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32 | I NSIGH T • J u n e 2 0 15 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m I N S I G H T O N SPORTS TOURISM B y S e a n P. J o h n s o n J eff Pistone knew he was onto something the first time he approached an area volleyball club with the idea of building additional courts for the Fox Valley region. Not only were they enthusiastic, the club was willing to sign a long-term deal for practices and tournaments at the new facility – and Pistone and his partners had not yet broken ground on what is now Lake Park Sportzone, an indoor sports complex in Menasha. "at reaction sort of solidified the business plan for us," Pistone says. "We knew there was a need, we just didn't know how intense it was." Pistone and his partner officially opened Lake Park Sportzone in February, and already they are seeing high demand for the space by area volleyball and basketball leagues and tournaments. One tournament sold out in 24 hours aer it was announced it was moving to the new facility. e upcoming fall and winter calendar is filling fast, with tournaments already booked from Sports spectacular Athletic events drive visitors and tourism spending throughout the New North December through May. Many weekends feature multiple basketball or volleyball tournaments, each bringing between 400 and 800 people into the Fox Cities. "It's a recurring complaint there aren't enough wood floors in this region to support the tournament opportunities that are out there," Pistone says. Nationwide, sports-related tourism, from major events such as the Super Bowl to youth sports tournaments such as those held at Lake Park Sportzone and other facilities, represents more than $9 billion in economic activity. Many communities are putting together specific strategies to capture a larger share of that growing market. Northeast Wisconsin is no exception. "e industry has grown rapidly The 2015 PGA is expected to draw 225,000 to Kohler's Whistling Straits in Sheboygan Aug. 10-16 — and another 500 million TV viewers worldwide. See "Dynamic Drive," page 22. From October thru April each year, players, coaches and fans can be found in gyms across Northeast Wisconsin for basketball and volleyball tournaments. A recent study found that with more floor space, the region could attract additional tournaments. S E A N P. J O H N S O N