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Branson/Lakes Area CVB
Sports Tourism & Venue Development
Strategic Planning Project
Submitted: November 26, 2017
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November 26, 2017
Jeff Seifried
President/Chief Executive Officer
Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Branson/Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
P.O. Box 1897
Branson, Missouri 65615
Dear Jeff,
Thank you to you and your staff for your efforts on our recent work in Branson. Your team and
community stakeholders have been quite helpful throughout this process. The groundwork we
have set with your stakeholders will serve as a strong foundation for future sports tourism, event,
and venue development efforts in the region.
Enclosed is the report detailing our findings. The report includes a SWOT analysis of the sports
tourism efforts of the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (“CVB”), as well as
recommendations for future sports tourism and venue development. Both the SWOT analysis
and the recommendations are built on a “Powers of Three” format (three main points, and in
most cases, no more than three action items for each).
Please let me know if you have questions about the enclosed recommendations leading up to our
community meetings later this month. We are looking forward to our follow-up discussions and
final presentations.
Thank you again for all your support throughout this process!
Yours in Sport,
Jon Schmieder
Founder + CEO
Huddle Up Group, LLC
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Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Sports Tourism & Venue Development – Strategic Planning Project
SWOT Analysis
It is the opinion of the Huddle Up Group (“Consultant”) that there is an opportunity to continue
to grow the sports tourism work of the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
(“CVB”). Through our extensive phone interviews, review of past research project and reports,
conversations with your local event promoters, and our knowledge of the national marketplace,
we believe there is room for the CVB to deliver additional overnight stays to the destination
through sports. An expanded sports tourism effort will lead to increased economic development,
and will positively impact the community over time.
Branson’s primary industry is tourism, and travel team sports has played a role in that over the
years. In a market the size of Branson, with its numerous positive attributes and the current
absence of a significant airport presence, it is critical that grass roots sports tourism and events
continue to be a top priority. The diminishing tour bus market as well as the struggles of many
of the traditional tourism drivers in the area only strengthen the need for sports tourism to be a
market driver for the destination.
Keeping the need for a strong sports tourism program at the forefront, below is a SWOT analysis
of the CVB’s sports department. Each SWOT item features three key issues with no more than
three action items for each (“Powers of Three”).
Strengths
1. Destination Location/Offering – Branson offers rights holders an inviting community that
is event friendly to conduct state level and regional championships. Branson’s location
offers convenience to the drive market, and access from several larger cities (examples:
Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Memphis, and St. Louis). The close proximity of
these larger markets allows for teams throughout the region to easily travel to Branson to
participate in tournament play. In addition, the abundance of family friendly attractions,
a solid restaurant offering, and an inventory of over 16,500 usable hotel rooms, Branson
is a desirable location to host participant driven sporting events and tournaments. The
community has proven historically to provide a safe environment for visitors, further
supporting the positive family nature of Branson.
2. Affordability – With an average daily rate of $94.45, Branson’s hotels are considered
very affordable, which plays directly into the potential success of the sports market. The
Consultant Team’s experience in visiting the destination proved to be cost effective in the
restaurant sector, and the theater market is quite competitive offering budget friendly
price points for a majority of the regularly scheduled shows in the market.
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3. Outdoor Assets – The Branson/Lakes Area offers numerous outdoor “venues” that can be
used to enhance visitor spending through sport. Table Rock State Park and State Park
Marina are but two natural venues that can be leveraged to host more events in Branson.
Weaknesses
1. Facilities – While the Branson area has some facilities that can be used to attract
tournament play and their related tourism dollars, there are challenges with the overall
venue inventory in the City of Branson and the Branson/Lakes Area. These issues
include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Lack of Indoor Facilities – Branson lacks a significant indoor space to use in
attracting sports tournaments and competitions (examples: large scale basketball
or volleyball tournaments, cheer and dance events). This can be overcome with
the enhancement/expansion of the existing indoor facility at the RecPlex, and an
increased focus on the utilization of the Branson Convention Center as a sports
venue. Focus should be given to using any and all indoor facilities to drive
additional overnight stays during shoulder and off-peak seasons from November
to March (example: replicate the success of the Branson Futsal Shootout held in
January at the Branson Convention Center).
b. Lack of an Anchor Facility – Branson and the surrounding area have a very
limited inventory of flat multi-sport fields, which are often the driving force of a
sustainable sports tourism program in small and mid-sized markets. In addition,
while the two main diamond facilities (Ball Parks of America and the RecPlex)
are good venues for hosting tournaments, neither has enough fields on its own to
serve as the “anchor” venue for the larger national tournaments.
c. Accessibility – The area’s high schools and university have venues that are often
unavailable to the CVB, due to use by their own internal user groups. While this
is common with school-based athletic venues, a strategic discussion with each of
the schools in the region should be had to find spots in the calendar where both
the schools and the hospitality community could benefit (that is, where both
sports tourism and local high school or college tournament play can meet to
mutually benefit Branson).
d. Calendars – Currently the CVB does not have the same level of access to all area
venue calendars. The CVB staff is tasked with booking events that drive
increased tourism revenues to the area (preferably in off-peak and shoulder
seasons). In order to achieve maximum impact, the CVB staff needs to be able to
consistently review where the community’s venues have open dates and then
attempt to book new events in those open windows. Some form of a regularly
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shared venue calendar/process would be advantageous for the CVB sports staff
going forward. As one example, Denver Sports does this quite well.
2. Capturing Opportunities – We believe the staff size (2.5 FTE) of the sports department is
correct for the current work load of the CVB. Going forward, the Consultant Team
believes positive changes can be made to enhance the work of the sports team, including
future expansion of staff. Specifically, the sports team’s focus needs to be centered on
closing deals with key local stakeholders as much as working to attract traditional bid-in
events. During the research process for this project, multiple stakeholders interviewed
believe the CVB sports staff is more reactive than proactive. With that in mind, below
are examples where the CVB sports staff can enhance their work within the Branson
sports community: (1) continue to grow the relationship with the local high school
athletics departments as new venues are developed, (2) take a leading role with the
Branson Golf Council, (3) continue to expand involvement with client applications to the
CVB’s “Event “Opportunity Fund” ($100,000 annually) and the Branson Tourism Tax
Contingency Funds Application, (4) continue engagement in future phases of the
Missouri Amateur Sporting Contribution Tax Credit, (5) work with parks and recreation
and other event promoters to track the “universe” of economic impact in the community,
and (6) develop a direct relationship with the Missouri State High School Activities
Association.
3. Funding – For a market of its size, Branson’s tourism effort is well funded ($11M budget)
through various sources including Community Improvement Districts. However, the
sports department of the CVB has a marketing budget of roughly $180,000 per year,
which does not include an event enhancement/grant fund that many markets use to attract
or create new events. Examples of successful sports marketing department budgets that
are of similar structure to Branson (where the sports efforts are “blended” into the CVB)
include:
a. Tulsa – $1.2 million budget (sports staff size of 7)
b. Fort Worth – $950,000 budget (sports staff of 2)
c. Oklahoma City – $700,000 budget (sports staff of 2.5)
d. Des Moines – $550,000 budget (sports staff of 3)
e. Tuscaloosa – $50,000 to $250,000 budget (sports staff of 2)
f. Branson – $180,000 budget (sports staff of 2.5)
In addition, the Branson CVB’s policy for sports marketing funds have traditionally been
restricted to event promoters that are from outside the Branson market. In order to be
competitive with the strong sports minded CVBs and sports commissions in the region, a
larger allocation to secure new event opportunities needs to be developed, and those
funds need to be used in many cases to help local promoters build and grow their own
events that deliver upon the CVB’s tourism mission.
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Opportunities
1. Community Engagement – Through an enhanced sports tourism program, the CVB will
have a great opportunity to significantly grow its connection to the community.
Specifically, the CVB can use this revamped sports tourism initiative to galvanize area
leaders in the following ways:
a. Continuing Education – Sports tourism has had a positive impact on the Branson
marketplace in the past. The Consultant Team believes there is a great need for
both internal and external education on the historical value of sports tourism to
the area. In the minds of the Consultants, the CVB staff, hospitality community,
and community leaders could all benefit from a summary on the overall impact
sports related business brings to the area, and how an expanded sports marketing
effort will benefit Branson in the future.
b. Stakeholder Engagement – Many high-level decision makers in the region are
engaged in the community and are knowledgeable of the CVB’s work in sports,
yet they can’t quite articulate the historical and annual impact of these efforts. By
leading a collective conversation around sports tourism that will focus community
leaders on the building blocks for success (examples: national sports marketing,
event creation, and venue development/enhancement), the CVB will be able to
better engage community leaders in the region.
c. Expanded Partnerships – From information gathered through the research process,
the Consultant Team believes there is strong support from community leaders to
expand the sports tourism effort in the Branson/Lakes Area. Specifically, this
includes an increased engagement of the area’s event promoters, venue managers,
elected officials, attractions, and the hospitality community at large. Increased
collaboration focused on event creation and venue enrichment with these
stakeholders will lead to positive results in economic development through the
hosting of more sports tournaments and special events.
2. Events – Additional strides can be made in the area of locally driven events, including
activation on the following opportunities:
a. Diversification – Baseball, softball, cheer and dance account for the vast majority
of overnight stays relating to the sports market. The enhancement of the area’s
venue inventory (example: expanding the RecPlex diamond field offering), along
with the opportunity to create and grow locally developed events (see below),
offer the destination areas to build its tourism base through sports and drive
additional overnight stays in Branson.
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b. Addition of Special Events – Branson has a good track record of securing or
creating annual legacy events (examples: NAIA Basketball, Branson Shootout
Futsal Tournament). Sports marketing and event management is quite similar to
that of a concert or festival. In that light, numerous destinations have merged the
sports market with the “events” market. The Consultant Team suggests that the
CVB explore the inclusion of special events under the sports umbrella.
c. Created/Owned Events – Discussions with several area stakeholders uncovered
opportunities to partner on locally created events that would in turn, deliver upon
the mission of the CVB. As previously stated, a vast majority of Branson’s sports
tourism is delivered through cheer and dance events, softball and baseball
tournaments. There are opportunities to work with more of the area’s sporting
groups (examples: Missouri Golf Association, outdoor recreation clubs, Top of the
Rock and other Johnny Morris related golf enterprises) to help them establish new
event properties. Created (or locally “incubated”) events are becoming more and
more popular among Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and sports
commissions. Created events can help build a long-term presence that fill the
calendar needs of the local hospitality industry, and drive business to the area year
over year. Created events allow the managing entity (such as a local promoter in
partnership with a CVB) to control not only where they fall on the calendar to
maximize their impact, but also to take advantage of the profits from successful
events.
3. Increased Collaboration – There are several groups in the City of Branson and the
Branson/Lakes Area that are looking to enhance their community and sports
events/tournament offering. Expanding the collaborative efforts of the CVB with the area
high schools, College of the Ozarks, the various golf groups and facilities, and the
outdoor sports community would provide Branson a big-picture road map, that is
inclusive of all stakeholders in the region. In a community with the population size of
Branson, and with the existing financial and human capital in place, a county-wide venue
and events master plan would benefit the entire region in a profound way.
Threats
1. Regional Competition – There are several competitors in the area that are well
established in the regional and national sports tourism space (see Appendix C). The high
level of competition from Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, and Indiana are only the
beginning. Several communities in Missouri are also active in this space on both the bid-
in and created events fronts. This growing competition makes it more difficult each day
for the CVB to remain relevant. While Branson may not want to be like these
communities, their presence in the sports tourism space will require the CVB to pick its
proverbial spots and be smart about what its focus areas become. In addition, there is an
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expanding national trend of small and mid-market DMOs increasing their bed tax
percentage and/or using other tourism-related funds (such as food & beverage taxes) to
build sports venues (see Appendix A). As this bed/restaurant tax activation trend is in its
infant stages, the Consultants believe that no conclusions on the trend’s success or failure
can be accurately drawn at this time. However, the use of tourism generated funding
sources for venue enrichment and development (bricks and mortar) is a strategy that
should be considered by Branson in the future.
2. Old School Thinking – During the research for this project, the Consultant Team several
instances of “Old School” thinking arose. These include, but are not limited to the
following:
a. Multiple interview respondents stated that, “This is not your grandpa’s Branson”
meaning that the destination has evolved well beyond just a theater and shows
market. There is a great opportunity to use the entertainment history and DNA of
Branson to compliment sports tournaments and events in the marketplace, and
show visitors the “new” Branson.
b. Multiple hospitality industry and community leaders stated that the destination
didn’t need any more overnight visitors when the theaters are “in season.” A
review of the hotel 2016-2017 STR reports for the destination clearly shows that
this “in season” perception is untrue. Over the most recent 12 months ending
August 2017, July was the busiest hotel month for the destination with an
occupancy rate of 73.2%, with other months well below that benchmark (the
annualized average occupancy rate for the area is 53.8%). The hotels are not
“sold out” even in peak season, so there is opportunity for sports to drive
increased occupancy and compression during even the busiest seasons in Branson.
c. Local promoters have the opportunity to build and grow their own events, but
they need the marketing muscle and funding of the CVB to do so. The sports
tourism market is hyper competitive, with Branson’s current sports marketing
budget, it will be very difficult to compete with the established destinations in the
region. The logical “New School” approach would be to dedicate funding to local
promoters to build and expand locally based events that drive overnight stays and
cannot be stolen by another destination through a bid process (example: work
with Grand Country Half Marathon to expand their registered runners from 500 to
1,000 and beyond). Local promoters can deliver on the CVB’s mission, they just
need funding and execution support to do so.
3. Venue Development – Enhancing the venue tool kit in Branson (such as expanding Ball
Parks of America and/or the RecPlex) is likely years away. Finding a dedicated funding
source for land acquisition and the actual build-out of any new or existing venues is a
challenge that may take years to solve. While in the near term the Consultant Team
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believes sports tourism can be enhanced through a few changes within the CVB’s work
plan, in the future an enhanced facilities mix will likely be required to sustain growth in
the sports market.
SWOT Executive Summary
In the opinion of the Consultant Team, that as a small market player, Branson has done a good
job historically of driving overnight stays to the area through sports and events. This is largely in
spite of a limited venue inventory of tournament-friendly facilities, and a small budget for
traditional sports marketing. There is an opportunity to build Branson’s sports tourism impact by
expanding the CVB’s effort to include more constituents across the community. Through this
community-wide effort, the City of Branson and the Branson/Lakes Area can realize increased
economic activity for the region through additional overnight stays via sports tournaments and
related events. Throughout the research for this project, it was evident to the Consultant Team
that community leaders are largely supportive of an expanded sports tourism effort, and would
use their time and political capital to support such an initiative.
In the eyes of the Consultants, the risk in continuing down the current path would be akin to
marketing the destination like that of the “Joneses.” In the sports tourism and events
marketplace, many cities have had success though a basic sales and marketing plan and an
undifferentiating venue mix. For a community to “keep up with the Joneses” in this space, one
would normally attend 1-2 major sports tourism conferences, hand out informational brochures,
make a few follow-up phone calls, and field every RFP that hits their inbox. This reactive type
of game plan is the most widely accepted way to play in this space. It is also often times the
most ineffective and misguided use of the limited resources a community has available to them.
A more strategic, resource efficient approach is required to have long-term success in the hyper-
competitive sports tourism industry. That includes an evaluation on whether resources should be
spent on human capital (staff), marketing (sales), event creation and expansion, and/or venue
enhancement and development. There are more options that need to be considered today, than in
the “old-school” sports tourism model of the past. Branson’s competition is well funded, well
trained, and laser focused. To be relevant in the sports tourism market, the CVB team must
match the level of its competition in every way possible.
In the opinion of the Consultant Team, an improved venue mix and the hiring of an experienced
sports director (or the refocusing of the existing staff), would enable the CVB to have the assets
to sell itself against its competitive set, and to continue its positive impact on the local
community. Given the proper resources, the CVB and its sports department could provide a
significant impact to the local economy year over year, and could also enrich the lives of local
community user groups as well. By sharpening its overall outreach effort, and strategically
filling venue gaps, the CVB and its partners will enhance community ROI in the sports tourism
market, which will drive significant economic development to the region.
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By strategically engaging the community’s leaders, Branson can build a strong environment for
hosting regional and national tournaments, creating its own event inventory with local partners,
and drive overnight stays through special event-type programs. It is critical that the CVB not
only deliver on the recommendations set forth here, but also to create opportunities to draw the
community together (examples: enable local promoters to grow their events and to create new
ones, educate area civic groups and leaders on the value of sports tourism in Branson, offer the
hospitality community meaningful engagement opportunities in this effort). The perception must
be that the CVB is leading a sports tourism and marketing effort that is inclusive of all
stakeholders in the region, and is enriching the Branson/Lakes Area in a meaningful way.
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Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Sports Tourism & Venue Development – Strategic Planning Project
Synopsis and Recommendations
The sports tourism industry has grown consistently over the past twenty years. Studies show that
the grass roots portion of this market is worth more than $10 billion annually to the domestic
economy. Whether you use the National Recreation and Parks Association spending estimate
($85 per person per day), the 2011 National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) study
($208 per person per day), or the Destinations International (DI) economic impact calculator, the
value of this niche market is palpable for many small and mid-sized markets.
Add to this industry growth, the increase in popularity of soccer, lacrosse, and additional
emerging sports (examples: Bicycle Moto Cross or BMX, pickleball, quidditch, rugby, and
ultimate), the opportunity for the continuing expansion of economic development through sports
tourism is tangible.
Throughout the research process, it became apparent to the Consultant Team that there is an
opportunity for the Branson/Lakes Area to enhance its presence in the sports tourism and events
space. The key moving forward is for community stakeholders to work together in building and
managing an expanded sports tourism and marketing program, and to focus political capital on
enhancing the venue inventory in the region where possible. This unified effort will drive
economic development to the Branson region on a recurring basis from one year to the next.
Through the execution of a strategic and targeted game plan, Branson will enhance its position
regionally as a player in the sports tourism and events industry.
Methodology
The Huddle Up Group, LLC (“Consultant”) conducted an audit on the current sports tourism
work of the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (“CVB”). The audit included
in-person meetings with multiple community groups and phone and in-market interviews with
over 40 key stakeholders, including the CVB staff, community leaders, venue managers, athletic
administrators, event owners, elected officials, and additional targets that were identified by the
CVB. The Consultants reviewed several historical and internal documents including, but not
limited to, the following:
• Branson Community Plan 2030
• Branson Meeting, Convention & Sports Guide
• 2012 H2R Market Research Youth Sports Study
• 2013 Johnson Consulting Facilities Feasibility Study
• 2014 NASC Sports Facilities Study
• 2015 H2R Market Research Sports Traveler Study
• 2015 Branson CVB Sports Traveler Study
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• 2015 Branson Resident Survey Report
• 2016 Sports Facilities Development Meeting Notes Documents (2)
• 2016 and 2017 STR Reports
• 2017 CVB Board of Director Roster
• 2017 CVB Sports Marketing Goals
• 2017 CVB Sports Marketing Plan
• 2017 CVB Sports Market ROI Brochure
• 2017 CVB Visitor Profile by Month
• 2017-2019 Chamber & CVB Strategic Marketing Plan
• CVB Sports Department History Document
• Master Plan for Commerce Park Sports Complex
• Branson Tourism Tax Contingency Funds Application
• Branson CVB Opportunity Fund Criteria
• Missouri Amateur Sporting Contribution Tax Credit Program
• General Sales Tax Structure for the Branson Area
• Branson CVB Organizational Chart
• Branson CVB Sports Marketing Budget
• Branson RecPlex Master Plan
• Branson Public Schools Field Expansion Plans (2)
• Branson Parks and Recreation 2016 Tournament Attendance Numbers
• Branson Parks and Recreation 2017 Tournament and Special Events Schedule
The Consultant Team also visited 17 existing sports and entertainment facilities, as well as two
(2) potential sites that could be used for new sports venue development.
The audit was led by Huddle Up Group Founder + CEO, Jon Schmieder (Phoenix, AZ), and
Huddle Up Group Principal, Gary Alexander (Nashville, TN). The audit focused on four themes:
(1) facilities inventory and quality, (2) national best practices for sports tourism and events
marketing within a similar organizational structure and market size, (3) identification of new
business models/opportunities that would enhance Branson’s sports tourism results, and (4)
estimated financial implications for each recommendation. Discussions were held around
national best practices in these theme areas and focus was given to applications for the CVB.
The intent of this process was to create community support for the CVB’s increased sports
tourism marketing and venue enrichment efforts by giving local stakeholders a voice, to foster a
teamwork mentality for Branson, and for the CVB to serve as the leader of this united effort.
The Consultant Team took the results from the phone and in-person interviews, as well as the
data from two site visits to the Branson area (August 6-9 and October 18-20, 2017), then overlaid
national best practices to develop and deliver the enclosed recommendations. These
recommendations are intended to spark a dialog within the Branson leadership hierarchy in order
to build a framework for next steps on an expanded sports tourism marketing program.
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The recommendations presented here are based upon what the Consultant Team believes are
seven (7) universal truths about the Branson area’s sports market position:
1. Funding for a new sports facility or the expansion of an existing venue will not be
secured in the immediate future (12-18 months). In addition, the proposed Commerce
Park site or “Branson Sports Park” development has no identified funding source at this
time. Further, any facility construction process and potential land acquisition will take
additional time. For these reasons, facility recommendations have been put into the
secondary focus section of the enclosed recommendations.
2. The sports marketing budget is limited compared to the CVB’s competitive set, and the
funds currently allocated to sports tourism can be allocated more creatively and
effectively.
3. Airport lift directly into Branson is not going to improve in the near future.
4. Branson is dependent almost entirely on tourism to sustain itself as a city. As other
markets have declined (such as motor coach) it has become more imperative to diversify
the tourism offering of the Branson Lakes Area.
5. A targeted focus on closing deals with the help of local promoters and event partners in
the market will yield long-term results that will sustain the sports tourism mission of the
CVB.
6. Some facilities are largely inaccessible to the CVB for bid in events. In contrast, there
are outdoor assets that are underutilized.
7. Strategic “partnerships” must take precedent over CVB “sponsorships” to maximize
results in the future.
The enclosed game plan includes recommendations for three (3) primary focus areas and two (2)
secondary concepts for future consideration. The primary areas must happen in the short-term,
regardless of new resource acquisition or if a venue enhancement program is put in place. In
addition, within the primary focus areas, each recommendation has an estimated annual cost
associated with that action. The secondary recommendations are every bit as critical as the
primary ones, however will likely take more time and strategic planning to bring to fruition.
Costs for activation are noted at the end of each recommendation.
Primary Recommendation Areas
1. Organizational Structure
2. Messaging and Marketing Platforms
3. Event Solicitation/Creation Concepts
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Secondary Recommendation Areas
1. Venue Development/Enrichment/Usage
2. Funding Model
Primary Recommendations
Primary Recommendation #1: Organizational Structure
There is an opportunity for the CVB to increase its regional and national presence in the sports
tourism and events space. In order to expand in a meaningful way, the Consultant Team
recommends two (2) action items aimed to strengthen the foundation of the CVB’s sports
tourism effort. These recommendations are noted below with their anticipated activation costs in
parentheses:
1. Staffing Focus – Currently the region’s sports tourism sales and marketing effort is
primarily focused on the traditional bid-in event model. National best practices for
markets similar in size and sports budget to Branson are trending towards a higher level
of partnership with local area event promoters. Branson’s current model largely prohibits
financial support of local event operators. By working with local event producers to
create and grow events more organically three things occur: (1) these created events are
not ones that can be stolen by Branson’s competitors through a traditional bid process, (2)
the creators of these events (the CVB and its partners) can build these competitions in
times of need for area hotels, attractions, and venues, and (3) the entrepreneurial nature of
this model builds community partnerships that will enhance collaboration inside and
outside of sports. In the case of created events or bid-in events, the Consultant Team
recommends more specific annual benchmarks be used for the sports department rather
than percentage increases over prior years. We recommend annual benchmarks be set for
the existing sports team the areas of:
a. New hotel room nights generated.
b. New events secured.
c. Number of actual participants and spectators visiting from outside the
Branson/Lakes Area that are competing in events held in Branson.
d. Newly created events developed and executed.
e. Marketing, advertising and PR value (regional, national and international reach).
f. Community benefit and quality of life.
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g. Number of events renewed from the prior year (these would also be evaluated on
items a and c above).
2. Staffing Structure – In order to capture the myriad of opportunities in front of the CVB’s
sports department, the Consultant Team believes the sports department needs a slight
restructure. It is imperative that the CVB have added horsepower to the existing team,
which can be achieved in one of two ways:
a. Option #1: Add an experienced and focused sports tourism professional to lead
the tourism marketing effort for the CVB. Having an experienced leader with a
sports tourism/commission/events background would prove positive in
developing the pathway to creating opportunistic partnerships that will serve the
community long-term. The existing team is well liked in the community, and is
respected in the industry, which should not be overlooked. However, a different
type of leadership could enhance the work of the current team and lead that staff
through the created event model outlined here. Further, the addition of a seasoned
deal maker can put the existing team into roles where their skills will not only
support the new vision for the sports department, but also will set them up for
individual success.
b. Option #2: Provide an external professional support structure for the existing
staff to lean on in the form of an ongoing mentorship program. Noted earlier in
this document, there are numerous opportunities that need to be captured for the
CVB sports department to reach its full potential. If the hiring of an experienced
deal maker is not viable for the CVB in today’s economic climate, we believe an
alternative approach would be to offer the existing staff a virtual “head coach” to
lead them through the process of implementing the action items offered here. The
best tourism organizations are able to effectively manage everything “outside the
lines” so their clients (the event promoters) can concentrate on the competition
itself (“inside the lines”). Event rights holders and local promoters need to know
their host partners are taking advantage of every opportunity afforded them, and
are supporting their events in every way possible, even in ways the event
promoter cannot see.
In either of the two options outlined above, the input of a proven professional with high
level knowledge and experience within the sports tourism market is essential for success
in Branson. Event rights holders want to know that the communities they partner with on
their events know how to support sporting events and will do everything they can on
game day to deliver the best end product for their athletes, families, and fans.
(Option #1: Activation Cost for a Branson CVB Executive Director of Sports:
Dependent on experience).
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(Option #2: Activation Cost for a mentoring program of the existing sports staff:
$10,000 per year assuming 50 hours per year at $200 per hour).
Primary Recommendation #2: Messaging and Marketing Platforms
Throughout the research process, the Consultant Team encountered instances where stakeholders
(both internal and external) were unsure of the historical importance of sports tourism in the City
of Branson and the Branson/Lakes Area. While this is very common in markets the size of
Branson, there is a significant amount of education that needs to take place in the future. The
Consultant Team recommends four (4) action items to help improve the CVB’s sports market
messaging to both internal and external stakeholders:
1. Local Communications – CVB area stakeholders, elected officials, and the hospitality
community at large in Branson all need an increased education on the value sports
tourism brings to the area. To deliver upon this message, the Consultant Team
recommends the CVB undertake the following actions:
a. Value Proposition – Create an education campaign to roll out both internally and
externally. This quarterly road show would be presented in a 60-minute coffee
workshop format. The CVB staff would present on the value of sports tourism to
the region, and the work of the CVB in the sports and events marketplace. The
first of these meetings each year should be held with the Branson/Lakes Area
CVB staff and Board (internal) to ensure the CVB family is singing from the
same “song sheet.” Additional presentations should be made to various
community groups (examples: chamber leadership, civic clubs, high school
athletic directors, hoteliers, attractions general managers, restaurant association,
sports venue managers, etc.). It is important to reiterate that the CVB staff utilize
outside supporters (example: CVB Board members) as partners in these meetings
in order to give the presentation community (or third party) validation.
b. Create Corporate/Hospitality “Forums” – Where the education campaign noted
above is aimed at community groups, the CVB should also develop a channel to
educate and engage the corporate, hospitality, and attraction communities in
Branson. The Consultants recommend the creation of a quarterly “6&6 Lunch”.
These lunches employ six existing stakeholders (example: CVB Board members)
to each invite one guest from the business community (six stakeholders, six
guests, “6 & 6”) to attend an informative luncheon on the importance of sports
tourism and the work of the CVB in this area.
c. Measurements – In order to create and deliver the educational outreach programs
outlined above, the CVB must be able to message the success of its efforts. This
would require the CVB to be able to accurately measure the economic impact of
its activities (through past data captures, or via the NASC or DI impact models),
17
and also be able to effectively capture room night totals from events it hosts
(currently the CVB uses the aforementioned DI calculator, which is widely
accepted nationally as a proven economic impact tool). In addition, the CVB
should attempt to gather some historical data on what the sports department has
generated to date. This historical tracking should be updated from one year to the
next and used in external communications where appropriate.
(Activation costs for items A & B: Nominal food and beverage costs if Value-In-
Kind sponsors cannot be identified).
(Activation costs for item C: Nominal, as the CVB already has access to the
NASC and DI economic impact models).
2. Targeted (National) Outreach – The sports sales efforts of the CVB have in the past
included a number of industry conferences, and a limited number of sales trips and
familiarization (FAM) tours. In the future, the CVB should attend trade shows where
necessary (examples: NASC Symposium, Connect Sports), conduct sales trips and FAMs
on its own accord where financially viable, and include in each program local event
leaders and/or elected officials. The CVB should budget for these added outreach events
as well as the costs of travel for the leaders/electeds. The sports industry is all about
relationships. Branson will be better served to develop these relationships in one-on-one
environments, rather than via busy trade shows, jointly marketed sales trips, or FAMs.
(Activation Costs: $6,000 per added outreach event or trade show, inclusive of
costs for a community stakeholder, VIP, or elected official to attend. Two added
outreach events would require $12,000 in added budget support).
3. Strategic Partnerships – There is great opportunity for the CVB to build bridges in the
Branson community. More specifically, there is a need for the newly expanded sports
tourism effort to bring area sports groups into the fold. Relationships can be enhanced
with the various venue managers, community sports groups, and the region’s tournament
organizers among others. There are two (2) specific areas where the CVB’s sports
department can enhance its relationships locally:
a. Revamp the current sports committee to include additional area venue managers
and event promoters. Align the committee to support the new direction of the
sports department recommended here.
b. There is opportunity to recognize the past work of these community leaders
through an annual community awards event of some type.
In both of these recommendations, the end goal is for the Branson CVB to be viewed as
the "go to" organization when its partners need help to host an event.
18
(Activation Costs: $2,500 - $5,000 for an annual event or program to recognize
the contributors to sports and events tourism in Branson).
4. Trumpet Successes – In all cases where the CVB is involved in the production of an
event, the organization should make it a priority to issue a press release on the
community impact of the event. This release should be sent out via traditional and also
new media outlets, to both media and non-media audiences. The information should
include economic impact data derived from the aforementioned NASC or DI tool. It is
important that in this process that the CVB steer clear of the perception of taking credit
for the event in total, and that the event rights holder and venue partners be included in
the promotion process throughout. Further, an ROI should be calculated on the tourism
spending return for every marketing dollar spent by the CVB (most DMOs aspire to a
9-to-1 bed-tax to spending ratio, or better).
(Activation Costs: Nominal).
Primary Recommendation #3: Event Solicitation/Creation Concepts
During the research and analysis for this project, several areas of opportunity presented
themselves relating to the attraction, creation, and servicing of events. Four (4) such concepts
are outlined below:
1. Venue Booking Policies – The CVB should strive to have “favored nation status” at all
parks and recreation facilities, scholastic venues, as well as at private facilities. While
this is easy to state on paper, it is often tougher to achieve due to differing priorities
between the venue manager and the CVB. In some cases, this is also difficult to achieve
where there is “territorialism” between various community user groups. If the CVB were
able to assist financially with the enrichment or expansion of area venues, there would be
opportunity to request this favored nation status in the future. In addition, a transparent
(shared) calendar at all venues is critical for the CVB to add value to venue managers
over time. This calendar would include the parks facilities, privately run venues, middle
school and high school fields, and additional locations with sports friendly spaces such as
the Branson Convention Center, and outdoor/water venues at Table Rock State Park. In
order to be effective in the sports tourism space, a well-balanced use (between
community user groups and tournament play) of all venues is critical. With that in mind,
in the case where the CVB is investing in sports facility improvements, they should have
control of those venues 18-months and further out (similar to how a CVB would normally
block out key dates in their convention facilities).
(Activation Costs: A significant venue improvement fund could be used to
leverage the event calendars controlled by area venue leaders, see “Secondary
Recommendations” below).
19
2. Empower Local Promoters – Branson has a strong foundation of event promoters whose
work supports the mission of the CVB. These locally based event leaders offer the
community a tremendous resource to build annual sports and event properties, and thusly
increase economic development. By offering support to these locally incubated programs
(by creating a sports specific event grant fund within the CVB sports department), the
CVB can build a solid annual cache of events that will allow it to then pick and choose
where to participate in competitive bids for additional state, regional, and national
tournaments. The CVB staff needs to engage in a progressive dialog with area
sports/events leaders on the expansion of their existing franchises, and also the creation
of new events within the structures that already exist. Examples would include:
a. Replicating and growing sporting events like the Grand Country Half Marathon,
the Branson Futsal Shootout, and the area’s locally run triathlons.
b. Replicating and growing special events such as the US Bands at Branson and the
Branson Car Auction car shows.
c. Creating a golf tourism event (similar to that of the Myrtle Beach World Amateur)
that would take advantage of Branson’s strong golf assets and would match a
desirable tourism demographic the community seeks. Currently less than 2% of
all Branson visitors play golf during their stay. There is significant room to
improve upon the capture rate of the golf market.
Growing and/or replicating the successful events that already exist in Branson allows the
City to expand its tourism impact without having to bid against other cities for events
through the usual RFP process. Engagement of the local event promoters and their
properties will likely lead to opportunities to expand into multiple championships over
additional weekends across all sports. Where the CVB can help build recurring
community “owned” events and championships, Branson won’t have to rely as much on
bid-in events to fulfill its tourism mission.
3. Revamp Current Allocations – All current event grant/funding recipients need to be re-
evaluated against a new set of criteria in alignment with the measures of success set out
for the staff in “Primary Recommendation #1” above. The criteria should be used to
measure the existing investments that are being made in events, and also used as an
evaluation tool for future investments. All events should be evaluated against their
delivery on overnight stays and economic impact, and granted funds in relation to the
event’s ability to drive tourism to Branson. Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Oklahoma City
have two of the best grant evaluation programs in the country.
(Activation Costs: None. This evaluation will likely put more marketing funds
back into play for new events with larger ROIs than the current model allows).
20
4. The Entertainment Advantage – Branson has something very few communities have: an
abundance of quality entertainment attractions. Regardless of the state of the
entertainment industry in Branson, this is a strategic advantage that should be exploited
where possible. Using the numerous family-friendly attractions in the area to overlay
onto the sporting events hosted in Branson should provide a distinct leg up on similar
communities in the bid process, and also, in the event creation process. Entertainment is
in Branson’s DNA, and where possible, should be factored into the work of the CVB
sports department (note: Branson is the only market the Consultant Team has ever
worked with that has more hotel rooms than citizens, which shows the opportunity to use
the tourism attractions to also enhance the sports market offering).
(Activation Costs: None. Beyond staff time to integrate the attractions more
effectively into the sports program, no hard costs are likely needed for this
strategy).
Secondary Recommendations
Secondary Recommendation #1: Venue Development/Enrichment/Usage
As the refocused sports tourism marketing program matures, the Consultant Team recommends
the CVB and its leadership group expand its work in two (2) additional areas as outlined here:
1. Infrastructure Challenges – In order to be a valued community partner over the long haul,
the CVB needs to be able to offer support for future venue expansion and enhancement.
Creating a venue improvement fund (see below), and/or finding consistent ways to
support area venues and their events will allow the CVB to grow its impact in Branson
for not only tourism, but also for community user groups. The CVB staff, along with
Branson’s venue owners/managers, should compile a wish list of all potential venue
improvements that would ultimately drive more tournaments (and overnight stays) to the
area. Also note that any improvements that are made would also enhance the local user
group’s experience, which should not be lost in the enclosed tourism-related
recommendations.
(Activation Costs: Nominal in this phase).
2. Venue Enrichment/Development – For the CVB to positively impact Branson’s grass
roots sports events community as well as its future sports tourism work, the organization
must identify a funding mechanism for venue enhancement and development projects
(see below). This would include special projects needed to consistently land major
regional and national tournaments for the area, and to enhance the local user group’s
league and recreational play. The current needs for this fund would include, but are not
limited to, the following projects:
21
a. RecPlex Expansion – The Branson RecPlex is the main driver for sports tourism
in the region. The parks staff that operates the RecPlex facilities is highly capable
and well regarded in the community. They drive a substantial number of tourism
qualifying events to the area with one hand virtually tied behind their back. Their
primary facility has a 25-yard pool with two aftermarket lanes (7 and 8), four
baseball/softball fields, two overused soccer pitches, and a basic two-court
gymnasium. The facility is overburdened with community and tournament play.
Further, the flooding issues at the Alexander and Stockstill Parks have created
significant compression on field usage at the RecPlex. In its current state, none of
the existing facilities at the RecPlex would be considered “anchor facilities” for
major national tournaments. An expansion of the RecPlex to become regionally
and nationally competitive is essential for Branson to become competitive in the
sports tourism space. The most logical expansion elements to this facility would
be more diamonds to raise the inventory to at least eight (8) fields, as well as a 4-8
multi-use field area preferably with turf surfaces. The adjacent 36 acres to the
RecPlex are available for purchase by the City of Branson, which could make this
needed expansion possible. According to the parks and recreation staff, this
suggested expansion of the RecPlex would cost between $4 million and $5
million, not including the costs to acquire the adjacent land by the City.
b. All venues, RecPlex, Ball Parks of America, or otherwise, that are used to host
regional and national tournaments should provide permanent restrooms and
concession facilities, television ready lighting, adequate parking on site, a
championship field, wifi coverage, a tournament office to serve as an operational
headquarters, and adequate power locations to accommodate television/streaming
or new media style broadcasts. Most of the venues in the Branson area lack some
or all of these assets.
c. Beyond the current work of the school district, Branson should add additional
artificial turf fields to its venue mix, which would help “non-traditional sports”
such as lacrosse/rugby/ultimate. These turf upgrades/additions would assist with
field wear and weather related issues, and greatly enhance the flexibility of the
community’s venue mix for both community user groups and also tournament
play. For instance, adding turf to the RecPlex would likely allow the parks
department to increase the number of tournament weekends they host, which
would deliver additional tourism dollars in overnight stays and restaurant receipts.
This addition would also provide more field time for the community user groups
in the area to use for practice and league play, all without significant wear and tear
on the facility’s grass field surfaces in place today.
d. Branson Convention Center – The Convention Center can be better utilized as a
sports facility. The Convention Center and the CVB should evaluate the event
calendar and seek out potential event dates. Once those dates and potential
22
events/sports are identified to fill them, an additional investment in athletic
equipment would likely be needed in the form of additional sport court and sport-
specific items (examples: basketball baskets, volleyball nets, pickleball net
systems). As tournament opportunities arise, the venue enhancement fund should
be tapped into to pay for these equipment upgrades, that can be used for years into
the future. Expanding the vision for the Convention Center as a sports venue
would allow for Branson to host numerous events in the fastest growing indoor
sports, and to diversify beyond baseball, softball, and cheer and dance. The
growing sports opportunities could include:
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – Core participation in MMA competitions is up
77% over the past three years, totaling nearly 1.3 million athletes.
• Pickleball – USA Pickleball’s membership has grown four-fold in the past
three years.
• Cheer and Dance – 1.6 million core participants engaging in the sport at least
13 times per year. This market is well served in Branson today, and could
continue to be a growth area for the CVB in the future.
• Additional Growth – Boxing and roller hockey also offer a significant growth
market in the indoor sports space, rising in core participation 41.4% and
39.5% since 2012, respectively.
The Center could also allow for the hosting of many of the larger more traditional and
established sports competitions, including:
• Basketball – 15.6 million people in the United States are considered core
basketball players, participating in the sport 13 or more days per year (the
current indoor basketball facility at the RecPlex has only two courts, which is
not enough to be a differentiator in the region).
• Volleyball – Has a core audience of nearly 3.6 million people.
• Indoor Soccer – Over 2.6 million core athletes participating 13 or more times
a year.
• Archery – Core athlete participation (26 or more days per year) in Archery is
up 8.1%.*
* – The statistics noted above were obtained from the 2016 Sports & Fitness Industry
Association’s annual sports participation report. The study measures participation
changes over one, three, and five years.
(Activation Costs: $250,000 - $500,000 per year based on venue priority).
23
Secondary Recommendation #2: Funding Model
The Consultant Team believes the most viable funding model for the enclosed recommendations
in Branson is outlined below:
1. Sports Venue Improvement Fund – Identifying a dedicated funding source for the above
projects, and those opportunities that arise in the future, is critical for the CVB to grow
the sports market. After evaluating the various tax programs in place in the Branson area,
including TIFs and economic development-type districts, the Consultant Team believes
the best revenue source for a venue improvement fund would be in raising the food tax.
The current food tax (0.5%) generates roughly $1.08 million per year. A 1% increase of
the food tax to 1.5% would generate an additional $2.16 million per year. Today, the
maximum tax a visitor to Branson could expend is 13.1%, which is below the nationally
accepted benchmark of 15%. This small increase in the food tax would raise the total tax
rate for visitors to 14.1%, well within the national norm. Numerous cities are increasing
their bed tax rate and/or using a food and beverage tax to put towards the construction
and/or operation of new sports facilities (Examples: Evansville, Shreveport, Spokane,
Appleton, Tulsa, Eau Claire, Fort Wayne, Ashland, Millville, etc.). See Appendix A for
additional details on this topic. Finally, previous estimates on tax related increases in
Branson indicate that approximately 80% of the tax collected would be paid by visitors
and not citizens. Thusly, the burden of this small increase will be carried by visitors to
the area at a 4-1 ratio, which is a strong return on each citizen’s investment in the
community.
(Activation Costs: $50,000 - $100,000 to execute a campaign for a food tax
increase).
Note: A summary of all recommended activation costs can be found in Appendix D.
Conclusion
Branson has had some success in hosting sporting tournaments over the years. The Consultant
Team believes there is additional opportunity for Branson to grow the impact of sports tourism in
the future. To frame up this vision, the Consultant Team offers two “Big Ideas” for the Branson
sports tourism market:
1. Many tourism studies have been conducted, today is the day to take action on sports
tourism.
2. There are numerous opportunities to leverage today. Branson shouldn’t let facilities
discussions get in the way of blocking and tackling sports tourism efforts that can happen
now – Today.
24
Branson and the CVB’s partners can achieve sports tourism growth through the empowerment of
local event promoters/operators to build upon the area’s historical success in developing home-
grown grass roots events, creating new event inventory, and hosting state and regional
championships. In order to further enhance the impact of sports tourism on Branson, the CVB
needs to focus its efforts on three (3) overarching objectives:
1. Create a culture of sports tourism development, rather than purely sports sales and
“sponsorship”.
2. Partner with local promoters to build created events that will call Branson home into the
future, and not be subject to an RFP process to Branson’s competitors.
3. When able, enhance the region’s venue “tool kit” by improving the existing facilities.
While the CVB is in good financial health, its sports marketing budget is underfunded against its
competitive set (example: Tulsa). In order to be effective, the CVB needs to be creative in how it
promotes the destination to sports clients, and in how it empowers its local event promoters to
build a foundation for long-term success.
Specifically, the CVB should focus its resources on three (3) initiatives (or “Pillars” as outlined
in Appendix E). Each Pillar has a specific target audience, as well as tactics to achieve the
CVB’s sports goals for each area. The Pillars are meant to be simple and also clarifying, so both
internal and external stakeholders can easily understand the mission and goals of the CVB sports
department. The Pillars include the following three (3) focus areas:
1. Events – This two-pronged approach would include pursuing the traditional bid-in events
with event rights holders, as well as incubating and creating events with the area’s local
promoters (example: the “12th Man” concept where the CVB sports team has developed
one event each month that is locally owned and run). As the CVB’s expanded efforts
take root and new (local) events are developed, there will be less of a need to focus on
competitive bid processes to drive overnight stays. Both the traditional bid-in events as
well as creating events that drive overnight stays will deliver on the CVB’s tourism
mission.
2. Venue Enhancement – Providing a revenue stream (food tax to be used as challenge
grants) for a master plan to enhance the area’s existing venues, and to potentially develop
new facilities, that can positively impact tourism for the area. These facility upgrades
would not only drive additional tourism to Branson, but would also serve as assets for the
region’s community user groups.
3. Community Engagement – Messaging the mission of the CVB, the importance of sports
tourism to the area, and the historical success of the organization to various stakeholder
groups in a meaningful way.
25
The unprecedented growth of the sports tourism industry (see Appendix B) shows the high level
of market sustainability that support the expansion of economic development in this space for
Branson. The recommendations suggested here will positively impact the region’s tourism
profile and also positively affect the citizens and community user groups on a day-to-day basis.
Throughout this project subjects expressed a desire for community leaders to work together.
There is a great deal of support for the CVB to expand its reach in the sports tourism space. With
that in mind, there is an opportunity for the CVB to be the connection point for the community in
the area of sports tourism through the development of new event and venue products. This
investment will, in turn, help drive economic development year over year.
As in any new project, there are numerous variables that would need to be considered in
evaluating the ROI and risk in expanding the CVB’s tourism program, including the addition of
new venue assets. It is the experience of the Consultant Team that the communities who
consider the overall impact on their tax base as a whole, will have more success than those that
measure success purely by room nights or bed tax collections. That is, the cities that take into
account the entirety of the community impact and total economic activity that is generated by a
sports tourism marketing program, generally display a higher level of collaboration than those
that simply measure heads in beds and sales tax totals.
In summary, the Consultant Team offers what we feel are the four (4) most important things for
the CVB to facilitate in the immediate future:
1. Refocus the current staff’s sales and marketing effort on closing deals that have positive
long-term effects on Branson, including lessening the focus on bid-in events.
2. Develop a venue enhancement wish list, along with quotes for the desired improvements.
Prioritize those improvements in order of those that will drive more overnight stays to
Branson, and formally adopt the list of enhancements as an improvement plan. The
Consultant Team recommends that the expansion and enhancement of the RecPlex in the
form of a second diamond “pinwheel” as well as multiple multi-sports turf fields. The
parks and recreation staff projects the cost of such an expansion would be $5,000,000 not
including the purchase of land adjacent to the current facility.
3. Meet with the leaders of Branson’s top tournaments and special events to identify areas
where the CVB can partner with them to enhance their existing properties, and potentially
create new ones.
4. Determine what revenue streams, and annual amounts, will be allocated to this expanded
sports and events tourism effort. The suggestion levied here by the Consultant Team is to
campaign for a food tax increase of 1%, which would drive an estimated $2.16 million
annually to the sports department of the CVB. These funds would be used for venue
26
enhancements through a challenge grant structure, increasing the event grant/incentive
fund to match Branson’s competitive set, and increase event creation efforts with local
and regional promoters.
In the eyes of the Consultant Team, the puzzle pieces exist in Branson to build upon the CVB’s
past success and to expand the economic development for the region through sports and special
event activities. The only question would be to what extent this development effort can be
supported financially in order to best benefit the City of Branson and the Branson/Lakes Area.
The Consultant Team believes it is within the power of the CVB and its stakeholders to capture
more opportunities in the sports tourism and events market, while also enriching the lives of its
citizens. This community-wide effort will lead the area towards a “regionalism” mentality by
connecting the tourism and business communities in an ongoing and proactive manner.
Final report submitted to the Branson CVB on November 26, 2017.
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Appendix A – Trends in Sports Facility Funding
The most common funding source for new facilities is a general fund allocation from the
city/county where the facility is located as well as a land contribution for the venue to be
constructed (again donated by the city or county). Although the level of success is yet to be
determined, several communities around the country have already, or are in the process of,
raising their bed tax collection rate to fund sports-related facility development, including:
• Evansville (IN) recently opened a new $15 million multi-use outdoor sports complex that
is entirely funded by bed tax dollars. The future management of this facility will also be
funded by bed tax dollars and it is run by the CVB itself.
• Spokane (WA) is in the process of bonding $25 million against future bed tax collections
to construct a new athletic field house.
• Shreveport (LA) recently passed a bed tax increase for the expansion of their sports
commission’s national marketing program. This new tax also supports the Independence
Bowl (venue enhancements) and the regional airport (incentives for new airline routes).
This combined effort between three of Shreveport’s leading agencies shows the economic
development impact that sports tourism can have on a mid- or small-size market.
• Fox Cities (Appleton, WI) recently raised their bed tax rate from 6% to 10% to build a
convention center, a new large (hardwood) indoor sports complex, and to renovate three
existing sports facilities used to attract regional and national tournaments.
• Rockford (IL) having already finished a significant expansion of its outdoor sports
venues, used bed tax dollars to bond $10 million towards a new indoor facility. The
Downtown Sports Complex carried a price tag of $24 million and opened in late 2016.
• Placer Valley (CA) is allocating funds from an increased bed tax as well as a new hotel
assessment to construct and manage a $35 million multi-use all turf sports complex. The
venue will be managed by the area tourism bureau and is slated to open in 2017.
• Pasco (FL), in partnership with the Florida Sports Foundation, is in the process of
developing a new sports complex on 120 acres of county-owned property. Pasco County
is investing $11 million to the project, including $8.5 million in tourist tax funds and $2.5
million in unrestricted bond proceeds.
• In January 2016, Warren County (OH) raised the lodging tax one (1) percent to finance a
$10 million, 20 field sports complex. The rate hike increased the county hotel occupancy
tax from 3% to 4%. The tax will be used over 20 years to pay off debt the Warren County
Convention & Visitors Bureau will take on to pay for the complex.
28
Appendix A (Continued) – Trends in Sports Facility Funding
In addition to the hotel tax examples noted on the previous page, several communities have
implemented a food and beverage tax for the purpose of developing or enhancing sports
facilities.
• For the past 30 years, Fort Wayne (IN) has implemented a 1% food and beverage tax that
is used for capital projects. This program has funded several new buildings at the site of
the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum arena, including a 100,000-square foot expo
center and 5,000 seat baseball stadium. These funds have also been used to renovate the
arena’s ice floor, to add 2,500 seats and meeting rooms to the arena. Currently the
program is used to by the City’s Capital Improvement Board to finish the financing of
major capital projects such as a new hotel in downtown next to the convention center,
building an industrial building to retain a major employer, and helping to build a parking
garage to attract a major mortgage company to downtown. The fund generates $7.5
million per year and is currently being considered to help finance a new arena downtown.
• Ashland (OR) employs a 5% food and beverage tax which garners nearly $4.5 million a
year. Twenty percent of these funds are allocated to the acquisition and preservation of
open spaces for parks and recreation, with 80% of the funds used to retire debt for a
recently completed community-wide waterway enhancement.
• Historically, King County (WA) has used intermittent funding from food and beverage
taxes to build stadiums such as the King Dome. While this program is not active today, it
has been a tool the Greater Seattle area has used in the past for venue development to
entice professional sports teams to the area. Similarly, the State of Florida has a
professional league stadium venue development program that is also funded by
temporary food and beverage taxes, when needed. Finally, Milwaukee used a food and
beverage tax to build Miller Park, home of Major League baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers.
• In 2007, the State of New Jersey created the “Sports and Entertainment District Urban
Revitalization Act.” This legislation authorizes a municipality to establish a sports and
entertainment district within that municipality. The act authorizes the establishment of
one or more new local taxes and dedicates the revenue from some or all of those taxes to
financing projects in the sports and entertainment district. Under this legislation, the
community of Millville levied a 2% local food and beverage tax to fund the Millville
Sports and Entertainment District. The District spurred the development of the New
Jersey Motorsports Park, a 500-acre sports and entertainment destination that hosts
numerous events including NASCAR racing.
It should be noted that different States have different regulations regarding the use of funds
generated by bed and/or food and beverage taxes. The cases outlined above are not exhaustive,
and should be viewed only as examples for further discussion.
29
Appendix B – National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) Membership
Sports tourism has grown exponentially over the past two decades. The nature of the industry is
that it is relatively “immune” to market factors such as troubled economies, war, high
unemployment, 9/11, or similar factors. Studies by the NASC show that the grass roots sports
tourism industry is worth over $10 billion and that there are more events today, with more
participants competing in those events, than ever before.
Projections indicate that the grass roots sports tourism industry (exclusive of mega events like
the Superbowl, Final Fours, etc.) is growing at a pace of 12-14% per year, with more growth
anticipated in the coming decade. Below is a chart outlining the growth of membership
organizations within the NASC, which is a direct correlation to the growth of the sports tourism
industry as a whole.
399
444477
492
531571
621670
718
764
786
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
10-Year Membership Growth
Year End 2016
Total Membership
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Appendix C – Regional Competition Analysis
The sports tourism and events industry is as competitive today as it has ever been. Numerous
destinations market themselves in this niche industry in the form of a DMO, sports commission,
city, or through an alternative organization.
Below is a visual representation of the various entities in Branson’s region that are active in the
sports tourism and events space. The circles surrounding each city represent a 100-mile drive
market for local and regional events. While tournaments often attract teams from as far away as
a full day’s drive, this graphic shows the significant level of competition in this industry and the
high level geographic overlap amongst these communities.
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Appendix D – Branson CVB
Summary of Activation Costs
Primary Recommendations
Executive Director of Sports* TBD
Mentorship of Current Staff $10,000
Targeted (National) Outreach $6,000 - $12,000
Strategic Partnerships $2,500 - $5,000
Local Promoter Support $0 (Reallocate $50,000 of budget)
Primary Recommendations Gross Total $18,500 - $67,000
Secondary Recommendations
Venue Enhancement Fund $250,000 - $500,000
Campaign for a Food Tax Increase $50,000 - $100,000
Expansion of RecPlex (Diamonds and Turf) $0 - $5,000,000
Secondary Recommendations Gross Total $300,000 - $5,600,000
* - The salary for an Executive Director of Sports can vary widely based on industry experience.
Thusly, per the client’s request, no projection for this position is included in this financial
summary.
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Appendix E – Branson CVB
5-Year Strategic Mission Pillars
In the future, Branson’s enhanced sports tourism effort should sharpen its focus on three (3) key
mission areas, or “Pillars.” Each Pillar is driven by a different audience, all focused on
increasing overnight stays in Branson. This refined focus will help the CVB enhance its
messaging and will deliver directly on the organization’s mission. The recommended Pillars are
below along with their driving audiences/factors.
Branson CVB
5-Year Strategic Mission Pillars
Events
Bid/Created/Owned
(Short-Term)
Venue Enhancement
(Long-Term)
Community Engagement
(Ongoing)
Pillar
Tourism
Economic Development
Rights Holders/NGBs
Local Promoters
Venue/League Managers
Hospitality Leaders
Elected Officials
Economic Development
C-Level Community Leaders
Local Media
Non-Profit Civic Groups
Hospitality Community
Audience
RFPs & Event Bids
Grants/Incubator Program
“12th Man”
Grow existing events 10%/Yr.
Create two new events/Yr.
Master Plan
Venue Development Fund
Food Tax Increase
“6&6” Lunches
Economic Impact Releases
Corporate Support/Recognition
National Outreach
Tactics