Iowa City Area Sports Commission highlights its social, economic impact at Cilek Business & Sports Breakfast Series

Just hours ahead of the Iowa High School Girls State Volleyball championships, Johnson County leaders and community members gathered Monday morning at the Xtream Arena in Coralville to hear about the economic and social impact of the Iowa City Area Sports Commission. Co-presented by the Iowa Athletic Club and part of the “Cilek Business & Sports Breakfast Series,” the presentation featured a panel of six local business and sports leaders spanning hospitality, retail, high school and collegiate sports. Taking the podium was Coralville mayor Meghann Foster, who introduced keynote speaker and president of the commission, Josh Schamberger.

“What a time for women's sports, right?” Ms. Foster said, pointing out the pink banners celebrating the volleyball championships that lined the Iowa River Landing (IRL), where the arena is located. “Over the next four days, more than 30,000 fans are going to walk through (these doors) as they cheer their team onwards to a possible 2024 state championship.” Those 30,000 fans translate into money spent on hotels, restaurants, retail stores and increased visibility for the area, Mr. Schamberger noted. Recounting early efforts to formalize the Sports Commission’s sales and marketing initiatives to build Coralville as a premiere destination for amateur sports, he said the commission and the Iowa City area began gaining traction after hosting high-profile events such as the UCI Cyclocross World Cup/Jingle Cross Cycling Festival and two Olympic trials. “The high profile nature of these events were generating a host of inquiries from youth sports directors,” he said. Hosting the 2022 Wrestling World Cup generated $5.9 million in local spending and brought over 500 international visitors from 18 countries, further cementing the Iowa City area as a contender among larger metropolitan areas like Des Moines.

“All these events impact the IRL in the area tremendously,” said Deanna Printy, manager of the Iowa River Landing Development. “It's a huge awareness to the area. And the other thing that it does is it shows the area as a family friendly place to go. So in turn, this is going to create more events. People are going to want to come here again. Everyone wants to come back, and then we're going to have larger tournaments. So it's honestly a win-win for the whole area.” Matt Traetow, general manager of the Coralville Hyatt Regency Hotel & Conference Center, credits the community’s welcoming atmosphere for returning conventions and sports teams, a sentiment echoed by executive director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, Erin Gerlich.

“As many of you know, the volleyball tournament was historically played in Cedar Rapids,” she said. “They were a great host to us. We loved going there. But you know, first and foremost, what we look for is who wants us – and that's a big thing for us – who wants our organization and our girls? And what are they willing to do for us?,” stating that the Sports Commission made them a “very attractive bid.” “We say that Coralville has become an extension of our staff, and we truly feel like that we can just pick up the phone (and) give them a call,” she continued. According to the Iowa City Area Sports Commission website, in 2024 the nonprofit has helped produce and support 38 sporting and special events, which has attracted 124,000 guests and resulted in a $16.3 million economic impact. “It's far more than tournaments and events – our commission quietly plays a key role in recreation and quality of life,” said Mr. Schamberger. He gave the example of the Bike Iowa City initiative, which the commission established and continues to oversee, and named frequent collaborations with local parks and recreation departments to support trail development, as well as sponsoring and volunteering with local youth sports. “As Winston Churchill once said, ‘we make a living by what We earn. We make a life by what we give.’ And this team, much like our entire team at Think Coralville, Think Iowa City, embodies this,” he said.