SPORTS PLAYBOOK

visitchampaigncounty.org NO MATTER THE SPORT Make your next event more TEAMS COME TO PLAY IN OUR DIRT Wondering what makes the greater Champaign County area Outside than memorable. Make it of Ordinary? You’ll have to come visit us to see.

It goes beyond the destination, filled with arts and culture, scenic outdoor spaces, local award-winning food, and the University of OUTSIDE OF ORDINARY. . With our renowned Midwest Hospitality and our collection of urban and rural experiences, people can’t stop talking about our community. Maybe that’s why we’re the fastest growing city in Illinois.

Champaign County is host to a premier educational and sporting institution, the University of Illinois, a member of the . With the state-of-the art facilities that provide Olympic quality training and competition venues with over 60,000 seats available at Memorial Stadium, 16,000 at the , a world-class tennis center, and a new, state-of-the art track and soccer stadium, Champaign County is able to host major sporting events such as the NCAA Tennis Championships, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics Championships and the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Football, Basketball, and Wrestling State Championships.

We’ll help you on the path to success, providing the tools to get people to your event and make sure the experience is Outside of Ordinary!

DETROIT 311 Miles

MINNEAPOLIS CHICAGO 421 Miles 136 Miles

THE OF THE

INDIANAPOLIS CHAMPAIGN COUNTY MIDWEST 116 Miles We know you’re wondering—where exactly is Champaign County? We like to consider ourselves the heart of the state, located in East Central Illinois, centrally located between Chicago, Indianapolis LOUISVILLE and St. Louis. With three interstates intersecting in 187 Miles ST. LOUIS Champaign–Urbana, an station and Willard 165 Miles Airport, getting here is easy for everyone.

MEMPHIS 358 Miles Just the SPORTS EVENTS IN Our Services CHAMPAIGN COUNTY Facts FACILITY SITE INSPECTION We’re no stranger to hosting events in our After reviewing the many facilities available in our community. From small tournaments to national community in this playbook, schedule a site visit for an in- person tour. We’ll coordinate with you and the facility for a championships, we have the facility and the dedicated time to learn about any of the spaces, and hotels in our area. BIG TEN experience to make your event a success. ACCOMMODATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP FACILITIES BIDDING ASSISTANCE The greater Champaign County area has over Here’s just a few of the events we host: Need assitance negotiating with a facility? We can help with discussions 4,500 hotel rooms to house your guests. Our 24 hotel partners provide nearly 2,500 2019 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics to ensure the costs to host your event is within your budget. • rooms at competitive rates. We’ll help you find Championships ACCOMMODATIONS the right space, close to your facility. NATIONAL • 2021 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field We will help you secure affordable accommodations for teams, individual REGIONAL, AND STATE Championships athletes, coaches, officials and spectators. Our hotel partners offer PROPERTY...... #OF ROOMS • 2022 NCAA Men’s & Women’s Tennis thousands of rooms, with many doubles and suites, to provide ample Best Western Plus...... 100 accommodations to suit your needs. TOURNAMENTS Championships Candlewood Suites...... 83 2019 National Intercollegiate Wheelchair • ATTENDANCE BOOSTERS Comfort Suites...... 86 Basketball Tournament Want to attract a regional and local audience? We will help market Country Inn & Suites...... 83 • Christie Clinic (18,000 your event in and around the greater Champaign County area to attract Courtyard by Marriott...... 78 runners) participants and spectators. 71 Drury Inn & Suites...... 131 • Gameday USA SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION INDOOR COURTS Illinois Futbol Club Spring & Fall invites Eastland Suites...... 126 • Make it easy for your athletes and fans to get to your event. We can help (265+ teams each) set up shuttles with local motorcoaches to make the event go smoother. Fairfield Inn...... 60 • Chiefs Classic Ice Hockey Tournament Hampton Inn Urbana...... 130 • Land of Lincoln Speedskating VISITOR WELCOME Hampton Inn Champaign...... 80 Our team will make your athletes and fans feel welcome in our 100+ Championships Hilton Garden Inn...... 99 community. We’ll start be creating a dedicated webpage with helpful Illinois High School Association Boys OUTDOOR FIELDS • resources such as our online Experience Guide, maps, shopping and Holiday Inn...... 199 Basketball State Tournament (16 teams) dining options, as well as links to accommodations. We can also prepare Holiday Inn Express...... 74 • Illinois High School Association Individual packets for coaches and officials, and provide on-site concierge service. Holiday Inn Express Rantoul...... 74 Wrestling State Championships (40,000 fans Homewood Suites by Hilton...... 98 + competitors) PUBLIC RELATIONS Want to boost media attention? We can help! We will work with you on 70+ Illinois High School Association Football Home2 Suites...... 104 • press releases and media events to attract local and regional media to Hyatt Place...... 145 TENNIS COURTS Championships (16 teams) your event. • American Junior Golf Association Junior All- I Hotel & Conference Center...... 126 Star Tournament CUSTOMIZED TOUR ITINERARIES Hotel...... 72 Want tours outside your event for fans? With our many museums, • Steve Stricker Illini Golf Classic La Quinta Inn...... 122 attractions, and local businesses ready to welcome you, our team 4,500 • Champaign Illini Archery Invitational can create a customized itinerary to provide an Outside of Ordinary Red Roof Inn...... 101 AREA HOTEL ROOMS • IPRA Central Region Rodeo Finals experience, Residence Inn by Marriott...... 112 Hot Rod Power Tour • Rodeway Inn...... 65 • Airsoft Republic Sleeping Giant Competition TownePlace Suites...... 95 HUNDREDS • Illinois Triathlon Championships OF LOCAL RESTAURANTS & ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS COMING SOON COMING SOON

RANTOUL FAMILY SPORTS COMPLEX THE YARDS Rantoul | myrantoul.com/sportscomplex Champaign | champaignil.gov/planning/economic-development/the-yards With an anticipated opening of March 2021, the new Rantoul Family Sports Complex is only 15 minutes Coming soon, this downtown Champaign facility will feature a 5,000 seat arena alongside a hotel and north of the University of Illinois. Offering all turf fields with eight baseball/softball, two T-ball/Challenger conference center, and the . The Yards will be the home to the anticipated Division I Fighting baseball, eight soccer/football/rugby/lacrosse multi-purpose fields, over 800 parking spaces, and a splashpad, Illini Hockey Team, as well as the new home for Fighting Illini Gymnastics, Wrestling, and Volleyball. concessions and restrooms.

AMENITIES AMENITIES SPORT AVAILABLE SPORT AVAILABLE • 8 Baseball/Softball Turf Fields • 3 Ice Rinks Baseball • Baseball • 2 T-Ball/Challenger Baseball Turf Fields • Laid flooring for indoor sports Softball • Softball • 8 Football/Rugby/Lacrosse Multi-Purpose Fields • Adjacent hotel with 180 rooms Soccer • Soccer • Splashpad • 400 parking spaces Football • Football • Playground • Downtown location with 40+ bars & restaurants Basketball Basketball 3 Consession Stands within walking distance • Lacrosse • Lacrosse 3 Restrooms • Rugby • Rugby 800+ Parking Spaces • Tennis Tennis Swimming Swimming Wrestling Wrestling • Gymnastics Gymnastics • Volleyball Volleyball • Track & Field Track & Field Hockey Hockey • Speedskating Speedskating • PARK CHAMPAIGN DISTRICT PARK CHAMPAIGN

DODDS COMPLEX LEONHARD RECREATION CENTER 1501 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign | champaignparks.com 2307 Sangamon Dr., Champaign | champaignparks.com/leonhard-recreation-center/ Sitting on over 110-acres, features seven exceptional baseball/softball lighted fields, a playground This community recreation center, centrally located in Champaign, opened in 2014 with a variety of and permanent concessions and restrooms. Across the park, there are 12 soccer fields with permanent amenities. The facility can accommodate basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics tournaments. concessions and restrooms and a new 18-hole Disc Golf Course.

AMENITIES AMENITIES SPORT AVAILABLE SPORT AVAILABLE • 7 Softball fields • 2 Full-size basketball courts or 4 cross courts Baseball • Baseball • 3-Plex (290’ fence distance) • 4 Volleyball courts Softball • Softball • 4-Plex (300’ fence distance) • Men’s, women’s and co-ed net height Soccer • Soccer • 4 full-size soccer fields (11v11) • Party room accommodating 48 people Football Football • 2 U12 fields + 2 U12 fields across a full-size field • Locker room Basketball Basketball • 4 U10 fields ADA accessible bathrooms and elevator • Lacrosse • • Lacrosse 6–8 U8 fields • Rugby Rugby Concessions • Tennis Tennis Handicap accessible bathrooms • Swimming Swimming Wrestling Wrestling Gymnastics Gymnastics • Volleyball Volleyball • Track & Field Track & Field Hockey Hockey Speedskating Speedskating UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

STATE FARM CENTER 1800 S. First St, Champaign | statefarmcenter.com 601 E. Kirby Ave., Champaign | fightingillini.com This architectural icon on the University of Illinois has recently undergone a $170 million renovation Illinois Field, one of the finest collegiate facilities in the Midwest, serves as the home of Fighting Illini and offers several state-of-the-art spaces to meet your needs. The facility plays host to FIghting Illini Men’s & Baseball. Illinois Field’s newest additions include a FieldTurf surface installed in 2008 and a new video Women’s basketball, as well as the IHSA Boys State Basketball Tournament and the Individual State Wrestling scoreboard in 2015. Tournament.

AMENITIES AMENITIES SPORT AVAILABLE SPORT AVAILABLE • Circular arena with 27,000 sq. ft. • 330 feet down the lines, 370 feet to the alleys and Baseball Baseball • • 15,500 padded seats 400 feet to center field Softball Softball • 161 ADA seats • Locker room Soccer Soccer • Full-size basketball court • 4 batting cages Football Football • Luxury suites & loge seating • 2 bullpens Basketball • Basketball Media seating area and press room • 25-person press box • Lacrosse Lacrosse HD Video Display—23’x15’ • 1,500 spectator seats • Rugby Rugby Special lighting capabilities • Lawn seating for up to 3,000 • Tennis Tennis Locker Rooms • Parking in adjacent grassy area • Swimming Swimming 7 concession stands + options for pop-up carts • Restrooms • Wrestling • Wrestling and stands • Concessions Gymnastics • Gymnastics Volleyball • Volleyball Track & Field Track & Field Hockey Hockey Speedskating Speedskating UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

EICHELBERGER FIELD & KHAN 1202 W. Florida Ave., Urbana | fightingillini.com Eichelberger Field is one of the premier softball facilities in the country. Built into the side of a hill OUTDOOR COMPLEX overlooking Florida Avenue in Urbana, the stadium provides great sight lines and seating for 1,500 fans. The 1751 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana | fightingillini.com fence measures 200 feet from home plate to the corner foul lines and is 210 feet from home to the center field Home to the Fighting Illini Men’s and Women’s Tennis team, this impressive complex hosted the 2013 NCAA fence. Division 1 Women’s and Men’s Championships, and will host again in 2022. AMENITIES AMENITIES SPORT AVAILABLE SPORT AVAILABLE • 200’ fence and 210’ from home to center field • 8 championship courts with built in bleachers Baseball Baseball • 1,500 spectator seats and lights Softball • Softball • Press box • 6 indoor courts Soccer Soccer • Concession stand • 12 lighted and newly refinished courts on-site Football Football • Restrooms • Pro Shop Basketball Basketball Parking in adjacent grassy lot • Locker rooms • Lacrosse Lacrosse • Lounge area Rugby Rugby • Adjacent parking in paved lot and grassy areas Tennis Tennis • Swimming Swimming Wrestling Wrestling Gymnastics Gymnastics Volleyball Volleyball Track & Field Track & Field Hockey Hockey Speedskating Speedskating UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

DEMIRJIAN PARK ACTIVITIES & RECREATION CENTER 606 Saint Marys Rd., Urbana | fightingillini.com 201 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign | campusrec.illinois.edu This state-of-the-art stadium is new to the University of Illinois campus. The soccer stadium, currently open The ARC, with an impressive 340,000 square feet, is one of the country’s largest on-campus recreation features two soccer fields. In 2021, the track stadium will be open featuring 8,000 seats, a press box, lighting, centers. This on-campus facility is host to a variety of sports and recreational activities for students and separate throwing area, and a Kentucky Blue Grass field with a sand base. Other amenities include locker outside events. rooms, video and meeting rooms, lounge and study spaces.

AMENITIES AMENITIES SPORT AVAILABLE SPORT AVAILABLE • 2 full size soccer fields • Four gymnasiums —13 basketball/17 volleyball Baseball Baseball • Track & field complex courts Softball Softball • Locker rooms • 12 Raquetball courts Soccer • Soccer • Video and meeting rooms • 2 50-meter swimming pools Football Football • Lounge area • 3 Squash courts Basketball Basketball • Adjacent parking in grassy areas • 150-seat auditorium • Lacrosse Lacrosse Concessions • 9 multi-purpose areas • Rugby Rugby Restrooms • Tennis Tennis Swimming Swimming • Wrestling Wrestling Gymnastics Gymnastics • Volleyball Volleyball • Track & Field • Track & Field Hockey Hockey Speedskating Speedskating UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS • • • • • • AMENITIES use from March through November. spanning eithersideofStadium Drive. Used forIntramurals, ClubSports,andOpenRec, thisarea hasseasonal The Outdoor Center Playfields are located atFirst Street, adjacent to theARC andMemorial Stadium, First St. &StadiumDr., Champaign|campusrec.illinois.edu OUTDOOR CENTERPLAYFIELDS Port-a-Potties Drinking fountains 6 lighted tennis courts 6 lighted basketball courts 3 lighted sandvolleyball courts 4 lighted turffields Speedskating Hockey Track &Field Volleyball Gymnastics Wrestling Swimming Tennis Rugby Lacrosse Basketball Football Soccer Softball Baseball SPORT AVAILABLE • • • • • • app andrequest your ridewhenready! Champaign County area. Simply download the You can alsoUberorLyft your way through the routes andtripplannersonlineatcumtd.com. around Champaign-Urbana.Checkouttheir one-way, you canaffordably andsustainably get easier to getwhere you needto go. For only $1 riders, takingcarsoffthe road andmakingit community have resulted inserving12million District. Theirefforts to “GoGreen” inour around—The Champaign-UrbanaMassTransit one ofthebestpublictransportation systems The greater Champaign-Urbanaarea boasts top ways to navigate! transportation optionswhileintown. Here’s our traffic, you’ll discover affordable andsustainable area issimple.Notonly willyou find a lackof Getting inandaround theChampaignCounty AROUND GETTING www.amtrak.com. routes andticketing information,visit travel thatlandsyou intheheartofourcity. For offers you anenvironmentally friendly way to Offering daily routes outofChicago, Amtrak enjoying free WiFi soyou canstay connected. passengers andkickbackinthecommute, Terminal, hitch aridewithhundreds ofother With stops inDowntown ChampaignatIllinois TRAVEL BY AMTRAK information, visitwww.iflycu.com you withourwarm Midwest hospitality. For flight airport iseasily accessibleandisready to greet University ofIllinoiscampus,thisregional without thehassle.Located justsouthofthe Carolina, Willard Airportwillgetyou here Airport, Dallas/Ft. Worth, andCharlotte, North American Airlinesfrom O’Hare International Urbana. Featuring daily flightsthrough Avoid thoselongTSA linesandFly Champaign- BY AIR HERE GETTING Contact me before your next RFP to find out how we provide an Outside of Ordinary event in the greater Champaign County area!

MIKE KOON Director of Sports, Events, and Film 217.351.4133 [email protected] visitchampaigncounty.org