Events International' is administered by Edmonton Tourism
(www. ed montoneventsi nternational. com)
There are many different organizational models being applied in the sport tourism sector across
Canada, but there are some consistencies and key success factors. Cities with established and
long-term success at pursuing and hosting sport tourism share the following approaches:
• At least one full time staff position dedicated to sport tourism, typically under the local
Destination Marketing Organization or Economic Development agency, and with
strong partnerships across tourism, sport and the municipality.
• Diverse cross sectoral membership in governance structures (i.e. Board of Directors
or Advisory Committees)
• Follow a well defined sport tourism strategy
• Separate and distinct collateral and activities for events organizers
• URL/Web site with content, design and key words optimized for sport tourism
• Maps with locations of relevant venues
• Hosting of familiarization tours
• Support of local networking and capacity building
• Support of development of local ambassadors to identify leads
• Provide some type of financial support to attract events
• Active nurturing of local and provincial sports organizations and federations
• Active participation in Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, including use of member-
onlydatabase, attendance at annual conference, etc.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 23
Mission statements for sport tourism organizations typically cover the
following elements:
• Attract visitors through sport
• Guide attraction, retention and creation of sport tourism activiti
• Sport tourism advocacy
• Sport development
Sport tourism organizations typically get involved in some or all of the
following activities:
• Sport tourism sector development and capacity building
• Bid planning, development and facilitation
• Managing relationships with provincial and national sports bod
• Event creation and development
• Marketing and promotion of community sport hosting capacity
• Sports event calendar coordination
• Event hosting support
• Coordination of local groups in the sport, tourism, economic
• developmentlbusinesssnd municipal sectors
The Mission of the Calgary
Sport Tourism Authority is
to increase the success and
competitiveness of bidding
to host sport events.
The mission of the
Courtland Region Sports
Commission is to
promote Cortland County
for sports related
business, events,
competition and
education. CRSC's goal is
to create a positive
economic impact through
sporting and recreational
events within the
Cortland community.
The mission of the Lehigh
Valley Sports Commission is
to attract sports events to
the Lehigh Valley through
effective marketing, bid
coordination and hosting
activities. The sports
commission will develop a
fundraising mechanism for
bid fees, and foster
relationships with national
governing bodies, sponsors
and local media. Our
mission includes building a
volunteer base to support
amateur sports events
throughout the Lehigh
Valley.
The Tournament Capital
of Ontario (TCO) is a
community-based
organization that
provides excellence in
tournament hosting
services and assists
sport organizations to
promote and recognize
Brantford as a Sport
Tourism destination.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 24
Typical event support and management functions for sport tourism organizations include some or
all of the following:
• Event calendar coordination
• Maintain facility database
• Facility and site selection
• Accommodation coordination
• Event bid support -financial and technical
• Access to volunteers
• Event planning tools
• Networking facilitation -annual conference, seminars, workshops
• Marketing and promotion - FAMs
• Access to tools for monitoring and evaluation (i.e. the CSTA STEAM model)
• Event equipment
• Media assistance
6.1 Case Studies
Case studies were selected to reflect a mix of size of community and scope of organization. These
municipalities are recognized for their successful track record in pursuing sport tourism. Data on
population and number of hotel rooms is from the current database for the Canadian Sport Tourism
Alliance.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 25
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7.0 Sport Tourism Best Practices
In our review of sport tourism policies and procedures across a number of Canadian municipalities
we found a variety of sports-specific programs worthy of consideration by the Twin Cities. We also
reviewed a number of programs that were developed for a broader range of sports, cultural and
heritage events. While not all of these are administered by sport tourism agencies, we have
included these programs in our review of best practices as we believe they should be considered in
the long-term development of the Kitchener-Waterloo sport tourism strategy.
7.1 Attracting Event OrganizerslMarketing the Venue
Cities that have made a strategic decision to be `event friendly' make a clear statement of their
commitment to sport tourism through organizational structure and departmentldivision name as well
as through investment in dedicated staff and other resources. For example:
The Rochester Events Network is closely aligned with the Commissioner's Office, Parks,
Recreation and Human Services.
The City of Brantford has made a strategic decision to position the city as the Tournament Capital
of Ontario. Its mission statement states:
"The Tournament Capital of Ontario (TCO) Committee promotes excellence in sport
tourism and tournament services. The TCO strives to market Brantford as a year round
tournament destination where 1St class events are hosted and visitors coming to our
community experience our warm and friendly hospitality." A dedicated web site provides
event organizers with a range of contacts and services.
Events Thunder Bay provides a first point of contact with the City through a Special Event
Developer and a dedicated web page. In addition, Events Thunder Bay provides equipment, an
event planning guide, and event development grants (see Section 7.3 for additional details}.
Hamilton has a Special Events Advisory Team (SEAT} that provides event organizers with `one
stop shopping' with facilitated access to the appropriate City staff and department from the
application stage through to the day of the event.
7.2 Community Capacity Building
Many municipalities invest in community capacity building for sport tourism events through a variety
of training, networking and professional development activities. Local networks are often the
conduit to bring organizers together for networking, sharing of information and speakers. Some
specific examples follow.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 30
Handbooks and planning guidelines/event management fools
Cities typically have event planning guides and manuals that provide event organizers with policies,
procedures and `how to' best practices. It is important to provide easily accessible resource
material in a variety of media including posting on the Internet. Saskatoon's Tournament Planners
Manual integrates the City's policies and procedures for events with resource information,
applications and sample tournament templates.
Events Thunder Bay provides on-line access to an Event Planning Guide that relies heavily on the
format in David Wilkinson's manual on event management "The Event Management and Marketing
Institute Manual". Thunder Bay's guide deals more with the development and running of an event,
but still addresses how to meet city regulations.
Local and regional workshops and seminars
The City of Toronto brings together organizers of events with similar characteristics for networking
and professional development. It recently initiated a `running events' organizers group to share
expertise and raise the quality of events. In 2003, Tourism Brantford hosted four workshops with
topics such as:
• Filling Out Funding Applications
• Staging Great Events
• Fundraising in Our Community
• Volunteers -Where to Get Them and How to Keep Them.
Events Thunder Bay hosts workshops on similar topics. The Thunder Bay Special Events
Developer provides consultation with both existing events (improving marketing and sponsorship,
for example) and with new events (how to get started) providing another avenue for building and
expanding community capacity to deliver and manage events.
Tourism BC and 2010 Legacies Now offer three-hour workshops for participants to understand how
the tourism and sport industries can work together
Networking Events
Events Thunder Bay stages Sport Network Evenings to provide event organizers with the
opportunity to network, and to discuss a variety of shared issues and opportunities. This approach
is transferable to other sectors of event planning and management.
Saskatoon Sport Tourism hosts an annual sport tourism conference in partnership with the
Saskatoon Sports Council.
Tourism BC and 2010 Legacies Now have set up the BC Sport Tourism Network to facilitate
interaction and sharing of knowledge through quarterly meetings and an online tool called BC Sport
Tourism Network Community of Practice. They also run a BC Sport Tourism Events Marketplace
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 31
providing abusiness-to-business meeting opportunity once a year for community tourism industry
representatives and Provincial Sport Organizations.
Tools and Kifs
Sport Kelowna, a partnership between Tourism Kelowna, the City of Kelowna and Pacific Sport
Group (a Canadian Sport Centre) provides event organizers with access to an Event Hosting
Toolkit, Participant Welcome Kits (slide show, video, city pins, coupon books, parking guidelines
etc) as well as an Event Kit providing tools and equipment to enable a sport organization to host an
event in an affordable manner. The kit includes everything from portable tents to fax machines,
generators andtwo-way radios.
7.3 Event Development
Event development at a local municipal level has a number of components and approaches
including:
• Supporting and growing existing events;
• Researching and actively soliciting new events;
• Supporting development and introduction of new events; and
• Direct delivery of selected events.
Most municipalities take a balanced approach, utilizing a mix of the above tactics and incorporating
some or all of the following support strategies:
• Direct financial support to existing events;
• One time support for development of new events; and
• Multi-year support for development of new events.
A more detailed examination of such strategies follows.
Toronto commits both consulting support and financial assistance to nurture new events. The
financial support includes an "incubator" program that reduces the amount of support over three
years.
Thunder Bay hosts over 215 events annually with an estimated economic impact of over $10
million per year. As noted in its Event Hosting Strategy the City of Thunder Bay strikes a balance
between supporting existing events while also investing in future growth. This strategy has resulted
in a shift from direct delivery to event development.
The Event Development Grant, administered by the Special Events Developer, provides one-time
seed funding for bidding on and hosting championships, first time tournaments and festivals.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 32
Administered by the Community Recreation Division and a Review Committee, the maximum
allowable grant is $5,000 per event. With an annual budget allocation of $20,000, typical support
has been in the $500 to $3,000 range in recent years in order to support as many applications as
possible. Eligibility criteria include:
• Event is regional, provincial, national or international in scope.
• Event will attract spectators and participants from out of town.
• Special one-time event or inaugural festivallevent.
• Applicant organization is based locally.
• Applicant is non-profit organization.
Hamilfon has two categories of support -cash and in-kind services. The budget allocation for in-
kind services reflects support provided from departmental budgets and the cash support is a
separate line item approved by Council.
Kelowna offers a sports event development grant as seed money to assist local community sports
organizations bidding, hosting, creating, marketing or administering new sports-based events. The
emphasis of the grant is on events that occur outside the main tourism season, that are held mid-
week orthat are regional, national or international in stature.
Kamloops administers a Tournament Capital Funding Program for amateur sports organizations
offering grants from $200 for a regional tournament to $1,500 for an Invitational Tournament.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 33
7.6 Local Ambassadors
Local residents who are active leaders in their business, sport or cultural endeavours provide a
continual network of leads for events. Ambassador programs nurture, support and celebrate these
residents, and are typically led by the local Destination Marketing Organization.
Program Name &
Location Program Description
Ambassador Developed in 1983 by World Trade & Convention Centre; now a program
Club - administered by Destination Halifax
Halifax, NS Membership categories include:
Associate Ambassadors -individuals who have or are about to initiate a bid
that they can or have influenced
Ambassador -have successfully influenced and won the right to host in
Halifax
Past Ambassador -event has been successfully staged
On-line application and nomination forms
Provides members with regular e-newsletter
Hosts annual Ambassador Awards dinner to recognize efforts in securing
conferences, meetings and events for Halifax.
Venue Saint Event marketing partnership between City of Saint John, Tourism Saint
John -Saint John and private sector partners
John, NB Provides one stop shopping
Be a Vancouver More than 400 hosts have participated since its inception in 1996.
Host- It is estimated that 80% of international conferences that take place in
Vancouver, BC Vancouver are secured through a local host
Tourism Vancouver provides support at all stages of the bidding and
planning processes.
Leaders Circle - Established 2005 to inspire local industry and association leaders in the
Toronto, ON promotion and bidding process to host their meetings and congresses in
Toronto
Provides complete support services
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 34
8.0 Sports Facility Development Considerations
8.1 Introduction
A sport tourism strategy must address the level of resources to be committed to the pursuit of sport
tourism events that exceed current facility capacity and infrastructure. Large multi-sport events
almost always require the development of new venues, and large single sport events such as the
FIFA U-20 World Cup may require new, expanded or upgraded sports venues. In this section of
our report we will address tournaments, meets and events such as the World Junior Hockey
Championship; national and international curling, aquatic and track and field events; provincial or
national soccer and cricket tournaments and related events that do not fit due to facility and other
infrastructure gaps. The Cities may have the other key capacities to compete in this segment (e.g.
event hosting experience, accommodation, food services, volunteers), but do no have the sport
venues required.
In assessing this market segment's requirements, the facilities available and input received from
stakeholders and other sources, a series of facility gaps were identified. These include:
• An arena or multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility of between 10,000 and
15, 000 seats.
• A track and field stadium of contemporary standards.
• An indoor fifty-metre aquatic facility with attached or separate diving well with a full
range of diving boards and towers.
• A soccer complex with multiple fields, field house, seating and related amenities.
• A dedicated cricket facility.
When considering the development of new sport facilities, it is important to acknowledge that sport
tourism activity, in and of itself, cannot justify the capital cost involved in facility development, nor
can it generate the revenues required for sustained and viable operations. The development of
new sport facilities must be justified primarily on an established need within the community. This
need can be evidenced through the presence of a viable anchor tenant, by strong demand for
commercial occupancy of multi-use facilities, or by the current and project community demand for
recreational programs. Sport tourism activity may influence building design criteria and provide a
periodic source of additional demand, but it cannot be the primary justification for new facility
development.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 35
8.2 Market, Use and Investment Perspectives Involving Major Sport Facilities
In considering the development of any of these major new sports venues, four issues must be
addressed.
The first issue is the sustainability of local tournament hosting capacity as venue requirements
evolve for the larger bid-based events. The Twin Cities have already experienced some loss of
event hosting capacity in sports such as curling and ice hockey. Over time, the current facilities in
Kitchener and Waterloo may see further erosion in the list of potential major tournaments as sport
governing bodies demand larger and better facilities. And while the Twin Cities offer competitive
venues in some sports, they are not competitive beyond the local level in aquatics, track and field,
soccer or cricket.
The second issue speaks to the purpose of sport facilities. Such venues have the potential to
host new sport tourism events, and to support high performance athlete training as an ongoing use.
For example, training in a fifty metre pool is much more effective than training in a twenty-five metre
pool for athletes competing beyond the provincial level. Many of the community groups that
participated in the focus groups for both the Master Plans and the Sport Tourism Strategy put
significant emphasis on the training benefits and capacity as a primary rationale for such
investments. To support this rationale, the cities must address the role of a municipality in
supporting high performance training. Local sport organizations that aspire to support high
performance athletes often believe the municipality should take a stronger leadership and
investment role with respect to providing higher quality sport facilities, and as importantly, preferred
access times to support high performance training opportunities. However, high performance
training facilities have traditionally been provided at university venues, or have evolved as legacy
components of Commonwealth, Pan American and Olympic Games investments by federal and
provincial governments. High performance training support tends to be the responsibility of the
federal and provincial governments, the Canadian Olympic Committee, corporate sponsors and
others who provide funding and centres of excellence for these sports. Many municipalities feel that
their priority should be on broad-based community use and on maximizing overall participation in
order to enhance the physical health and well-being of its residents.
Both Kitchener and Waterloo have a significant focus on community use of their recreation and
sports facilities. Both Cities have upgraded some facilities and made significant investments in
others to support certain levels of sport tourism and high performance activities.
Facilities at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium and RIM Park clearly provide venues for high
performance training, including the fitness facilities that are increasingly important in high
performance athlete training venues.
In terms of aquatic facilities, high performance training in Kitchener and Waterloo is limited, as 25
metres pools are not seen as ideal for this type of training when swim meets and other aquatic
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 36
events require 50 metre pools and full diving facilities. Therefore, the only significant high end
training facility available for aquatics would be at the Wilfred Laurier University which has limited
opportunities for community use due to university priorities.
From a stadium perspective, Centennial and University Stadiums provide some capacity for high
performance training. However, their use is seasonally based, and in today's world, high
performance athlete training requires ayear-round regimen. Therefore, a facility such as the
Toronto Track and Field Centre at York University is critical for elite track and field athlete training
and event needs.
Many high performance athletes who participate in development programs travel long distances to
train. Skaters from southwestern Ontario travel to the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie which
has been identified as a high performance training centre. Gymnasts also travel to the separate
boys and girls gymnastic clubs in Burlington and to the dedicated facility in Woodstock. Kitchener
and Waterloo residents sometimes travel to London or Etobicoke to train in a 50 metre pool.
A third issue is the relationship between population size and the scale of sports facilities that
are sustainable. Kitchener and Waterloo cannot each support a 10,000 seat arena or fifty metre 1
diving well aquatic complex. In fact, most of the facilities required to support an expanded sport
tourism market can only be justified if they serve the larger population of the Twin Cities. Whether
the two municipalities act alone, or in partnership with universities or others, agreement frameworks
will need to be developed that support joint venture activities, as developing competing facilities is
not a viable or reasonable strategy.
The fourth issue involves community use priorities. The City of Kitchener Parks and Recreation
Master Plan and similar policies for the City of Waterloo's recreation facilities focus on the
importance of a broad mix of recreational and leisure opportunities that respond to the leisure
interests and needs of its citizens. This has been the primary development model for most of the
recreation facilities, although sport tourism has been a consideration in the ongoing development of
the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, RIM Park, the Peter Hallman Ball Yard and the
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex. These facilities focus primarily on community-based
programs, annually recurring tournaments and meets, local special events and festivals, with sport
tourism having a more limited role. More time within these facilities could be allocated to sport
tourism initiatives. However, two key considerations would need to be addressed to support a new
policy framework that placed additional emphasis on sport tourism:
• Displacement of community use would need to be approved at a policy level and
alternative spaces made available, or community programs would be diminished in
terms of the hours available and/or quality of facilities.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 37
• The larger sport facilities currently available through the Cities of Kitchener and
Waterloo can support some additional sport tourism events and tournaments,
primarily local, recurring events. However, none of these facilities has the current
capacity to significantly grow the area's presence in the higher end sport tourism
market, where the scale and quality of the facility becomes one of the dominant
eligibility requirements.
As operational and capital funding for municipal sports facilities is generally supported by property
taxpayers, municipalities typically put more emphasis on community use as it involves the most
number of beneficiaries. Striking a balance between community use, high performance athlete
training and sport tourism activities is an important policy and investment decision for any
municipality. The following issues must be addressed in formulating such a policy:
• The number of athletes, on a sustained year-to-year basis, that would actually benefit
from enhanced training facilities (or enhanced access to existing facilities);
• The number of schedule disruptions that a regular community user group can absorb
without its programs being inordinately affected. This is an important consideration,
because many community users groups feel they need a regular and consistent
scheduling regime.
• Do community use revenues financially subsidize sport tourism events or high
performance athlete development? This perspective has been along-standing area
of contention in many minor hockey and figure skating organizations.
The policy focus needs to articulate clearly what the priority is between community use, high
performance athlete development and sport tourism events. Most communities position their
leisure services to focus on community use in terms of the benefits associated with physical heath
and well-being, socialization, skills development, youth behaviour and related outcomes. The
competitive and sport tourism dimensions traditionally were add-ons to enhance programs, such as
minor hockey, figure skating or aquatics. Today however, sport tourism has become more visible,
focused and rigorous, and the facility demands for sport tourism and elite athlete training have
intensified facility access challenges.
As a policy example, the Woodstock and District Community Centre, a twin pad facility with nearly
3,000 seats, quickly incurred community use and event challenges after opening. The main arena
provided a range of features to support sport tourism and other event activities including a media
booth and wireless Internet capability. Within a fairly short period, the following questions emerged
as to the policy for "bumping" regular community use:
• What is the appropriate number of events that can disrupt regularly scheduled
community use activities? Two to three per operating sport season was identified.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 38
• How many days 1 months notice needs to be given for an event so regular users can
adjust schedules? Six to twelve months was identified.
• What is the maximum number of events a community sports organization can
operate in a year in terms of hockey tournaments or figure skating shows? Two to
three events per year was identified if the facility was at or close to capacity.
• Is a community use that is "bumped" from its regular schedule able to capture
offsetting times from either the municipal operator of the facility or the group hosting
the sporting event, and is the offsetting time of the same quality as to time of day, day
of week and facility quality? This latter point is often important in communities where
there is a significant difference in facility quality.
• When venue time is lost, will the group foregoing the time be financially compensated
if they are operating based on contracted hours?
• Can the economic impact and other benefits to the community from hosting a sport
tourism or other event be determined, and do these benefits warrant a disruption of
community user activities?
These represent some of the criteria and questions that need to be addressed in such a policy.
Municipalities are increasingly wrestling with this question as sport tourism becomes a more
significant consideration within a municipality's overall economic development strategy.
8.3 Facility Investment and Development Alternatives
8.3.1 Arena orMulti-purpose Sports and Entertainment Venue with Over 10,000 Seats
The only venue in Kitchener and Waterloo that currently has the indoor seating capacity for major
ice-based or large indoor tournaments and events is the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex's
Dom Cardillo Bowl, with approximately 6,000 seats. The Kitchener Rangers Junior A Hockey Team
is considering investments that could raise capacity to approximately 6,500 seats.
Until the mid-1990s, this was considered a larger facility at the Tier 2 event level, with considerable
competitive ability in terms of major curling events, World Junior Hockey Championships and a host
of other sport tourism initiatives. However, since the mid-1990s, the Copps Coliseum, the John
Labatt Centre, the Air Canada Centre, Ricoh Coliseum, Scotiabank Place and other facilities have
been built that have 9,000 to 21,000 seats. In addition, many of the larger indoor events have now
moved to minimum thresholds of 10,000 to 20,000 seats. As a result, the Kitchener Memorial
Auditorium is now a Tier 3 event facility, behind Tier 2 venues such as the John Labatt Centre,
Ottawa Civic Centre and the Ricoh Coliseum that are in the 10,000 seat range.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 39
For Kitchener and Waterloo to consider (together or independently) an initiative to reposition their
competitiveness for larger indoor tournaments and events, a facility in the range of 11,000 to 15,000
seats would be required. The Kitchener Rangers have identified a preference for 10,000 to 11,000
seats. Beyond that use, no other regular high volume users are identifiable. The key investment
consideration for an enlarged Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Cardillo Bowl or a new facility would
rest with:
• Anew agreement with the Kitchener Rangers that reflected the additional seating
capacity provided.
• Aggressive pursuit of larger sport tourism events requiring a facility of this size.
• Stronger pursuit of concert, entertainment, convention and trade show markets where
large spectator or floor space venues are required.
The potential for this latter market would need to be investigated separately from this report.
However, the competitive environment is intense, with Copps Coliseum and the John Labatt Centre
being within an hour of Kitchener and several venues in Toronto competing for many of the same
events.
The cost of such a facility would be significant. The John Labatt Centre, tendered in 2000, had a
finished cost of approximately $45 million, reflecting the size of the facility and the special upgrades
for the entertainment and concert components. The Greater Windsor Recreation and Sports
Centre, a new four pad facility with a 6,500 seat main bowl for the Windsor Spitfires, has a current
cost estimate of approximately $65 million ($10,000 per main bowl seat). New arenas built to NHL
standards typically cost $10,000 to $15,000 per seat. Therefore, one can assume that $80 million
to $90 million would be the minimum capital cost for an 10,000 to 15,000 seat facility depending on
land availability 1 ownership and site development costs. Project costs could easily exceed $100
million for such a development.
Considering the challenges that the Copps Coliseum has had due to it inability to attract an NHL
franchise or a similar anchor tenant, a larger arena complex within Kitchener and 1 or Waterloo
would be a significant investment if focused primarily on sport tourism rationales. Although it would
create eligibility to host large, high profile, bid-oriented events, the frequency of such events is
limited. Several other considerations need to be assessed relative to such an investment
• The erosion of eligibility for sport tourism events will likely continue as demand for
seating and amenities increase and the Auditorium continues to age.
• The introduction of a newer and marginally larger facility in Windsor will create
additional competition.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 40
• New, but smaller facilities in Oshawa, Sault Ste. Marie and other locations could
result in increased competition in the market niche that the Kitchener Auditorium
currently operates within.
If the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex were in need of replacement due to its age, the
rationale for a larger indoor arena would have a different decision model as only the incremental
cost of additional seats would need to be considered, not the cost of an entire new facility.
In terms of location, there are different views regarding the ideal site characteristics for such
facilities. London has experienced considerable success with a downtown facility, which Guelph
has also developed. Other arenas have been developed on the periphery of communities in order
to acquire large tracks of land for surface parking. Four general options would appear to prevail in
Kitchener and Waterloo for such a facility:
• A downtown location as part of downtown redevelopment and renewal.
• Expansion of the existing Cardillo Bowl.
• Reuse of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex site, possibly resulting in the
demolition of Centennial Stadium and Jack Couch Ball Field in order to support a
larger facility and additional parking.
• A green field operation where 50 to 100 acres of property would need to be acquired,
depending on availability of public transit, surface parking needs and overall building
scope.
The major feasibility considerations associated with a new indoor facility are as follows:
• What are the life expectancy and the building expansion potential of the current
Cardillo Bowl at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex?
• What seating capacity can be supported by the Kitchener Rangers as a high volume
tenant?
• What is the likely erosion of facility competitiveness as sport tourism events look for
greater seating capacity and enhanced facility quality?
• What will be the impact of new competitive facilities in Ontario that will operate in the
current Auditorium market segment for sport tourism events, concerts and related
activities?
• Will using the current Auditorium site result in a need to replace the stadium and
baseball complex?
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 41
• What is the potential of a larger venue for the concert, entertainment, convention and
trade show markets?
Beyond the needs of the Kitchener Rangers, the gain in sports tournament hosting capacity in an
increasingly competitive market represents a significant challenge in rationalizing such a facility.
Expanding the Cardillo Bowl, if possible, could enhance the feasibility of such an investment due to
potentially lower capital costs. As a replacement for the Cardillo Bowl at the end of its life cycle, a
new arena would have a different investment analysis. The City of Oshawa, for example, was
faced with a $27 million cost to modernize the Oshawa Civic Centre. Rather than invest this money
in the current building, it used these funds to support the development of the new $45 million
General Motors Centre.
8.3.2 Track and Field Sfadium
In both the Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan and this Sport Tourism Strategy, track and field
facilities were identified as a major gap by user groups. This occurs from several perspectives for
the two facilities available:
• University Stadium has only six lanes, versus the eight lanes required for larger
events. The venue cannot be expanded without adversely affecting the primary use
of the stadium, which is the football field for the two universities.
• Centennial Stadium is forty years old and has evident limitations. The City is
undertaking athree-year interim investment in resurfacing the eight lane track, after
which a major rebuild of the track would be required.
• Centennial Stadium's future could be shaped in part by whatever decisions are made
around a new arena complex.
• In Ontario, these two stadiums compete against the eight lane, all weather track at
the 8,200 seat TD Waterhouse Canada Games Stadium in London, Ivor Wynn
Stadium in Hamilton, and numerous university facilities in other centres. University
and Centennial Stadiums, once the tatter's track is improved, can host local and
regional meets, high school events and limited provincial meets. However, neither
stadium is suitable for high performance training, provincial, national and international
events.
Another challenge for multi-use track and field stadiums is the use of the infield to support football,
soccer, field hockey and other field activities. Many national and international track and field events
require the field sports to be held within the seated portion of the stadium. This was a major design
challenge for the TD Waterhouse Canada Games Stadium in London and remains a gap in terms of
their ability to host larger events. A dedicated track and field stadium is the most direct way to
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 42
facilitate this requirement, although others have been able to accommodate multi-use through
portable systems and flexible operating models
To expand sport tourism opportunities in the track and field sector, an enhanced stadium complex
would be needed. The preferred model, used in communities such as London, Guelph and
Windsor, is to establish a partnership with a university in order to maximize the utilization of the
track and field complex. The multiple uses, including football, soccer; and track and field for
community use and university varsity, intramural and academic programs, intensify the facility
utilization and improve the return on investment. However, if University Stadium is not expandable,
this joint use option likely does not exist in Kitchener and Waterloo.
Therefore, three options would prevail:
• Redevelopment of Centennial Stadium at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Complex.
• If Centennial Stadium is not available due to the need for a larger indoor arena on
that site, potential redevelopment of a secondary school venue, such as Resurrection
College or Huron Heights Secondary School could be considered if land is available.
• Development of a green field stadium.
The first option, Centennial Stadium, would appear to be the most practical as significant
infrastructure is already available in terms of parking, track, infield and stadium. Also, Centennial
Stadium has access advantages, being directly on the Conestoga Parkway. A renewal project
would be required involving approximately $750,000 to support a permanent all weather track and
other track and field resources, plus $2 million to $3 million to enhance the infield, stadium
bleachers, amenities and lighting for a total project budget of $3 million to $4 million.
Developing a facility at one of the two newest secondary schools in Kitchener could also be
considered. However, both sites have limitations in terms of size and would likely have challenges
in developing permanent seating and a field house. This model would require a partnership with
one of the local School Boards. Resurrection College is central to both communities, being
proximate to the border between Kitchener and Waterloo. Huron Heights in southern Kitchener is
less accessible for out of town travelers and is further from Waterloo users
Such a strategy would likely cost $5 million to $7 million as there is limited existing infrastructure
such as parking, lighting, permanent bleachers and field house
The third option would be a green field strategy. This would likely be on the periphery of the two
communities on a site in excess of thirty acres. This would be the most costly strategy, as the
complete stadium complex would need to be developed from scratch. In 2000, the tender for the
TD Waterhouse Canada Stadium in London was $11.3 million on land already owned by the
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 43
University of Western Ontario. This provided 8,200 permanent seats, a field house, an eight lane all
weather track and amulti-use infield with television quality lighting. Seating requirements could be
reduced, with some cost savings. However, the other venue elements should be at the same or
higher quality level. Based on this experience and allowing for the substantial increase in
construction costs that has occurred since 2000, a $10 million to $12 million budget plus the
purchase of land, would be the minimum investment required to provide an Athletics venue for
enhanced sport tourism and community programs.
If the primary purpose of expanding track and field capacity is to support broadly-based community
needs and provide additional opportunities for larger regional, national and international events, the
preferred solution would be redevelopment of Centennial Stadium due to access, the infrastructure
already in place, the ability to manage major facilities on one site and the branded awareness of the
facility. However, moving forward on Centennial Stadium is dependent on the expansion plans for
the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex.
Under ideal circumstances, development of new sports facilities targeting major national and
international sport tourism opportunities would also provide infrastructure for elite athlete training.
The year-round use of such facilities for elite athlete training, in conjunction with year round use by
other stakeholders, provides a stronger economic justification for the capital investment required.
While an outdoor stadium as described above would provide capacity to pursue larger national and
international events, it would not fully address the needs for elite athlete training and for year-round
use by other stakeholders. To establish a centre for high-performance Athletics training, an indoor
facility would be required. The Toronto Track and Field Centre, located on the campus of York
University, offers the following indoor facilities:
Five-lane 200-metre banked
oval track Eight-lane 60-metre
sprint/hurdle runway with
photo-timers booth Three-lane 30-metre warm-up,
sprint and hurdle runways
Two long jump/triple jump Pole vaulting area (10-metre Two high jump areas
runways (common pit) clearance)
Shot-put throwing circle and Discus throwing area with Two meeting rooms
cage curtain
Training facility containing Observation gallery- Sports Injuries Clinic
light, heavy, and Olympic washroom, locker rooms with
free weights showers
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 44
8.3.3 Aquatic Facilities
Aquatic facilities in Kitchener and Waterloo include:
• Four community pools in the City of Kitchener, with a fifth pool proposed for the
South District Community Centre.
• A multi-pool complex at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.
• One existing and one proposed YMCA fitness and instruction pools.
• Atwenty-five-metre pool at the University of Waterloo.
• A six-lane, fifty-metre pool at Wilfred Laurier University.
Based on the 1991 Kitchener Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the 2005 Kitchener Leisure
Facilities Master Plan and consultation for the Kitchener-Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy, there
continues to be support for an enhanced aquatic facility for both high performance training and
aquatics events beyond a regional level. The minimum requirement for an enhanced aquatics
complex would be:
• Fifty-metre tank with at least one bulkhead.
• Attached or separate diving well with one-metre and three-metre boards and five-
metre and ten-metre towers.
• Seating for up to 2,000.
• Dry land training room, meeting rooms and related ancillary spaces.
• Television lighting and electronic scoring and timing equipment.
If international and some national events were of interest, swarm-up pool would be required for
swimming and a second tank for diving.
Kitchener and Waterloo, in their bid for the 2001 Canada Summer Games, proposed a $2.7 million
expansion of the Laurier pool to eight lanes. In 1990, the City of London invested $10.5 million for
an aquatic facility with afifty-metre, eight lane tank, five-metre long diving well eight lanes wide and
a full diving tower, and approximately 200 seats. For the 2001 Canada Games, a $3 million
renovation and expansion was required to increase the seating, enlarge the locker rooms and add a
meeting room.
To support enhanced sport tourism potential and high performance training, four options should be
considered:
• Expansion of the Wilfred Laurier University pool.
• A partnership with the University of Waterloo for a new pool.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 45
• Modification of the plans for the South Kitchener District Community Centre pool from
a community pool to a competitive aquatics centre.
• A green field facility.
Expansion of the Wilfred Laurier pool has been proposed previously. The likely cost to expand the
pool plus add a full diving facility would be in the $6 million to $7 million range. The benefits of such
a strategy would be:
• Lowest capital cost.
• Ties in multiple user groups to intensify use of a larger pool complex, including the
University's aquatics teams, intramural sports and academic programs.
• Integrates with an existing pool operation.
• Reasonably accessible from the Conestoga Parkway.
• Located in a high density student area and on major bus routes.
The key concerns with this option would be:
• Proximity to the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex and the proposed Waterloo
YMCA could result in cannibalizing existing programs.
• Not centrally located within the two municipalities.
• Need to ensure public access and affordability.
This model has significant operating and capital cost benefits, provided that space constraints on
the Laurier campus can be overcome. A comprehensive partnership agreement would need to be
established to ensure community access to the facilities. A separate operating body or authority
should be considered.
The University of Waterloo has an existing indoor pool, although at 25 metres it does not meet the
requirements for major events. The University has significant land at the Columbia Ice Fields where
an aquatics facility could be developed. This would add to the cluster of sports facilities that
currently exists, which are proximate to the student residences. Such a pool would be consistent
with current operations at the University and would have intensified use from both University and
community programming.
The likely cost of an addition to the Columbia Icefields complex, given the existing infrastructure and
assuming land was contributed by the University, would be in the order of $18 million to $22 million.
Again, a partnership agreement that clearly demonstrated community affordability and accessibility
would be needed.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 46
In the 2005 City of Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan, a fifth indoor community pool was
identified for the South Kitchener District Community Centre. This would be located in the further
southern reaches of the City in order to create another district recreation facility and park complex
similar to those at Breithaupt, Forest Heights and Grand River, resulting in one such complex in
each quadrant of the City.
Currently, the City of Kitchener operates four community-based pools that have limited competitive
capacity. One pool, Cameron Heights, has had diminished use over the last number of years and
the Master Plan did present options for the possible closure of that pool due to access and other
challenges. This pool has become a more specialized venue for leadership training and aquatic
club use, with less emphasis on instructional, fitness and public swimming.
Under this option the proposed South Kitchener community pool would be upgraded to an aquatic
centre. The aquatic complex would cost in the $20 million to $25 million range, which would be
approximately $18 million to $20 million over and above the proposed community pool cost.
Additional land costs and site development requirements would be major components of this cost.
As this option expands the capabilities of the proposed community pool, it would not create
additional pool capacity in the community-based aquatics market. This strategy has the following
significant challenges:
• Would not have the diversified user base that a university venue would enjoy.
• Would be located in an area most distant from the total service population,
particularly for Waterloo users.
• Would be less visible and accessible for inbound participants and spectators.
• Could result in reduced community access as one trade-off for a competitive pool
strategy.
The fourth option would be to develop a green fields aquatic centre, probably as a stand alone
facility, as few other multi-use choices exist beyond the ones discussed. Such a venture would cost
$30 million or more, as ten to twenty acres of land would be required, site development costs would
be significant and no capital economies of scale would be available.
This strategy would be the least desirable, as it would likely require the facility to be on the
periphery of the communities, would have the highest capital and operating costs and would
increase overall aquatic services capacity in the two communities to the financial detriment of the
existing indoors, which already experience significant operating deficits.
The preferred strategy, if practical and feasible via a partnership agreement, would be to enlarge
the Wilfred Laurier pool. It has the lowest capital cost, builds on an existing pool operation, does
not increasing pool capacity significantly, and operates within an existing organization. It would
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 47
have the dual utilization of university programs and community use. If this option is not feasible, the
second preferred option would be development of an aquatics facility with the University of
Waterloo. This would have similar user profiles, but the capital cost would be higher. For both
models, a comprehensive community use framework would be required, and consideration should
be given to a joint governance structure.
Fifty-metre pool complexes have variable operating deficits, ranging from approximately $400,000
to $500,000 a year for the London Aquatic Centre to over $600,000 a year for the Gretzky Centre in
Brantford. Therefore, the ability to sustain the annual operating cost of such a facility becomes a
critical factor. Only one major aquatics centre is practical or required within a population of
500,000+ people. In order to enhance the feasibility and reduce the operating deficits associated
with an indoor aquatic facility of the magnitude discussed, maximizing total market utilization
becomes absolutely essential and municipal boundaries are not a factor when trying to maximize
utilization.
Therefore, such a facility would need support from both Cities matter where it is located. Kitchener
and Waterloo have worked together on a number of initiatives, including pursuit of the Ontario
Games, Canada Games and numerous other sport tourism events. A joint investment in an aquatic
centre would represent a large scale cooperative venture, but this approach would be the most
practical for such a facility.
8.3.4 Soccer/ Fields Complex
Soccer is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. In 2005, soccer registrations involved
500,000 individuals in Canada, the largest for any sport. By 2010, Soccer Canada projects 1 million
registrants.
Soccer's growth is coming about from three key factors:
• The significant number of new immigrants to Canada, many of whom have played or
are familiar with soccer.
• The low cost of participation relative to equipment and fees.
• The aerobic activity and exercise that is viewed as beneficial for both youth and adult
participants.
Over the next ten years, projections indicate significant growth in youth soccer, but more importantly
in adult soccer, as many youths carry soccer-based activity and fitness preferences into their adult
life. The emergence of masters and adult soccer leagues reflects the same trends that occurred for
hockey many decades ago and slo-pitch in the 1970s and 1980s. Therefore, demand levels for
soccer are likely to grow significantly across all age levels.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 48
The Waterloo Minor Soccer Association has identified a need for substantial growth in soccer pitch
capacity. They have proposed a joint facility with the University of Waterloo.
The City of Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan identified the need for increased soccer pitches
in several locations in the City, including the South Kitchener District Park.
Currently, the City of Waterloo has developed twelve soccer pitches on two components of RIM
Park. One site has nine soccer pitches and the other three, which are separate from the main
facility. RIM Park also offers indoor soccer facilities. This development represents a significant
investment in soccer field capacity and is reflective of the growing prominence of the sport and the
trend to create larger complexes.
In Kitchener, Budd Park on Homer Watson Boulevard has been developed as a primary soccer
venue, with three full sized soccer pitches and an indoor soccer facility. The City has not developed
an aggregated soccer complex and has used a more distributed delivery model. Additional full
sized soccer pitches are scheduled for the South Kitchener District Park.
The growth of soccer has created increasing interest in local, recurring tournaments for boys and
girls at both house league and competitive levels. In the future, adult and masters tournaments will
increase for both men and women. From a sport tourism perspective, the development of a multi-
field soccer complex, including a signature field with seating and a clubhouse I service centre is
gaining more prominence. The Town of Lakeshore has developed afifty-acre facility with nine
fields and a proposed clubhouse, seating and related facilities. The City of Windsor has developed
a similar facility along Highway 401 at the entrance to the community. The City of London has
developed asix-field complex that has become a tournament centre and is considering a second
complex. Burlington, Oakville and many other communities are moving to the high quality
aggregated field model that supports local association play and sport tourism interests for both local
associations and larger events.
Developing a soccer complex to support tournament play as well as local use is a practical
investment in light of the growth that is occurring in the sport and the concerns over field capacities.
Both municipalities will be investing significantly in soccer fields directly or in partnership with user
groups, as the continuing pressure for expanded capacity grows.
A soccer complex may be designed to support other sports, such as football, rugby and potentially
cricket, all of which could use the clubhouse, seating, parking and related resources for their annual
recurring and larger sport tourism events. This integrated, multi-use approach should be
considered to capture the maximum benefit across multiple sports.
Another feature of such a complex would be its ability to support created events. The World
Frisbee Championships, community festivals, outdoor concerts, fireworks displays and other
activities can be peripheral uses for such a venue if designed with flexibility and multi-use goals.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 49
This multi-use perspective can maximize the return on investment, but will require a strong
scheduling, priority and user group framework to ensure fairness and equity of access.
Budd Park would be the preferred location for a soccer complex due to its accessibility, strong
soccer focus and current quality levels, along with both the indoor and outdoor capacities.
Expanding Budd Park should be considered as a potential platform for a soccer complex, whether
stand alone for the City of Kitchener or joint use. However, its accessibility from Waterloo would
likely reduce the interest of Waterloo users in terms of the community use of that facility.
Additionally, expandability of the venue is a significant constraint in terms of adding five to seven
full-size soccer pitches, stadium seating and expanded clubhouse facilities. Therefore, Budd Park
represents a strategy for the City of Kitchener, dependent on the ability to secure adequate
additional lands, which is likely limited or relatively unattainable at this time due to the surrounding
industrial land uses.
Given the constraints associated with expanding Budd Park, four development opportunities are
identified at this time for additional, high level soccer facilities:
• Partnership with the University of Waterloo as proposed by Waterloo Minor Soccer
Association.
• Expansion of RIM Park.
• Kitchener South District Park.
• Green fields development.
The University of Waterloo has significant lands already associated with soccer and available to
support such activity. There is good access from the Conestoga Parkway to the Columbia Avenue
site. Also, university and community uses would prevail, thus intensifying the overall utilization and
revenue potential. The University already maintains fields and has operating capacity. However, a
strong community access and affordability framework would need to be developed which could be a
significant challenge. This would need to bean evident pre-condition for such a venture.
One of the challenges of this approach would be its distance from the Kitchener population. As
well, Kitchener has its own Minor Soccer Association that plays on city fields, and the benefit of
such a development to Kitchener groups would be reduced and potentially negligible.
The second option would be expansion of the RIM Park soccer fields. Current investigations are
examining the potential for three additional full-sized fields. These would likely be offsets for the
potential loss of the fields at Bechtel Park if Parkview Cemetery is expanded. However, the benefit
of this strategy would be the consolidation of fields onto one site supporting large tournament play.
The South Kitchener District Park is a major future investment for the City of Kitchener. If additional
lands could be purchased, a soccer complex could be developed there, building on the current
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 50
development model for the site which already incorporates two full-sized soccer fields and other
services. The site is intended to have parking and other amenities, and therefore a key building
block would be in place. Additional lands would likely be needed to support such a soccer complex
so that other proposed uses are not displaced, as they are important within the overall context of
serving the southern area of Kitchener as a district park.
The issues with the South Kitchener District Park are two-fold. The first is accessibility, which is not
ideal given the location and distance from the population. The second issue is that this site would
have marginal benefit to Waterloo groups who play on their own fields and would be a significant
distance from this site.
The fourth strategy would be a green field site close to the border of the two municipalities where
joint use could be more feasible for the various leagues within Kitchener and Waterloo. A site of
potentially 50 to 75 acres would be required, with the development of eight to twelve full playing
fields along with mini fields. A cricket facility could also be considered to capture economies of
scale from joint use. The ancillary amenities would include a clubhouse, parking, bleachers and
field separation space, with one field designed as the stadium pitch for tournaments playoffs and
finals.
This model would support joint use between the municipalities as proximity to both communities
would allow utilization by both youth and adult soccer leagues on a day-to-day basis, as well as
sport tourism initiatives. However, such a model would not encompass the university programs to
intensify the utilization of the venue.
In the end, two options emerge as possible. The first would be for each municipality to pursue its
own complex, South Kitchener District Park for Kitchener and adding to RIM Park or the University
of Waterloo partnership in Waterloo. Such strategies would recognize that this sport is realizing
significant growth, the youth programs are municipally-based and overall capacity needs will grow
significantly throughout the Twin Cities for the next ten to twenty years.
This option would involve two smaller developments with costs in the $5 million range over aten-
yeardevelopment period, involving land, site and field development, including lighting and irrigation
of one or two fields. This strategy would need to eventually consider a clubhouse, permanent
seating and related amenities. In total, a $10 million to $12 million investment between the two
municipalities would likely be required for the two venues. The final cost would depend on what
partnerships and what current investment plans are already in place that could reduce the costs.
The second option is a green field site. This approach would likely cost in the $12 million to $15
million range to purchase land, undertake site development and the stand alone construction costs
of a clubhouse 1 support facilities, and a stadium field.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 51
8.3.5 Baseball
Baseball has had significant declines in participation over the last decade. In some communities,
the declines have been in the 30% to 60% range since the Toronto Blue Jays last won the World
Series. Baseball has been impacted by soccer, golf and other sports. Key issues that have often
been cited by parent focus groups include the limited aerobic activity, the uncertainty of game
length and the pace of play.
The City of Kitchener has developed significant baseball facilities. The Jack Couch Baseball Field
at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex provides a single field tournament site and supports
Inter-county and Junior league play. The Peter Hallman Ball Yards has been developed as a
tournament site for slo-pitch and softball and has hosted International Softball Congress events on
several occasions.
The City of Kitchener also has ball fields at Breithaupt Park, Wilson Park and other locations that
can supplement the primary tournament venues.
In regards to the Kitchener Leisure Facilities Master Plan and the consultation program for the
Kitchener-Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy, no strong evidence was provided of the need for
additional baseball facilities, either for hard ball, soft ball or slo-pitch. The largest events from a
sport tourism perspective are the major adult slo-pitch tournaments, which have historically been
anchored in St. Catharines, Dorchester and London, all having complexes with four to twelve fields
for this activity. Two of the complexes are publicly owned and one is privately operated. However,
the number of teams participating in slo-pitch has declined in most municipalities, similar to what
has occurred in minor baseball.
Relative to baseball sport tourism initiatives, continued investment in Peter Hallman Ball Yards
appears to be the most appropriate strategy in light of its history of events, capacity and
accessibility. No initiatives associated with hard ball are identified at this time as additional
tournament play opportunities are not deemed to be significant.
In the consultation program for the Sport Tourism Strategy, a baseball group in Waterloo did identify
a deficit in facilities that could be used for local, recurring tournaments and some provincial
tournaments. However, additional fields of higher quality would be needed. The preferred strategy
to address this need would be to enhance existing fields and to develop new fields in emerging
district parks as they are developed within the Waterloo area. A baseball complex is not seen as a
priority investment in light of the competitive environment and opportunities in other sport tourism
sectors.
8.4 Facility Development Strategies
In assessing the value of these investments, the key considerations include:
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 52
• Such facilities support higher level sport tourism events that can bring economic
benefits and visibility to the community.
• These facilities also become a significant resource for the training and development
of high performance athletes which can attract coaches, participants, sponsors and
others to the community to utilize such facilities, as these training centres draw from
large regional audiences.
• Some of these facilities would provide enhanced community use for both recreational
and competitive play, replacing aging and higher operating cost facilities.
• Certain economies of scale could be realized if such facilities were to replace venues
scheduled to be de-commissioned, or developed based on a proposed or existing
facility investment platforms.
• Green field development of stand alone facilities is the most capital intensive
alternative and has the most significant operating cost requirements. This would be
the least preferred way to proceed.
Many of the sport tourism facilities required for Kitchener and Waterloo to attract larger regional and
national events can only be supported by the larger population base of the combined cities.
Kitchener and Waterloo would need to consider the joint development of these facilities, as such
venues, with the exception of soccer, are of a magnitude that only one would be required in the
Twin Cities market.
To support the significant investment and ongoing operating costs of such venues, high utilization
from a broad range of user groups is required. As noted earlier, sport tourism activity in and of itself
cannot sustain the development of major new sport facilities. Accordingly, the preferred model, if
appropriate partnership frameworks can be developed to ensure community affordability and
access, would be partnerships with the universities or other stakeholders that represent the primary
local market demand for the facilities. Such an approach would provide utilization from:
• Community groups and programs.
• University programs for academic, intramural, recreational and varsity use.
• Local recurring tournaments for youth and adult leagues.
• Higher level tournaments, meets and events.
• Elite athlete training
• Special events and festivals.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 53
City and university partnerships for an aquatic centre to serve the Twin Cities, and for soccer fields
to serve the City of Waterloo, warrant further investigation. However, it is less evident that such a
partnership would be viable for a stadium or a larger multi-purpose arena and entertainment
complex.
If partnerships with the universities are not possible, the other options would be:
• Joint development between the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo.
• Development by an individual municipality.
• Not to pursue further investments in this sport tourism market segment.
In the end, the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo face a sport tourism market segment that they
cannot currently pursue. Due to the continuing changes in hosting requirements, the municipalities
may experience further erosion in their tournament hosting capacity. Therefore, consideration
needs to be given to assessing whether the municipalities, alone or jointly, wish to develop the
facilities required to pursue this sport tourism market segment in order to sustain the long tradition
of tournament hosting and to expand their involvement in this market segment. The willingness and
ability to invest significant funds, alone or via partnerships, and to support the ongoing costs of
pursuing opportunities in this market segment are the critical decision points. There is no point in
developing these facilities if the organizational infrastructure is not in place to actively pursue the
events for which these facilities are developed. The facilities and the organizational capacity to
attract events go hand-in-hand and must be assessed and planned for collectively.
Probably the most significant consideration in developing a strategy for this sport tourism market
segment is the future of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex. This is reflected in two key
considerations:
• If expanding or replacing this facility were to be undertaken, the capital dollars
required could displace investments for the other facilities discussed in this report,
unless apartnership-based strategy could be developed.
• Any Centennial Stadium redevelopment strategy is dependent on the future direction
for the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, and therefore, these two initiatives are closely
aligned in terms of the alternatives available.
For the other major sports facilities discussed in this report, the key considerations are summarized
below:
• Soccer facilities have greater feasibility in that significant investment in new soccer
pitches will be required over the next ten to fifteen years to support the community
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 54
growth in the sport. As such, the sport tourism dimensions can be incorporated on
an incremental cost basis.
• An aquatic centre is a high capital and operating cost facility. Kitchener and Waterloo
have a potential option in regards to an expansion proposal at the Wilfred Laurier
pool that has significantly lower capital costs if feasible and the required community
access and affordability framework were achievable. The other aquatic facility
investment alternatives are substantially more expensive.
• Business cases will need to be developed for initiatives pursued for this sport tourism
market segment, based on community use, events and high performance training.
8.5 South Kitchener District Park 1 Community Centre
For the City of Kitchener, questions have been raised in regards to what potential role the South
Kitchener District Park and Community Centre could play in the sport tourism strategy. As a green
field development, the opportunity to incorporate higher quality facilities for sport tourism initiatives
could be considered. However, the following key principles need to be insured:
• The recommendation to develop this venue, for both the park and the community
centre components, was based on a district servicing strategy and the provision of
such resources in each of the four quadrants of Kitchener. Therefore, community
use and access need to be insured.
• Site expandability to facilitate a soccer complex or other uses would need to be
viable.
• The park's location is less attractive from a sport tourism perspective when one of the
key considerations is convenient access for out of town participants and spectators.
Supporting amenities such as restaurants, accommodation, retail, attractions and
related event needs, are limited.
Based on the sport tourism facility initiatives profiled, the soccer complex is the only immediate
opportunity with potential for the South Kitchener District Park. The other facility initiatives, primarily
due to location or preferred alternatives, are significantly less desirable at this venue.
From a longer term perspective, four pad arenas have become an emerging standard for annual
recurring tournaments and league operations. The Cities of London, Hamilton, St. Catharines,
Waterloo, Pickering, Windsor and other communities have moved in this direction. The City of
Burlington in 2008 will add two more ice surfaces to the Appleby Centre and join this group. Other
communities are considering such strategies as well, which is driven primarily from two
perspectives:
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 55
• Economies of scale for both arena capital and operating costs.
• Sport tourism enhancements, as tournaments can operate from one site.
One of the potential considerations for the South Kitchener District Community Centre would be the
addition of two more ice surfaces over the longer term, post-2015, to create a four pad facility. The
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex offers a three pad facility for sport tourism events.
However, in the long-term, the growing community demand for ice time could support a new four
pad complex without undermining utilization of the Aud. This could also free up facilities at the Aud
to support other sport tourism initiatives, additional floor shows and other non-ice activities.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 56
9.0 Findings and Conclusions
9.1 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats
The Kitchener-Waterloo area has a host of excellent community recreation and sport facilities with
proven capacity for sports events. Most notable amongst these facilities are:
These "first tier" sports facilities
are supported by a broad range
of indoor and outdoor facilities,
allowing the Twin Cities to host
large tournaments in hockey,
soccer and baseball, amongst
others.
RIM Park Kitchener Memorial
Auditorium
Waterloo Memorial Peter Hallman Ball Yards
Recreation Complex
Wilfred Laurier Athletic Budd Park
Complex
WLU University Stadium
As good as these facilities are, they do not bestow any particular competitive advantage on the
Twin Cities. London, Hamilton and Ottawa have larger arenas and stadia. On a national scale,
cities such as Halifax, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary also have larger arenas and stadia, and
face less provincial competition - a significant factor for events that have a geographic rotation
policy. Facility size will preclude the pursuit of a number of national and international events that
provincial competitors such as Hamilton, London and Ottawa, and national competitors such as
Halifax and Winnipeg, are able to pursue.
Venue capacity is a constraint for every city to some degree -Toronto had to build a 20,000 seat
stadium to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup. To pursue larger sport tourism events, the Twin Cities
would need an arena of at least 10,000 seats. However, the Twin Cities would still be competing
with Hamilton, Ottawa and London for events such as the Brier or World Juniors, and could only
expect to land such events every ten to twenty years. As such, large sports tournaments will not
have a material impact on the feasibility of a new sports and entertainment facility. Such a
development will require additional local market support from resident sports teams and a strong
calendar of concerts, consumer and trade shows and other such events.
To move into larger events in other sport areas, afifty-metre pool
with a diving well, a new outdoor stadium with an eight-lane track
and a soccer complex represent areas for potential investment.
Unlike amulti-purpose sports and entertainment venue which can
attain some degree of financial self sufficiency from resident
sports teams, concerts and other events, these specialized sports
venues would likely require ongoing operating support from the
municipalities or local sports groups.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 57
The development of such facilities, therefore, must be based on local market demand and ideally,
would be done in partnership with an educational institution and/or sports group to provide ongoing
support.
As noted earlier, many of the marquee events are only available to a municipality every ten or
twenty years. There is a growing school of thought that suggests the economic impact of major
events is grossly overstated, as it fails to take into consideration the crowding out of normal travel,
disruption of typical local business patterns, leakage of expenditures outside of the community, and
trailing infrastructure support costs. It can be argued that a series of smaller events, and in
particular recurring annual events, can bring more long-term economic benefit to a community than
one major event every decade.
Tournament hosting capacity is also constrained by the current level of facility utilization.
Community sports leagues and recreational programs consume a significant amount of available
time for local sports fields and recreational facilities, limiting the amount of time available for hosting
sports tournaments without displacing local programs. However, this situation is not unique to the
Twin Cities, and is not considered a material competitive disadvantage.
In terms of organizational infrastructure, the Twin Cities have well established leagues and sports
tournament hosting capacity in several sports, including hockey, baseball, soccer, figure skating
and water polo. From a marketing perspective, the Twin Cities are at a disadvantage compared to
most of their provincial and national rivals which have established specialized sport tourism
marketing organizations. The Twin Cities also lack an established central Destination Marketing
Organization to promote the region as a tourist destination.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 58
10.0 Strategic Framework
The Sport Tourism Strategy is built upon five platforms:
1. Developing community capacity -programs and services to assist event organizers
in delivering well-managed and sustainable events.
2. Enhancing event impact -strategies to help selected events increase economic and
community development impacts.
3. Attracting new, high impact events -initiatives to attract new events that support the
Twin Cities' goals and objectives.
4. Exploring opportunities for created events
5. Increasing community support for and understanding of sport Tourism
10.1 Developing Community Capacity
As noted earlier, the Twin Cities have an impressive line-up of sports tournaments, including annual
events in youth hockey and soccer, and events such as the ISC World Championships that can be
expected to return on a regular basis. The cities also have a long and successful record of hosting
events that rotate on a much longer cycle (10 to 20 years) such as the Tournament of Hearts.
Local, recurring tournaments, meets and events represent the greatest source of economic impact
and sport tourism activity in a community. Ensuring that existing events are successful and
sustainable is the foundation of this sport tourism strategy. By providing an opportunity to
participate in or be exposed to sports, these events support municipal goals for healthy living. They
are important fund raisers for local sports groups, which may lessen the demand for municipal
support and allow municipal resources to be redirected. And finally, a municipality's track record in
tournament hosting is an important consideration in bidding for new events.
While some local organizations have considerable experience and resources to support their
tournament hosting activities, this is not always the case. Volunteer capacity is an ongoing
challenge for even established organizations. Smaller groups often struggle to assemble the
management resources required, and ancillary activities (hospitality, entertainment,
accommodation, vendor recruitment and sponsorship) often suffer as a result. Many organizations
rely almost entirely on the personal knowledge and experience of their key volunteers, rather than
established operating procedures that help ensure consistency in case of management changes.
Our sport tourism strategy addresses these issues with a series of programs to build organizational
capacity in the community. Specific initiatives include:
Core Program -assemble and disseminate an Event Planning Tool Kit for current and
prospective Event Organizers. Information in the Tool Kit could include all or some of the
following:
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 59
a. Tournament Organizers Handbook, listing facilities, suppliers, hospitality and
entertainment options, accommodation, municipal contacts, local media etc.
Tourism Regina provides an excellent manual for tournament organizers that can
be used as a template.
b. Municipal Policies and Procedures -assemble all relevant municipal policies and
procedures into one reference source. Topics could include Facility Booking
Guidelines & Applications, Fee Schedules, Procedures for Road Closures;
Procedures for Vendors, Procedures for Municipal Services; Waste Management
and Recycling Guidelines; Police, Fire and Ambulance Requirements, Food
Handling and Beer Garden policies, Lottery and Raffle guidelines.
c. Standard forms and procedures -assemble examples of the forms, procedures
and agreements typically required for event operations. This could include vendor
agreements, sponsorship agreements, advertising agreements, volunteer
registration, emergency procedures.
Core Program -develop and implement a series of ongoing workshops and roundtables for
event organizers.
Optional Program -provide web-based assistance in volunteer recruitment and event
registration. There are a number of well-established software applications available for these
functions.
Optional Program -provide event management assistance through direct involvement of sport
tourism staff on the Organizing Committee for selected events. For recurring annual events,
this is typically structured as an Incubator Program, with the management support being
provided for a specified period (usually less than three years), in order to gauge the
sustainability of the event.
Optional Program -provide event financial assistance through a Sports Event Grant Program.
This could be structured as an Incubator Program to assist new events or existing events with
further growth potential that meet specific criteria (e.g. size of event, duration, time of year).
Financial assistance could be by way of direct grant, or by a waiver or reduction of municipal
charges.
10.2 Enhancing Event Impact
Event Organizing Committees focus much of their efforts on the logistics of staging the event. To
the extent marketing plays a role in event planning, it is often focused primarily at Active participants
- recruiting teams or individual athletes, as opposed to spectators. This is understandable, as the
economic benefit of additional spectators is captured by others, most notably hotels, retailers and
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 60
restaurateurs. Indeed, many of the Twin Cities' larger youth tournaments do not charge a spectator
admission fee, and so receive little tangible benefit from additional attendance.
While the Organizing Committee may not benefit greatly from additional spectator attendance, the
overall economic impact of such visitation is significant, with enhanced spending on area
accommodation, retail, foodservice and attractions. Accordingly, the Twin Cities Sport Tourism
Strategy should include programs aimed at:
1. Building attendance from spectators, particularly those outside the daytrip market; and
2. Increasing average length of stay and visitor expenditures from spectators and active
participants.
Specific initiatives include:
Core Program -working with local Destination Marketing Organizations and Event Organizers,
develop and implement an "Attendance Builder" program for use by Event Organizing
Committees. Attendance Builder programs are aimed at active participants and their families,
and seek to "expand the attraction" beyond the event itself. They are particularly important in
event categories where active participants must choose amongst a variety of possible event
venues (e.g. marathons), where the appeal of the destination can play a role in event selection.
Attendance Builder programs can include some of all of the following elements:
• Web site linkage
• Program shells
• Promotional brochures, visitor guides, visitor maps
• Promotional videos, DVDs and loops
• Suggested itineraries (e.g. for pre-and post event visits, spousal programs)
• Assistance in designing event marketing and collateral material
Core Program -facilitate the development of accommodation packages by bringing the key
stakeholders together. Stakeholders include event organizers, accommodation, restaurant and
attractions operators.
Optional Program - underwrite a portion of the marketing costs to develop andlor promote
such packages. Such support, if provided, should be based on the participation of other key
stakeholders, in particular accommodation partners, restaurants and area attractions.
10.3 Attracting New, High Impact Events
10.3.1 Establishing an Event Evaluation Framework
Attracting new sport tourism events is generally perceived as a "matching" process -identifying
prospective events with technical requirements that can be met by available sports facilities,
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 61
organizational capacity, financial resources, accommodation etc. This process is an essential one
in identifying prospective events, but our strategy adds another step to the evaluation process.
As resources are limited, it is important that the application of these resources -sports facilities,
community volunteers, city staff and financial support - be directed at new events that provide the
best return on investment. In this strategy, return on investment goes beyond the traditional
definition of economic impact, and reflects the degree of alignment between the event and the
municipal goals and objectives outlined in the cities' Strategic Plans and Departmental Plans.
The starting point in the event selection process is to establish an Evaluation Framework that
measures prospective events against municipal goals. As noted earlier, the benefits of sport
tourism can be broadly grouped into three categories:
Health and well being benefits include physical fitness and health; fun, recreation and
relaxation; sense of achievement; family or household activity; and skills development.
Social benefits include family and community cohesion; interpersonal connections;
community safety; promotion of culture, heritage and diversity; and youth development.
Economic benefits include direct and indirect expenditures by participants, volunteers and
attendees; enhanced municipal profile, and the creation of event legacies.
Using these general headings, we have developed a draft Evaluation Framework for sport tourism
events, shown on the following page.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 62
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municipal level, and to agree upon a system to assign priorities to the benefits categories.
10.3.2 Identifying Prospective Events
There are four general market segments from which the Twin Cities may draw new sport tourism
events: Local annual tournaments, meets and events; bid-based events that can be hosted with
existing facilities (Best-fit Events); Events requiring new facilities (Non-fit Events) and Created
Events.
Local, Annual Tournaments, Meets and Events
From a volume perspective over time, local, annually held tournaments, meets and events
represent the greatest source of economic impact and sport tourism activity in a community. This
outcome results from the following considerations:
• They are held annually or nearly annually compared to other events that may be
hosted once every five, ten or twenty years.
• They do not require a bid proposal or the formation of large proposal teams.
• They are integrated into the organizational infrastructure of existing groups who are
highly motivated to pursue these events for the following reasons:
o Provide diversity and unique experiences within their overall programming for
both participants and volunteers;
o Represent significant opportunities to raise funds for the local organization in
support of specific projects or to reduce participant fees;
o Have a strong history and experience base to continue to grow the event,
rather than securing new events that may have a higher risk;
o Can incorporate opportunities for current sponsors and funders to participate
on a value-added basis.
• 33% to 50% of the participants on average are from out of town and will use
accommodation, food, retail and other services providing a consistent economic
impact from year to year.
• Have broad application across all sporting activities, e.g. hockey, baseball, soccer,
aquatics, cricket, for both adults and youth, and for competitive and house league 1
recreational levels of participation.
Events in this market segment may not generate a great deal of media attention or market
awareness outside of their core stakeholders. However, they can generate significant economic
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 64
and community benefits. The primary objective should be to deliver new events in partnership with
existing community organizations. This approach allows the municipalities to support the goals of
its community stakeholder groups, lessens the financial and management burden on the
municipalities, and mitigates the impact of displacing community use of the sports venues.
Bid-Based Events on a Best Fit Basis
This market segment involves provincial, regional, national and international sporting events that
are undertaken on a bid basis. The event hosting cycle for such events can be as short as two
years for smaller niche events, to as much as twenty years for the marquee events. Successful
bids require four principal capacities:
• Facilities
• Organizational infrastructure
• Logistics and support services (e.g. accommodations, transportation, etc.).
• Financial (e. g: sponsorships, ticket sales, direct funding, etc.)
These events generally require a bid team and a bid proposal, which may entail front end costs.
The bid process is typically competitive, with an increasing number of events requiring financial
guarantees from the host community or bid sponsor. Despite the higher costs and attendant risks,
events in this category are still seen as very desirable by many communities, for the following
reasons:
• Significant potential to bring non-resident Active participants and Attendees to the
community, resulting in economic benefits to the accommodations, food services,
retail and other sectors.
• Depending on scheduling, can absorb underutilized or unutilized facilities space,
providing increased revenue for municipal and private sports facilities.
• Can provide significant public and media exposure for the community, such as the
Canada Games which now carries with it 150 hours of direct television programming
over atwo-week period.
• Allows local athletes to perform in front of their families and aspire to higher
performance levels.
• In some situations, capital funds are available from senior levels of government that
can leave a facilities legacy.
• Can be a motivating experience for volunteers.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 65
• Allows local sports organizations to develop volunteer, technical, training and other
skills and capacities that benefit the organization and the community.
These events should be pursued based on a best fit basis, that is where Kitchener and Waterloo,
either together or separately, have:
1. The capacities necessary to host the event
2. A reasonable opportunity to secure the event, given the competitive environment and the
costs associated with the bid.
3. An acceptable return on investment and manageable risk profile.
Costs and benefits should be measured across all criteria. Event staging costs include both direct
costs for event staging and facilities development, contingent costs such as revenue guarantees,
and indirect or intangible costs for congestion and disruption, displacement of existing programs,
re-allocation of funds from current programs, and the demands placed on the organizers and the
community. The return on investment analysis must assess the benefit that would potentially be
realized if successful in securing the event compared to the costs of delivering the event.
Non-Fit Major Events
Major single and multi-sport events often require the development of new facilities. As facility,
corporate sponsorship and financing requirements evolved over the past decade, particularly for
national and international events, an increasing number of the marquee national and international
events now fall outside of the Twin Cities' facility capacity, including some events that have been
successfully staged in Kitchener and Waterloo over the past twenty years. The premier national
and international championships in hockey, curling, track and field and aquatics, for example,
cannot be hosted without new or expanded facilities.
The development of major sports facilities cannot typically be justified based on sports tournament
opportunities. It may be a decade or longer before a return bid can be staged for a marquee
national event, and during the intervening period it is very possible that venue requirements may
further evolve. The development of major new facilities must be supported primarily by the
participation needs of local residents and sports organizations. A major sport tourism event,
however, can provide the catalyst for new projects and create opportunities for fundraising,
partnerships, financial support from senior governments and other considerations such as a
national training institute. These opportunities can enhance the viability of a new facility.
Our sport tourism strategy includes the following initiatives aimed at attracting new high impact
events:
Core Program -finalize the draft Event Evaluation Framework based on goals, objectives and
strategies outlined in approved municipal and departmental strategic plans.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 66
Core Program -develop and implement a marketing and communications strategy to promote
the Twin Cities as a sport tourism destination. The primary vehicle for this strategy should be a
dedicated sport tourism website.
Core Program - establish a prospect list of Sport Governing Bodies and the events they
control at the provincial, regional, national and international level. The starting point for
development of this prospect list is the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance database. While this
is a useful tool, the information contained in the database is incomplete, particularly with
respect to host city requirements. On the following pages we have identified national sport
governing bodies and the national events they control that should be considered prospects for
Kitchener and Waterloo. In many instances there are corresponding provincial sport governing
bodies and provincial championships. Hosting a provincial event is often a necessary first step
to securing a national championship. Amore complete data base of national sports governing
bodies and prospective national championships is contained in Appendix 2 (submitted under
separate cover).
Core Program -confirm the level of organizational support and capacity available from local
sports organizations.
Core Program -establish the "Top Prospects list". Top Prospects will be events that produce
Health & well being, Community and Economic benefits most closely aligned with municipal
goals; that can be hosted by facilities currently in the planning or development stage; and that
have strong support and organizational capacity from local sports groups and other
stakeholders.
Core Program -establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Sport
Governing Bodies identified as Top Prospects.
Core Program -prepare Business Case for targeted events, identifying funding commitments
required from the municipalities and other stakeholders.
Core Program - establish a Bid Development fund to assist in Host City bid preparation for
selected events.
Optional Program -establish an Event Development fund to provide financial assistance for
staging selected high impact events.
Optional Program - -provide event management assistance through direct involvement of
staff on the Organizing Committee for selected events. For marquee events, and in particular
where the municipalities have financial exposure, this may be in the form of Executive (board)
level participation, as well as dedicated municipal staff in key operations support roles.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 67
National S orts Governin Bodies and Potential Events for Kitchener & Waterloo
Or anization Potential Twin Cit Events
Athletics Canada Canadian 10 km Road Race Championships
Canadian Cross Country Championships
Canadian Half Marathon Championships
Canadian Marathon Championships
Canadian Road Race Walk Championships
Canadian Wheelchair Marathon Championships
Baseball Canada Canadian Bantam Championships
Baseball Canada Cup
Canadian Junior Championships
Canadian Midget Championships
Canadian Pee Wee Championships (Invitational)
Canadian Senior Championships
Basketball Canada Midget GirlslMidget Boys National Championship
Girls National Championships
Jack Donahue International Classic
Canadian Adult Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey World Cup
Recreational Hockey
Association
Canadian Colleges Cross Country Running National Championships
Athletic Association Badminton National Championships
Golf National Championships
Men's Basketball National Championships
Men's Volleyball National Championships
Soccer National Championships
Women's Basketball National Championship
Women's Volleyball National Championships
Canadian Curling Canadian Curling Trials
Association Continental Cup
Canadian Sr. Men's & Women's Curling Championships
Ford World Championships
M&M Meatshops Canadian Jr. Men & Women's
Championships
Mixed Curling Championship
Scott Tournament of Hearts
Canadian Interuniversity Men's Volleyball Championship
Sport Cross Country Championships
Final 10 Men's Basketball
Men's Ice Hockey Championships (University Cup)
Men's Soccer Championship
Women's Basketball
Women's Field Hockey Championship
Women's Ice Hockey Championship
Women's Rugby Championships
Women's Soccer Championship
Women's Volleyball Championship
Wrestlin Championship
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 68
National Sports Governin Bodies and Potential Events for Kitchener & Waterloo
Or anization Potential Twin Cit Events
Canada Soccer Various - U14, U15-17, U16 Boys & Girls Canadian Club
Association Championship
Special Olympics Special Olympics
Canada
Special OI mpics Ontario Special OI mpics (various)
Canadian Ultimate Canadian Ultimate Championships
Players Association Canadian University Ultimate Championships
Canadian Wheelchair Canadian Wheelchair Basketball National Championships
Basketball Association Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Junior and Mini Finals
Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Open Finals
G mnastics Canada Canadian G mnastics Championships
Hockey Canada Esso Women's National Hockey Championships
Telus Cup
The RBC Royal Bank Cup
Four Nations Cup
IIHF World Women's Championships
National Women's Under 18 Championship
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
World Jr. A Hockey Challenge
International Ju Jitsu World Ju Jitsu Championships
Federation
Sport Alliance Ontario Paralympics (summer and winter)
Ontario Games (summer and winter)
Ontario Senior Games (summer and winter)
Rin ette Canada Canadian Rin ette Championships
RCGA CN Canadian Women's Open
Canadian Amateur Golf Championship
Canadian Club Champions Championship
Rugby Canada Canadian National Senior Women's Rugby Championship
Barclays Churchill Cup
National Championship Festival
Skate Canada BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Junior Nationals
World Synchronized Skating Championships
BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Synchronized
Championships
Softball Canada Bantam Girls Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Blue Convention
Junior Mens Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Junior Womens Fast Pitch Canadian Championships
Midget Boys Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Midget Girls Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Peewee Girls Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Senior Men's & Women's Canadian Slo-Pitch
Championships
Senior Men's Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Senior Women's Canadian Fast Pitch Championships
Slo Pitch Canada Combat Challen e
Volle ball Canada Volle ball National Championships (Beach & Indoor)
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 69
10.4 Exploring Opportunities for Event Creation
One of the growing areas of Sport Tourism is the creation of
new events based on emerging sports trends, local traditions,
creativity, capacities and other variables. The World Pond
Hockey Championships is an excellent example of a created
event. Held annually in the Village of Plaster Rock, New
Brunswick (population 1,300) this three day event attracts
more than 500 participants and 6,000 spectators from 13
countries, and generates world-wide media coverage. Closer
to home, the Gender Bender Ultimate tournament in Fergus
Ontario attracts 40 teams from across Ontario and the border
states for three days of "ultimate frisbee" competition. The
genesis for many of these events often comes from a
relatively small group of enthusiasts within the community.
These events typically do not count towards national
championships, and in many cases, face competition from
similar events in different locales. Very often, Active
participants will only take part in one or two such events each
year. To evolve into something more than just a local or
regional event, created events require "a hook". The
attractiveness of the host city and the schedule of activities
surrounding the event are often the key to its success. While
not every created event has the potential to grow into a major
tourism draw, the potential economic impact can be very
significant for those that do.
a
INTERA9AT1{INAL MARATH~}M
The Blue Nose International
Marathon illustrates the potential
of Created Events. Launched in
2004, the inaugural event
attracted 3,700 participants. In
2005 a 5K run and walking
events were added, and in 2006
ScotiaBank signed on as
Presenting Sponsor. Last year's
event attracted 6,300
participants. The event ran from
May ~9 to 2~, and included:
• Doctors Nova Scotia Youth
Run: 2,292 participants
• Rogers Wireless 5K Walk/Run:
466 participants
• Chronicle Herald WOK: X089
participants
• Volkswagen Half Marathon:
~ 542 participants
• Head Shoppe Team YMCA
Team Relay: 57 Teams
• Full Marathon: 342
participants
This year, marathon organizers
broke their attendance record
with more than 7, 000
participants.
Our sport tourism strategy includes the following initiatives aimed at the creation of new sport
tourism events:
Core Program -investigate niche market opportunities for new event types (e.g. adventure
racing, 3-on-3 soccer) and to identify emerging marketing trends.
Core Program -identify local market support, participation levels, infrastructure and
organizational capacity.
Core Program -prepare Business Case for new events determined to have market potential
based on track record of comparable events and local capacity.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 70
Optional Program -establish an Event Development fund to provide financial assistance to
selected new events.
10.5 Increasing Community Supportforand Understanding of Sport Tourism
Implementation of this sport tourism strategy will require the commitment of municipal resources
including staff support, the provision of municipal sports facilities, and in some instances, direct
financial aid for event marketing and hosting. Current facility users may be displaced and some
residents may find their normal routines disrupted by road closures, increased traffic or demand for
local services (restaurants, hotels, retailers). Even those not directly affected by staging a sports
tournament may believe that municipal resources would be better spent on other programs. To
sustain apro-active sport tourism strategy, therefore, requires a broad understanding of the
economic and community benefits that can be obtained.
Core Program - develop a communications and advocacy strategy aimed at the community at
large, and at the key stakeholder groups most directly affected by the proposed sport tourism
strategy. Included in this latter category are local sports organizations, sports facility users,
local media; accommodation operators, attractions operators and the foodservice and retail
sectors.
Core Program -develop the collateral material (fact sheets, briefing notes) to articulate the key
messages, and the distribution strategy to reach the intended audiences. The communication
strategy should take advantage of existing municipal communication channels where possible.
Option Program -prepare Economic Impact reports on selected sports events to reinforce the
benefits of sport tourism to the community. Consideration should be given to CSTA STEAM
(Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model) which is now widely used by municipalities to
measure the economic impact ofsport tourism events.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 71
11.0 Governance and Leadership
11.1 Organization Mandate and Scope
The functions and activities required to undertake the core and optional programs outlined in the
preceding section can be broadly categorized into three areas:
Organizational Capacity
• Providing event planning tools (e.g. facilities database, event planner kits, event
organizers workshops)
• Event application and hosting administration (e.g. facility rental forms, grant
applications, facility calendar and specifications)
• Administration of financial assistance programs
Marketing and Communications
• General promotion of the municipality as a sports event destination (e.g. web site,
facilities database, event planner kits, membership in CSTA)
• Providing a forum for stakeholder participation and input (e.g. tourism sector,
community groups)
• Promoting a greater understanding of the potential role of sport tourism
Event Acquisition and Event Support
• Identification of event bid opportunities
• Assisting local groups on bid development and event organization
• Preparation and submission of bid documents
• Facilitating volunteer recruitment
• Providing promotional support for event (e.g. attendance builder programs, visitor
guides, maps, pins, banners)
• Ongoing liaison with sports federations and event organizers
11.2 Organization Options
As noted in our review of Best Practices, sport tourism organizations take on many forms, although
the most common would be as an independent, not-for-profit corporation (more prevalent in the
United States) or as a department within a municipally controlled or municipally funded parks and
recreation, economic development or tourism agency (the typical approach in Canada).
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 72
The Consultants considered a number of organizational options for the Twin Cities sport tourism
initiatives. Separate and autonomous strategies and organizations can be considered one endpoint
on a continuum of organizational options, while a single, fully integrated strategy executed by one
organization can be considered the other end of the range. Along this continuum are a number of
organizational options. On the following pages we have outlined the advantages and
disadvantages of a range of organizational models:
Option 1: Completely separate initiatives and organizations
Option 2: Common Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Communications; separate Event
Acquisition and Event Support
Option 3: Fully integrated strategy executed by a joint working group of municipal staff
Option 4: Fully integrated strategy executed by an arms length sport tourism commission
Option 5: Fully integrated strategy executed by an arms length regional Destination Marketing
Organization
Within each model we have also outlined a range of options for funding and staffing.
Option 1: Maintain completely separate organizations
Description Each municipality would pursue sport tourism events through separate and autonomous
initiatives, operated within Recreation and Leisure Services for the City of Waterloo and
Community Services for the City of Kitchener.
Advantages Easiest and fastest to implement
Resource allocation can be tailored to the objectives and strategies of each
municipality
Potential to cooperate on an ad hoc basis
Disadvantages Duplication of efforts and costs
Does not capitalize on Twin Cities strengths
More difficult to coordinate joint bids
Less able to attract qualified sport tourism personnel
Staffing and Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new municipal employees
Resource Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through existing
Options corporate communications channels
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by existing staff, new
municipal employees or contract staff assigned to specific bids or events.
By far the easiest approach, in terms of administration and governance, is for each municipality to
continue its pursuit of sport tourism events separately, with collaborative efforts undertaken on an
ad hoc basis. Sport tourism initiatives would continue to be undertaken by the municipal
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 73
departments responsible for sports facility management. This approach avoids the difficulties
associated with establishing joint governance structures and service delivery strategies. It also
allows each municipality to invest the level of resources most appropriate to its corporate strategy
and objectives. Under this approach, for example, the City of Waterloo could limit its web-based
initiatives to some minor modifications to the organization of its municipal web site to make it more
user-friendly for tournament organizers, while the City of Kitchener could develop a dedicated sport
tourism website complete with event organizer tool kits, manuals, best practices, etc.
This option also avoids the challenges that may occur from conflicting corporate priorities such as
the relative importance of Community versus Economic benefits. It minimizes the potential for
conflict from differences in organizational cultures, and obviates the need to assess the relative
costs and benefits received by each municipality.
This approach, while the easiest and fastest to implement, ignores that fact that for many
stakeholders, the municipal boundaries are irrelevant. Many local sports groups are organized on a
Twin Cities basis and many provincial and national sports governing bodies have no restrictions on
multi-city bids. This option has considerable duplication of effort, and fails to capitalize on the
principal strengths of the Twin Cities, including its range of sports facilities and local sports
organizations, and its large population base.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 74
Option 2: Integrated organizational capacity, marketing and communications initiatives. Separate
event acquisition and event support initiatives
Description Common organizational programs and initiatives -event organizers tool box, on-line
facility inventory, sports organization data base. Common destination marketing (web
site, calendar of events) and stakeholder communication programs.
Event acquisition and event support would be undertaken independently by each
municipality.
Advantages Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Resource allocation can be tailored to the objectives and strategies of each
municipality
Can evolve to a more integrated organizational model
Responsibilities can be readily devolved to the municipalities or to another
organization (e.g. regional DMO)
Disadvantages Some duplication of efforts and costs
More time required to establish joint service delivery strategy and agreements
Twin City bid opportunities may not be fully exploited.
Less able to attract qualified sport tourism personnel
Greater burden on existing municipal resources for supervision of new initiatives, and
for ongoing event pursuit and bid preparation.
Staffing and
Resource
Options Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new municipal employees
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through existing
corporate communications channels
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by existing staff, new
municipal employees or contract staff assigned to specific bids or events.
This option capitalizes on the Twin Cities facility inventory and market size by positioning Kitchener-
Waterloo as one sport tourism destination. It also reduces the duplication of efforts that would
occur if both cities pursued their own Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Communication
initiatives. Under this option there would be a single sport tourism website with an integrated
facilities inventory and event organizers toolbox. The event database would be built and managed
for the benefit of both cities, as would the marketing and communication strategies. These
initiatives would be jointly managed and funded by the municipalities. Each municipality would
maintain effective working relationships with the local sports groups and the sports governing
bodies critical to its sport tourism objectives. Each municipality would decide what event
opportunities to pursue, and the level of staff and financial support appropriate for bid preparation
and event hosting. Under this option, sport tourism bids and event hosting support would be
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 75
developed and implemented through existing municipal departments involved in the management of
sports facilities. Additional resources would be required at the departmental level to fully implement
the recommendations contained in this strategy. As the event acquisition and event hosting
recommendations are scalable, each municipality can determine the level of resources it wishes to
allocate to these functions. Joint bids would be developed through ad hoc working groups.
While this option does require joint service agreements for development of the organizational "bone
structure" such as the web site and event database, these tasks can be well defined, have
measurable outcomes and can be costed in advance. The event acquisition initiatives, which are
more difficult to measure, would be implemented and funded by each municipality, avoiding the
difficulties of cost allocation and benefit measurement for these more intangible and unpredictable
activities.
Option 3: Fully integrated strategy executed by joint municipal working group
Description The municipalities would pursue sport tourism events through one working group that
develops and implements initiatives that support sport tourism across the Twin Cities, for
events that are focused on one or both municipalities. This entity would be attached to
one of the existing municipal departments responsible for sports and recreation, and a
joint working group would be established to provide leadership, funding and administrative
support.
Advantages Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Responsibility (and resources) can be devolved at a later date to a third party
organization (e.g. Sport tourism Commission or Regional DMO)
Disadvantages More difficult and time consuming to establish and manage
Resource allocation must be agreed on by both municipalities, which may have
different objectives for sport tourism
Devolution of responsibilities back to the municipalities may have adverse market
consequences.
Benefits and costs may not be fully aligned at all times
Perception of bias if one municipality provides office space, administrative support
and day to day supervision.
Greater burden on existing municipal resources for supervision of new initiatives.
Staffing and
Resource
Options Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new municipal employees
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through existing
corporate communications channels
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by existing staff
assigned to new sport tourism position or new municipal employees. Event bid and
event operations support can be supplemented through contract staff assigned to
specific bids or events.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 76
Option 3 requires a higher level of collaboration and is therefore more time consuming and complex
to develop and implement. This option does position the Twin Cities as a single sport tourism
destination, taking full advantage of its facility inventory and market size. It eliminates the
duplication of efforts and resources, allowing more effort to be focused on event acquisition.
However, as resources are limited, an integrated event acquisition strategy must establish priorities
and may not be able to support all of the opportunities available. Should one municipality wish to
independently pursue a sport tourism opportunity that did not "make the cut", it would do so using
other staff resources. This could be more difficult than under current conditions, because the sport
tourism expertise and capacity would be centralized in the joint working group.
Implicit in all of the integrated organization options is the understanding that costs and benefits may
not be fully aligned in any given year.
Under this option the staff assigned to the joint working group would, in all likelihood, by supported
by one of the existing municipal departments involved in sports facility management and sport
tourism events. Given its facility inventory and sport tourism history, the City of Kitchener
Community Services department would be the logical group to provide accommodation,
administration and supervision for the joint working group. This may create a perception of bias
amongst stakeholder groups.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 77
Option 4: Fully integrated sport tourism commission established as an arms length corporation
Description The municipalities would pursue sport tourism events through one entity that develops
and implements initiatives that support sport tourism across the Twin Cities, for events
that are focused on one or both municipalities. This entity would be established as an
arms length Corporation similar to the new Regional Destination Marketing Organization,
with an appointed Board of Directors. The Corporation would be funded by the
municipalities and through its own revenue generating activities.
Advantages Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Responsibility (and resources) can be devolved to a third party organization (e.g.
Regional DMO) without adverse market consequences.
Reduces perception of bias if organization is directed by and accountable to an
appointed Board of Directors
Better able to attract qualified sport tourism personnel
Disadvantages Less control by the municipal funding partners
Devolution of responsibilities back to the municipalities may have adverse market
consequences.
Cost to establish and manage corporate entity
Time and costs associated with recruiting and maintaining Board of Directors
More difficult and time consuming to establish
Resource allocation must be agreed on by both municipalities, which may have
different objectives for sport tourism
Benefits and costs may not be fully aligned at all times
Staffing and
Resource
Options Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
employees of the new organization
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be undertaken through or supported
by existing corporate communications channels
Municipalities can continue to provide housing, IT, legal, human resource,
procurement, accounting and other administrative support on an in-kind basis.
In terms of functional responsibilities, Option 3 and Option 4 are very similar. The principal
difference lies in the creation of an arms length sport tourism commission under the supervision of
an appointed Board of Directors. While the level of control by the municipalities would be reduced
under this option, so would the perception of bias inherent in the joint working group.
As with all the integrated options, this approach would make it more challenging for a municipality to
independently pursue a sport tourism opportunity, as the sport tourism capacity and expertise are
centralized in a new organization. And while a sport tourism commission could be integrated at a
later date into a regional destination marketing organization, devolution of its responsibilities back to
the municipalities could have an adverse impact on future sport tourism efforts.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 78
Option 5: Sport tourism responsibilities delegated to Regional Destination Marketing Organization
Description The responsibility for sport tourism would be assigned to the newly-formed Regional
Destination Marketing Organization. The DMO would be responsible for promoting the
region as a sport tourism destination, and for identifying potential bid or event hosting
opportunities. Municipalities would supplement bid development and event hosting
support through existing departments.
Advantages Economies of scale on web site, facility inventory, calendar of events, attendance
builder programs, administration
Organization model in place, with core funding secured from Region and local
municipalities
Established model (Tourism London, Tourism Hamilton)
Capitalizes on Twin Cities strengths
Recognizes that municipal boundaries are not relevant to many stakeholders and
sports governing bodies
Less duplication of efforts and resources
Sport tourism activities could be spun off to a separate organization in the future
without adverse market consequences.
Disadvantages DMO organized on a regional basis with all municipalities and townships participating
in the funding and governance
Devolution of responsibilities back to the municipalities could have adverse market
consequences
Would have to re-visit the approved business plan and funding model of the DMO in
order to broaden its mandate.
Organization has broad tourism marketing focus, making it more difficult to ensure
sport tourism receives adequate attention
No funding in current business plan for sport tourism
May be more difficult to find qualified senior management if focus of organization
becomes too broad.
Benefits and costs may not be fully aligned at all times
Staffing and
Resource
Options Organizational Capacity initiatives can be undertaken by contract staff, consultants or
new DMO employees
Marketing and Communications initiatives can be supported by existing municipal or
DMO communications channels
Municipalities can continue to provide housing, IT, legal, human resource,
procurement, accounting and other administrative support on an in-kind basis.
Event acquisition and operations initiatives can be undertaken by staff assigned to
new sport tourism positions, and can be supplemented by other DMO employees or
contract staff assigned to specific bids or events.
This model is common in North America, and is the approach used by the cities of London,
Hamilton and Saskatoon, amongst others. It recognizes the importance of creating market
awareness and a positive image in attracting Attendees, and that many of the initiatives in our sport
tourism strategy require DMO resources and leadership.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 79
There are three principal disadvantages of this approach:
• The newly formed Regional DMO is an initiative of the Region and all local municipalities.
Its funding and governance model would have to be amended and this sport tourism
strategy would have to be broadened to a regional focus.
• The current DMO budget does not provide any funds for sport tourism
• As sport tourism opportunities are concentrated in the larger municipalities, it may be
difficult to achieve support from the broader group of stakeholders involved in the Regional
DMO.
• The implementation timetable would likely be longer.
While this Option may have merit in the future, we do not believe it warrants further consideration at
this time, given the constraints outlined above.
11.4 Preserving Municipal Autonomy
Regardless of the organizational model, sport tourism initiatives are typically pursued on a Business
Case basis. Mounting a successful event bid requires the active collaboration of a number of
stakeholders, including community groups, volunteers and municipal governments. Sport tourism
organizations typically have no authority over any of these stakeholders, and their active
cooperation must be secured by presenting a sound and compelling business case.
We envision this to be the basic operating approach for any sport tourism organization created for
the Twin Cities. The municipalities will continue to control their respective sports and recreation
venues, and will decide independently on any municipal resources required to secure event bids
and stage major events. In all of the models proposed, either municipality could, for example,
independently pursue a sport tourism opportunity that had been "passed over" by the sport tourism
organization.
This model is not without precedent. While municipal sport tourism agencies typically take the lead
role in managing most event bids, they are generally relegated to a supporting role when a
municipality decides to pursue a major multi-sport event.
11.4 Stakeholder Participation
The principal stakeholders in a sport tourism strategy include:
• Local sports organizations that may be called upon to provide organizational and financial
support for event operations, to give up scheduled use of municipal sports facilities, and
underwrite financial risk;
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 80
• Facility owners, including municipal governments, education institutions and private sector
owners;
• Business sectors that may benefit from increased visitation to the community, such as
accommodation, attractions, foodservice and retail;
• The business community at large, that may be expected to participate through advertising,
sponsorships or the provision of in-kind services;
• The community at large, that will be affected by both the benefits and costs associated with
a sport tourism strategy;
All of these groups have important roles to play in the successful execution of a sport tourism
strategy. Regardless of what organizational model is followed, the Consultants believe that the
active involvement of stakeholders is desirable. Based on our review of other sport tourism
organizations, stakeholder participation is typically provided by an Advisory Committee or Board of
Directors of 10 to 15 members representing the key stakeholder groups outlined above.
11.5 Evolution of the Organization
As the organization matures and successfully executes its original mandate, it creates opportunities
to evolve in three major areas:
• Scope of services provided
• Target markets pursued
• Organizational autonomy
11.5.1 Scope of Services
In our review of sport tourism organizations in other jurisdictions, we noted that many of the more
mature organizations had developed a broader scope of functions designed to enhance their
marketing efforts, to enhance the success of events hosted in their municipality, or to generate
additional revenues to support their sport tourism strategies. Examples of these expanded
functions include:
• On-line volunteer recruitment and database
• On-line event registration
• On-line ticketing
• Housing services
• Event production and promotion
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 81
11.5.2 Target Markets
Our research also revealed that a small but growing number of sport tourism organizations have
expanded their original focus to include cultural, entertainment and other events. This trend has
been fuelled in large part by the emergence over the past five years of "ambulatory" media driven
events such as the Juno Awards, Antiques Roadshow and Canadian Idol television shows.
Edmonton Events International, Events Halifax and Toronto International are a few of the Canadian
organizations that have broadened their focus beyond sports. There are a number of reasons why
sport tourism organizations, and not Destination Marketing Organizations, have focused on this
market:
1. Event acquisition is often bid-oriented and requires similar competencies
2. Events often require municipal support and a large volunteer base
3. Event may generate more community benefits than direct economic benefits
11.5.3 Organizational Autonomy
The organization can also evolve in terms of the level of autonomy over decision making and
resource allocation. This often occurs when the stakeholders for whom the organization was
created demand a greater role in establishing the strategic direction of the entity, including resource
allocation and decision making. Thus we see the tourism marketing division of Industry Canada
evolve into the Canadian Tourism Commission. This shift can also accompany a change in the
funding model -the Board composition of Tourism Toronto has changed over the past decade to
reflect the diminished financial support received from the City of Toronto.
For the Twin Cities, the models have been presented so as to form a logical pattern of
organizational evolution. From the status quo where sport tourism activities are independently
pursued by municipal staff with no formal oversight by other stakeholders, the organizational
models devolve an increasing level of responsibility for establishing strategic direction and resource
allocation, first to a joint working group of municipal staff and elected officials, then to an Advisory
Committee and ultimately to an appointed Board of Directors. The two municipalities would
continue to exercise considerable influence over the organization in all of these models, .given their
role as the principal funding partners.
11.6 The Events Halifax Model
There is one other organizational model which may, under specific circumstances, be relevant to
one or both municipalities. Trade Centre Limited, which operates the Halifax Metro Centre, World
Trade and Convention Centre, Exhibition Park and World Trade Centre Atlantic Canada,
established Events Halifax in 1998. This organization is dedicated to the identification and pursuit
of major cultural and sporting events, both national and international, which could be attracted to
Halifax. As the major owner and operator of sports and public assembly venues in Halifax, this was
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 82
a logical strategy for the corporation. Events Halifax goes well beyond most other sports or event
tourism organizations in terms of venture financing and event operations. Through the parent
company Trade Centre Limited, considerable resources can be focused on event acquisition.
This model could be implemented quite readily by the City of Kitchener, which already holds its
principal event venue, the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex and its festival and event
operations resources, within its Enterprise Division. By transferring the Peter Hallman Ball Yards to
the Enterprise Division, the City of Kitchener could consolidate the vast majority of its sport tourism
and special event assets and resources within a single, entrepreneurial organization. Should the
City of Waterloo elect to maintain the status quo with respect to sport tourism, the City of Kitchener
should give serious consideration to the Events Halifax business model.
This model could also be considered for the City of Waterloo if it elected to change the use profile of
the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex and/or RIM Park, to focus on more outside events and
tournaments. However, without this change of focus, this entrepreneurial model would not be
suitable for the City of Waterloo.
Establishing this type of organization under joint municipal stewardship would be far more complex,
given the ownership of the assets and the different user profiles. However, if any of the major new
sports facilities identified in this strategy were to be pursued under a joint municipal model, the
Events Halifax organizational model may have greater relevance.
12.0 Resource Requirements
This sport tourism strategy has been developed to guide the Twin Cities over the next decade, with
the specific recommendations phased over the first three years. Our strategy contains both Core
Programs that we believe are essential if the municipalities are to compete more effectively in the
sport tourism market, as well as Optional Programs that would enhance the competitive position but
are not considered essential in the short to medium term. Some of these optional programs include
grants for event marketing and operations, which cannot be quantified as they are contingent on a
successful event bid.
12.1 Staff Requirements
The organizational model chosen to implement the sport tourism strategy will have an obvious
impact on staffing needs. In the first two options, each municipality undertakes certain initiatives
independently, resulting in considerable duplication of effort. In Options 3 and 4 this duplication is
largely eliminated. While Option 5 provides for further economies of scale by integrating sport
tourism activities into a Regional Destination Marketing Organization, we do not consider this a
viable alternative at the present time.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 83
Based on our review of other sport tourism organizations and on the recommended scope of
services to be provided, we believe the Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Communications
initiatives outlined in this Strategy will require one full time manager and one part time administrative
position to fully implement. The Event Acquisition and Event Support recommendations are
scalable, allowing the municipalities to establish (either jointly or independently) the appropriate
level of resources to be attached to these initiatives.
12.2 Financial Requirements
The staffing budget required for the Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Communications
initiatives has been estimated at $120,000 for recurring staff (one manager at $80,000 per annum,
one half-time administrator at $15,000 per annum, plus burden at 30%).
Based on our review of staffing in sport tourism organizations in comparable municipalities, and our
assessment of the potential opportunities available for both municipalities, we believe that one full
time management position will be required for Event Acquisition and Event Support initiatives.
In addition to staffing, start-up and ongoing costs, funds should be available for Bid Preparation,
Event Development, Event Marketing and Event Management.
It is not possible to estimate the financial implications of bidding for or hosting a major national or
international event. These must be considered on a "Business Case" basis, identifying all of the
anticipated costs and benefits, along with an assessment of the competitive environment and risks.
The financial requirements to implement this sport tourism strategy under Options 1 through 4 are
summarized in the following tables. As we do not believe that Option 5 is viable at this time, we
have not attempted to forecast the financial resources required for this Option. The significant
assumptions underlying these projections are summarized in the Notes immediately following the
tables.
Both municipalities are currently providing staff resources and other financial support to the
acquisition and management of sport tourism events. The budget figures provided herein do not
take into consideration any savings or efficiencies that could result from the re-tasking of existing
municipal staff and financial resources.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 84
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12.3 SignificantAssumptions and Notes to the Financial Projections
No provision has been made for inflation, or for occupancy costs, information technology, human
resource, legal or accounting services. We have assumed that these services will be provided on
an in-kind basis and be covered under a services agreement by the municipalities.
Note 1: Under all four Options we estimated that the staff required to implement the Organizational
Capacity, Marketing and Communications recommendations will be the equivalent of one manager
and one half-time administrative support position. As these initiatives are relatively fixed in scope,
both municipalities would incur similar costs if these initiatives were pursued independently as in
Option 1. In Options 2 - 4 this duplication would be eliminated.
Note 2: Advisory Committee or Board expenses include the cost of meetings and presentations.
Under Options 1 and 2 these costs would be duplicated to a large extent. Under Option 4, these
costs would be higher as there are more frequent meetings, as well as audit and legal costs.
Note 3: Operating and marketing grants for smaller sports events are typically in the range of
$1,000 to $10,000 per event. Operating grants may be in the form of direct financial assistance, fee
waivers or in-kind services. Marketing grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000. Assuming
five operating grants of $5,000 each and three marketing grants of $7,500 each, a grant budget of
approximately $50,000 would allow the municipalities to support up to eight tournaments annually.
In Options 1 and 2 this has been allocated 60% to the City of Kitchener and 40% to the City of
Waterloo.
Note 4: Under all four Options we have assumed that the aggregate effort assigned to pursue new
sports tournament opportunities for both municipalities (including events for each municipality on a
stand alone basis and joint-city bids) will be the equivalent of one full time employee, staffed at a
supervisory level with an equivalent annual salary of $50,000 plus burden. Under Options 1 and 2
we have arbitrarily allocated 60% of this cost to the City of Kitchener and the balance to the City of
Waterloo, recognizing that the City of Kitchener will, in any given year, likely have more tournament
hosting opportunities. Other Event Pursuit and Bid Preparation Costs are budgeted at $10,000 per
year and include printing, research and similar costs. In Options 1 and 2 these costs have been
allocated 60% to the City of Kitchener and 40% to the City of Waterloo. No provision has been
made for the supervisory time provided by existing municipal staff under Option 1.
Note 5: Under all options we have assumed that communications initiatives and support (e.g.
website, brochures, production of manuals etc.} could be provided by one or both of the
municipalities. To more accurately illustrate the cost of implementing the sport tourism strategy, we
have assigned a dollar value to these services for each option.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 87
12.4 Resource Requirements -Summary
The level of duplication in Option 1 suggests that this approach should only be considered if the two
municipalities are so divergent in their objectives and corporate culture than any collaboration would
be impractical. As there are numerous successful examples of joint initiatives between the cities,
this Option does not appear to warrant further consideration.
The remaining Options have a similar cost structure in terms of direct attributable costs. Where
they differ is in the indirect or non-attributed costs associated with each Option. Under Option 2,
Event Pursuit and Bid Preparation would be handled by each municipality through their own
resources. While we have assumed a certain level of incremental staff to manage these processes,
the actual level of resources assigned to these tasks could be significantly lower should a decision
be made by either municipality not to significantly increase its efforts in pursuing sport tourism
opportunities.
In Options 2 and 3 the efforts of the staff assigned to sport tourism initiatives would likely be
supervised by senior staff from one of the municipalities, and no provision has been made for this
cost. In Option 4 the senior executive of the organization would be accountable to the Board of
Directors. While senior staff from each municipality would continue to be involved in an advisory or
technical capacity under Option 4, the time spent on supervising day to day activities would be
largely eliminated.
13.0 Implementation Plan
13.1 Timing
This Strategy is intended to provide a framework for sport tourism over the next decade. The
recommendations contained within this Strategy should be phased in during the next three years,
and a comprehensive review of the strategy should be undertaken by the end of year four. In
particular, the organizational model selected should be reviewed to determine if it is possible to
integrate sport tourism activities with other municipal or regional tourism marketing initiatives.
In Canada, sport tourism initiatives are most commonly delivered by a municipal department
(typically Parks & Recreation, Enterprise, or Economic Development) or through a Destination
Marketing Organization. Clearly, the relationship of Kitchener and Waterloo is unique, and the
organizational model forsporttourism must reflect this relationship.
While the DMO model has merit, it must be recognized that the new regional tourism marketing
organization is in its infancy and, in our view, is not capable of managing a sport tourism program at
this time. It may be possible to integrate sport tourism into this regional DMO in the medium to long
term, but it should be recognized that the new DMO has a regional mandate, and is funded by the
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 88
Regional Municipality, the three cities and the townships. Integrating a "Twin Cities" organization
into such a model may be difficult
Therefore, the Consultants believe the sport tourism strategy would be most effective if directed by
anew, dedicated organization focused exclusively on sport tourism i.e. Option 4. The day to day
operation of the organization would be assigned to dedicated staff, funded on acost-sharing basis
by the municipalities. Strategic direction and policy formation would be the responsibility of an
appointed Board of Directors, structured as follows:
• One representative from each municipal council
• The CAO or a designate from each municipality
• Four representatives from local sports organizations
• Two representatives from the educational sector, to include at least one representative
from either Wilfred Laurier University or the University of Waterloo
• Four representatives from the business community, to include at least one accommodation,
one attraction and one media
• One citizen representative from each municipality
for a total of 16 members. In addition to the Board members, consideration should be given to
having selected municipal employees, drawn from the parks and recreation, community services, or
enterprise departments, to provide technical support to the Board and staff.
While this organizational model is, in our view, the most suitable in the medium to long term, a
transitional or staged approach to the establishment of an arms length sport tourism organization
should be adopted. In reaching this conclusion, consideration was given to the following:
• The City of Waterloo is currently conducting a Recreation and Leisure Service Policy
Review, addressing Facility Allocation Policy, Pricing Policy, Community Liaison
Policy, Community Cash Grant Policy and Paymentl Fee Assistance Policy.
• The City of Waterloo has recently commenced work on a new Recreation and
Leisure Services Master Plan.
• The City of Kitchener and the City of Waterloo are both reviewing their Community
I nvestment Strategy
Given the significant level of policy review underway, the Consultants believe it would be prudent to
defer the creation of a new organization until the policy framework had been finalized. We also
recognize that the Twin Cities, like all municipalities, face considerable budget pressures to fund
municipal services and infrastructure. Therefore, we have established a transitional strategy which
highlights those operational initiatives that, in our view, will have the most immediate impact and
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 89
highest return. These elements of this sport tourism strategy can move forward immediately, are
scaleable in terms of the resources that can be allocated, and can be implemented while major
policy reviews are underway. Accordingly, we recommend the following organizational
development sequence and implementation plan:
Year One
Organizational Model: Option Two -Integrated organizational capacity, marketing and
communications initiatives. Separate event acquisition and event support initiatives
• Establish agreement on municipal cost sharing and support
• Retain or second the required staff
• Develop communications strategy
• Establish Sport Tourism Terms of Reference, Mandate and Advisory Committee, and
recruit members
• Develop event organizers "Tool Kit"
• Develop attendance builder program for existing events
• Complete events data base and establish Prospects List
• Canvass local sports organizations and Advisory Committee to develop Top
Prospects list
• Develop guidelines for Event Development and Event Marketing grants
• Develop packaging strategy with local attractions, hotels, retailers and events
Year Two
Organizational Model: Option Two -Integrated organizational capacity, marketing and
communications initiatives. Separate event acquisition and event support initiatives
• Implement Event Marketing and Operations grant program
• Develop cooperative marketing programs and packages to enhance economic impact
of selected events
• Launch Sport tourism Web-site (basic tourism information, facility and grant
applications etc.)
• Active, ongoing solicitation of new events by both municipalities
• Marketplace scan to identify opportunities for new Created Events
• Review of organizational effectiveness
• Development of Business Case, Business Strategy and Implementation Framework
for integrated strategy
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 90
Year Three
Organizational Model: Option Three -Fully integrated strategy executed by joint
municipal working group
• Prepare business case for new Created Events
• Web site enhancements (on-line best practices, event organizers handbook,
templates)
Year Four
Organizational Model: Option Three -Fully integrated strategy executed by joint
municipal working group
• Review of organizational effectiveness
• Development of Business Case, Business Strategy and Implementation Framework
for integrated organization
• Develop Sport Tourism Commission Terms of Reference, Mandate and Board
structure, and recruit members
• Prepare articles of incorporation and by-laws
Year Five
Organizational Model: Option Three -Fully integrated sport tourism commission
established as an arms length corporation
Summary
Sport tourism has become "big business" throughout North America. As the health, community and
economic benefits that can be derived from sport tourism become more widely recognized,
municipalities are adopting pro active and structured approaches to securing their share of this
growing market. While the role of volunteers and community groups will always be critical in a
successful sport tourism strategy, the ad hoc approach that characterized the pursuit and
management of sport tourism events in the past can no longer guarantee a competitive position in
the marketplace.
Building on the best practices of successful municipalities across Canada and the United States, we
have identified 17 Core Programs that we believe are essential to the successful pursuit and
staging of sport tourism events for the Twin Cities. A further eight Optional Programs should be
considered once a solid foundation has been established.
There will always be events that are out of reach for the Twin Cities based on available facilities,
ancillary infrastructure or community capacity. The development of new sports facilities may
address this gap, but the justification for such facilities must come from community needs, not the
opportunity to host a major event every ten to twenty years. By building on the considerable
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 91
expertise already in place within the community and by targeting events on a "best fit" basis, a
structured and pro active sport tourism strategy can be implemented immediately for a relatively
modest budget. This investment will help the Twin Cities build on the strong event hosting
experience obtained over the past thirty years.
Kitchener -Waterloo Sport Tourism Strategy 92
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