Confidential
MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER1
A Multi-Use Sports and Community Facility serving the Greater Dane County area
Business Plan – June 30, 2017 2017 (rev 2/15/18)
1 Working Name – Final facility name will be developed in conjunction with primary lead donor.
MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER
Prepared by: Madison United Rugby Planning Team With assistance from: University of Wisconsin - Cooperative Extension In concert with: The Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Business plan structure provided by the University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension, Small Business Development Center
Business Plan is intended only for the use of the person to whom it is given and is not to be reproduced or redistributed in whole or in part. By accepting this Business Plan, you agree to keep it confidential and agree not to give all or any part of this document (or any copy of it) to anyone else without the permission of Madison United Rugby. This is a business plan and does not imply an offering of securities.
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MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Prepared by: Madison United Rugby Planning Team Joshua Hoyt, Madison United Rugby President Jake Winkler, Executive Director Robert M. Buchanan, Business Plan Task Force Member Robert Jafferis, Business Plan Task Force Member Steve Stumbras, Business Plan Task Force Member
With assistance from: University of Wisconsin - Cooperative Extension Bill Ryan, Community Business Development Specialist Emily Lutz, Project Assistant
In concert with: The Cottage Grove, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce
Business plan structure provided by: The University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension, Small Business Development Center. Linda Davis, Consultant
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ...... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... 3 Executive Summary ...... 6 Section 1: Business plan overview...... 9 Projection of Revenue and Operating Income: ...... 14 Section 2: Organization Description ...... 16 A. Ownership Information ...... 16 B. Qualifications of Madison United Rugby Leadership ...... 16 C. MUR Mission ...... 16 D. History of the Organization ...... 17 E. Development Milestones ...... 18 F. Madison United Rugby Goals ...... 19 Section 3: Development Plan ...... 22 A. Proposed Facility ...... 22 B. Museum Archives ...... 24 C. Field Improvements and Stadium ...... 27 Section 4: Location ...... 28 A. Location and Access ...... 28 B. Site ...... 32 C. Regulatory Requirements ...... 32 Section 5: Community Profile ...... 33 A. Demographic Characteristics ...... 33 B. Cottage Grove Businesses ...... 33 C. Major Businesses within 15-Minute Drive ...... 34 D. Tourism Characteristics ...... 34 Section 6: market analysis ...... 35 1. COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING MARKET ...... 36 A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit ...... 36 B. Target Customer ...... 36 C. Geographic Territory ...... 36 D. Comparison Facilities ...... 37 E. Comparative Advantages ...... 37 F. Market Communication Plan ...... 37 G. Pricing ...... 38
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H. Market Capture ...... 38 I. Revenue Projection ...... 39 2. HOSPITALITY EVENTS MARKET ...... 40 B. Target Customer ...... 40 C. Geographic Territory ...... 40 D. Comparison Facilities ...... 40 E. Comparative Advantages ...... 40 F. Market Communication Plan ...... 41 G. Pricing ...... 41 H. Market Capture ...... 42 I. Revenue Projection ...... 42 3. SPORTING EVENTS AND FIELD USES MARKET ...... 43 A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit ...... 43 C. Geographic Territory ...... 43 D. Comparison Facilities ...... 43 E. Comparative Advantages ...... 44 F. Market Communication Plan ...... 44 G. Pricing ...... 45 H. Market Capture ...... 45 I. Revenue Projection ...... 45 4. EDUCATION AND SPORTS TOURISM MARKET ...... 46 A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit ...... 46 B. Target Customer ...... 46 C. Geographic Territory ...... 46 D. Comparison Facilities ...... 46 E. Comparative Advantages ...... 47 F. Market Communication Plan ...... 48 G. Pricing ...... 48 H. Market Capture Rate ...... 49 I. Revenue Projection ...... 50 Section 7. MANAGEMENT/PERSONNEL ...... 51 A. Staffing ...... 51 B. Position Descriptions ...... 51 C. Personnel Plan ...... 52 D. Outside Advisors and Service Providers ...... 52 Section 8. FINANCIAL ASSUMPTIONS ...... 53 A. Sources & Uses of Funds ...... 53
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B. Start-Up Costs ...... 53 C. Sales Forecast Assumptions ...... 53 D. Expense Assumptions...... 53 Section 9. PROJECTION OF OPERATING INCOME AND FINANCING ...... 55 A. Operating Projections ...... 55 B. Funds Required ...... 56 Section 10. ANTICIPATED IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT ...... 57 Value 1: Economic Impact (10% weight) ...... 57 Value 2: Legacy (20% weight)...... 57 Value 3: Home Advantage (35% weight) ...... 57 Value 4: Engagement (35%) ...... 58 Appendix A: Building Floor Plans ...... 59 Appendix B: Analyzing the project in relation to sports tourism ...... 63
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Madison United Community and Sports Center Cottage Grove, Wisconsin
Contact: Joshua Hoyt, MUR Board President 2450 Commonwealth Ave, Madison, WI 53711 (608) 332-9055 cell, [email protected], www.rugbymadison.org
The Opportunity
In accordance with the community-centered values, character, spirit, and goals of Madison United Rugby (MUR), a unique development is planned that will serve the Cottage Grove area, Madison, Dane County, and beyond. The Madison United Community and Sports Center (the Center) will host sporting and hospitality events, provide needed community space, and provide a home to a unique sports museum named the National Sports Heritage Museum (the Museum). Building on the growing interest in sports tourism, the Museum will feature K-12, university, and adult education programming. Located in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, it will also be a catalyst for Cottage Grove’s economy and be self-sufficient with no public or borrowed funds for operations.
The Product The Center will have approximately 20,000 sq. ft., spanning two floors plus a storage basement. It will include multipurpose rooms, conference rooms, and a banquet hall (320 seats), in addition to a museum, research library, and archives. Users of these resources will explore the heritage and values of sports, including sports’ complex interrelationships with society. Roughly 45 years of research and travel have led to a collection consisting of more than 7,200 artifacts. The majority of artifacts are from the 19th and early 20th centuries. There is no similar collection to be found in the United States or worldwide. Examples include a national rugby collection (origin of football); an indigenous cultures and team sports collection; and artifacts from women's sports, American sports, youth sports, and physical education.
The Market According to the World Tourism Organization, sports tourism represents the fastest growing sector in global tourism.2 The Center will capture this growth in four revenue streams: ● The Community Programming segment includes a wide variety of functions for innovative health, wellness, and community services. ● The Hospitality segment serves as a meeting and social venue for business and private events. ● The Sporting Events and Field Use segment serves established sports leagues in Madison and beyond. ● The Education and Sports Tourism segment is a key component of the Center. It includes school- aged visitors on field trips (education) and leisure travelers visiting the museum (sports tourism).
Planning and Management Team
Madison United Rugby (MUR) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that owns and operates the Wisconsin
2 W2 Consulting. 2015, March 23. Reaching the Next Level of Sport Tourism Innovation. http://news.wtm.com/reaching-the- next-level-of-sport-tourism-innovation/ Page 6
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Rugby Sports Complex, a 501(c)2 consisting of field facilities in Cottage Grove, WI. MUR’s skilled and diverse Planning Team that authored this plan includes: Joshua Hoyt, MUR President; Jake Winkler, Executive Director; Robert M. Buchanan, Robert Jafferis; and Steve Stumbras.
Financial Projections: Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total Revenue $88,800 100% $125,250 100% $167,300 100% $213,150 100% Total Operating 199,700 225% 198,800 159% 200,400 120% 202,000 95% Expenses Total Operating Income (110,900) -125% (73,550) -59% -33,100 -20% 11,150 5% (before depreciation) Note: Presented in constant 2017 dollars (before inflation)
Other Impacts: Beyond operating income, the Center’s impacts will include but not be limited to: ● Supporting education in a topical area that interests today’s youth. ● Integrating multicultural studies, history, and health and wellness in a sports context. ● Generating positive local economic impact related to sports tourism, while not depending on large government subsidies to fund operations.
Fundraising to Date Madison United Rugby is currently in the process of a capital campaign. An anonymous donor has pledged to match donations up to $500,000, resulting in a total potential contribution of $1,000,000. Currently $213,000 has been pledged, which will be matched for a total of $426,000. Overall MUR is hoping to generate over $1 million from the capital campaign once complete in 2020. MUR also received a generous property donation from Robert “Skip” Heffernan. MUR is in the process of selling these assets to generate cash for the project. All seven properties have closed. The total proceeds from the sales exceeded $751,000.
Grant Funding Requested $3,000,000
Planned Use of Funds: The funds raised will go towards construction of the multi-use community building, field infrastructure improvements and budget support in the first few years. Our fundraising goal of $6.1 million includes securing over 50% of the necessary funding before seeking grant funding for the remainder.
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Planned Timeline and Priorities: The capital campaign fundraiser is currently underway to secure the funds needed for construction and operating revenue. The planned timeline coincides with the majority of funds being received in a timely fashion. The proposed timeline is: December 2018: Develop construction plan to move forward Spring 2019: Engineering and design work completed Summer 2019: Ground breaking and construction commencement Spring 2020: Formal building opens
Commencement of construction is not exclusively tied to receiving the full amount of the fundraising goal. A flexible, phased construction schedule is contemplated here with the following priorities being envisioned: 1. Building shell with core revenue generation areas completed (concessions, function area) 2. Additional build out of remaining building areas 3. Expanded stands / seating areas 4. Field lights 5. Museum addition (assumes funding and donation of collection by R. Buchanan)
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SECTION 1: BUSINESS PLAN OVERVIEW The following section provides a more comprehensive summary of projected operations of the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Center. It leads into a detailed business plan that follows this section. In accordance with the guiding values, character, and spirit of rugby along with the goals of Madison United Rugby (MUR), a unique development is planned that will serve the Cottage Grove area, Madison, Dane County, and beyond. The facility will host sporting and hospitality events, provide needed community space, and be the home to a unique sports museum named the National Sports Heritage Museum (the Museum). Building on the growing interest in sports tourism, the Museum will feature K-12, university, and adult education programming. The facility will also be a catalyst for Cottage Grove’s economy. It will be self- sufficient and not rely upon public operating funds, while also providing space for organizations that support the underserved. Furthermore, our research confirmed the need to avoid borrowing funds for development since the burden of debt has prevented many nonprofit developments from establishing sustainable annual budgets.
Fundraising Goal: $6.1 million
● Based on eight years of local, national, and international research by MUR, the comprehensive plan is to secure funding for construction; infrastructure; appliances and furniture; museum displays and storage; increased stadium seating, press box, bathrooms, and lighting; and three years of declining annual budget support. The goal is to be financially sustainable by year four. ● Our fundraising goal of $6.1 million includes securing over 50% of the necessary funding before seeking grant funding for the remainder.
Fundraising Progress
● Before fundraising for this project, MUR has already invested over $1 million to not only purchase the land and develop their current rugby facilities, but also to develop and help maintain Bakken Park, including two soccer fields for use by local schools and the community. In addition, MUR helped to develop the Kids Dream Park within Bakken Park. ● MUR will raise $2 million for this project. Rugby alumnus Robert “Skip” Heffernan has donated properties that have been sold and the proceeds deposited in a building fund account. Overall, the property sales generated just over $751,000 in capital for the project. An anonymous donor pledged a $500,000 challenge gift which the rugby community must meet. MUR is committed to raising the matching funds and any balance needed to reach its overall fundraising goal. ● MUR is seeking outside partners from Cottage Grove businesses and local and national brands for donations and naming rights. ● MUR will seek the remaining project balance of $3 million in grant funding in order to secure the necessary total.
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Organization
● Madison United Rugby is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that owns and operates the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex, a 501(c)2 consisting of field facilities in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. MUR became incorporated in April of 2008 and has a nine-member Board of Directors. ● MUR Leadership includes established business and community leaders representing disciplines from education to market research, information technologies, project management, product development, and law. ● MUR’s mission is to strengthen education, health and wellness, and innovative community services through the ethos of rugby. This ethos includes helping the underserved, being honest, valuing equality, honoring elders, extending hospitality, living healthy lifestyles, promoting environmental and economic sustainability, and sharing with the community. The clubs/organizations that make up MUR has a 54-year history of success and involvement applying this ethos in the Madison community. ● MUR’s goals for the proposed Center apply the values of rugby in four ways: 1. Hosting sporting events and field uses at the facility 2. Accommodating community programming, including events of area organizations and innovative health, wellness, and community services 3. Offering space for catered hospitality events for local private gatherings 4. Providing a world-class facility and museum for education and sports tourism
● The overall donation total received by MUR from 2007-2016 was over $1 million. This amount does not include the large amount of in-kind donations of goods and services. MUR is confident that a well-organized annual fundraising campaign should attract $75,000 per year in donations after the facilities are operational.
Development Plan
● The Center will have approximately 20,000 square feet, spanning two floors and a basement for storage. The space will include multipurpose rooms, conference rooms, and a banquet hall (capacity of over 300 seats), in addition to the museum, research library, and archives. ● The National Sports Heritage Museum, library, and archives will explore the heritage and values of sports including their complex interrelationships with society. After 45 years of research, travel, and acquisition, the Museum’s collection consists of more than 7,200 artifacts. The majority of artifacts in the collection are from the 19th and early 20th centuries. There is no similar collection to be found in the United States or worldwide. Examples will include: o National rugby collection – the origin of American football o Origins of women's sports collection o Origins of American sports collection o Origins of youth sports and physical education in school collection o Indigenous cultures and team sports collection ● According to the World Tourism Organization, sports tourism represents the fastest growing sector in global tourism.3
3 W2 Consulting. 2015, March 23. Reaching the Next Level of Sport Tourism Innovation. http://news.wtm.com/reaching-the- next-level-of-sport-tourism-innovation/ Page 10
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Collaboration Benefits Community ● Cottage Grove non-profits will earn access to the building facilities for their events through the system of volunteer time-banking where instead of paying for usage, nonprofits can trade volunteer time. For example, a Scout troop could earn meeting room time by helping to clean up after an event. ● The multipurpose building will offer privately and publicly funded classes in health and wellness, arts, recreation, and adult education as well as summer camps for kids. ● The facility’s rooms will host a wide array of social events with varied sizes and functions. Businesses ● Businesses in Cottage Grove, Madison, and Dane County will benefit from the international branding of the facility, which will annually attract thousands of national and international conference attendees and sports tourists. ● The Chamber of Commerce and area businesses will be able to host meetings and events. ● The building’s variety of rooms are also appropriate for hosting large business conferences or multiple-day business classes. ● The employees of area businesses will enjoy an improved quality of life made possible through the other many uses of the facility. Sports and Recreation ● MUR will benefit greatly in all of their future events, conferences, clinics, and competitions through the improved facilities. ● Collaborating sports and recreation users of the adjoining athletic fields, bike trail, and nearby parks will benefit through access to relevant features of the building including locker rooms, a banquet hall, concessions, and conference rooms. Limited uses of the rugby-specific fields will be available during rugby’s off-season around scheduled maintenance. K-12 Education ● The museum will offer low-cost, activity-based field trips to K-12 schools. These field trips will have a variety of themes in alignment with the curriculum goals and standards of the various grade levels. Staff will provide instructors with curriculum for preparing for, conducting, and debriefing from these field trips. ● Access to the internationally significant library and archives resources for research will be available to staff and high school students. The museum will also have opportunities for student internships. ● The Museum will offer scholarships, mentoring, and coaching for both neighborhood and school participation in rugby by students-in-need. In addition, the Museum will also offer scholarships for their continuing post-high school education. Higher Education ● Access to the internationally significant library and archives resources for research will be available to faculty and students. The facility will offer student internships relating to a variety of university departments. ● Facility access will be available for classroom instruction and larger conferences. ● The Museum staff will develop a system of loaning artifacts to surrounding universities. ● The Museum will provide scholarships in order to support the education of UW-Madison students.
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Location
● The proposed Center will be located on the grounds of the MUR Complex in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, which is adjacent to the critical bicycle trail connection between the Capital City Bike Trail, the gateway to the western Wisconsin network of bike trails, and the Glacial Drumlin Bike Trail, the gateway to the eastern Wisconsin network of bike trails. The Center will become a premier national facility supporting bicycling events as it is located on a premier national bicycle interstate system of trails. ● Cottage Grove is a rapidly growing community approximately ten miles east of downtown Madison. Milwaukee is approximately 70 miles east of Cottage Grove. Connecting the two cities is Interstate 94, a highly traveled expressway with a Cottage Grove exit. ● Travelers to the Center will have access to the Dane County Airport, a large regional airport in Madison. Numerous lodging options are available approximately 8 miles northwest of the proposed Center. Cottage Grove anticipates the construction of a new hotel in the near future. ● The location is within 30 minutes of approximately 57,000 students between the 4th and 12th grades. This is important for calculating field trip volume. ● Situated in Dane County, the museum will be able to capture a portion of the county's annual visitors, especially those visiting sports-related events. Community Profile
● The Village and Town of Cottage Grove had a 2016 population of 10,865. Growth since 2010 has exceeded growth in Wisconsin almost four-fold. ● Cottage Grove, Madison’s far-east side, and eastern Dane County lack a significant multipurpose center that supports education, health and wellness, recreation, and community programming. ● Cottage Grove is experiencing significant growth in business including major employers such as Johnson Health Tech, Landmark Cooperative, and others. However, retail businesses are only capturing a small amount of spending generated by residents. Increased visitation from the Center should be a catalyst for new business development. ● There are approximately 337 businesses with 50 or more employees within a 15-minute drive time around Cottage Grove. These businesses represent a potential market for the Center’s community programming and hospitality sectors. ● Dane County visitor expenditures totaled $1.2 billion in 2015. The museum expects to capture a share of these visitors, especially those visiting for sporting events. ● Dane County visitor spending in food and beverage, lodging, and retail is expected to influence incremental demand which will be captured in Cottage Grove through new business development. Market Analysis
● The Community Programming segment is an outreach component of the Center. It includes a wide variety of functions that are not necessarily sports-related. It will provide space for innovative health, wellness, and community services as well as summer programs for kids. Based on comparison facilities and a market buildup model (reasonableness test), attendance is projected to be 30 small events and 22 large events in year four. ● The Hospitality Events segment also serves the community by serving as a meeting and hospitality venue for business and social events. This might include weddings, rehearsal dinners, class reunions, anniversaries, business trainings, and corporate retreats. Based on comparison facilities and a market buildup model, attendance is projected to be 114 small events and 23 large events in year four.
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● The Sporting Events and Field Uses segment serves established leagues in the Madison area and beyond. To determine the operative performance for events and field uses, historical data was collected. Estimates were determined by factoring in seasonality, historical growth, and latent growth that could be captured by improved grounds. In addition, by collaborating with groups who use the bike trails, the adjoining athletic fields, and the nearby recreation locations such as McCarthy Park, further revenues from sports- and recreation-related events held in the building should increase dramatically. ● The Education and Sports Tourism segment is a key component of the Center. It includes school- aged visitors on field trips (education) and leisure travelers visiting the museum (sports tourism). Based on comparison facilities and a market buildup model, attendance is projected to be 2,500 students for field trips and 7,500 museum guests in year four. Management/Personnel
● Labor costs will be the most significant operating expense of the Center. A modest staffing model for the facility includes two full-time and one part-time management positions. They include General Manager/Executive Director ($65,000), Assistant Manager - Programming and Curator ($50,000), and a part-time Assistant Manager - Host and Hospitality ($25,000). Once the facility’s revenue is above a certain threshold, the Center will hire additional positions.
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Projection of Revenue and Operating Income: Table 1 Revenue and Operating Income Projected Operating Income Rev. 5/3/17 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Revenue: Education and Sports 22,200 25.0% 43,300 34.6% 64,400 38.5% 89,500 42.0% Tourism Community Programming (including 7,900 8.9% 12,400 9.9% 21,300 12.7% 30,200 14.2% time bank) Hospitality Events 31,900 35.9% 38,100 30.4% 45,500 27.2% 52,700 24.7% Sporting Events and 26,800 30.2% 31,450 25.1% 36,100 21.6% 40,750 19.1% Field Uses Total Revenue 88,800 100.0% 125,250 100.0% 167,300 100.0% 213,150 100.0%
Operating Expenses: Payroll and Benefits 140,000 70.1% 140,000 70.4% 140,000 69.9% 140,000 69.3% (fixed) Payroll and Benefits 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% (variable) Time-bank hours value 1,200 0.6% 1,800 0.9% 2,400 1.2% 3,000 1.5% owed Administrative (fixed) 7,500 3.8% 7,500 3.8% 7,500 3.7% 7,500 3.7% Marketing (fixed) 7,500 3.8% 5,000 2.5% 5,000 2.5% 5,000 2.5% Maintenance and 15,000 7.5% 15,000 7.5% 15,000 7.5% 15,000 7.4% Cleaning (fixed) Field Maintenance 12,500 6.3% 12,500 6.3% 12,500 6.2% 12,500 6.2% (fixed) Utilities 12,000 6.0% 13,000 6.5% 14,000 7.0% 15,000 7.4% Insurance (fixed) 4,000 2.0% 4,000 2.0% 4,000 2.0% 4,000 2.0% Total Operating 199,700 100.0% 198,800 100.0% 200,400 100.0% 202,000 100.0% Expenses
Total Operating Income -110,900 -124.9% -73,550 -58.7% -33,100 -19.8% 11,150 5.2% (b/4 depreciation)
Note: Presented in constant 2017 dollars (before inflation)
Impact of this Project on the Community and Region Beyond operating income, the proposed Center’s impact on the community is measured by its contribution to the following values:
● Value 1: Economic Impact (10% weight). The development will attract significant spending related to sports tourism to Cottage Grove and the Madison area.
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● Value 2: Legacy (20% weight). The long-term effects of the development will provide critical support for education and sports tourism. The facility, which will not be dependent upon large annual government subsidies, will also offer facility access to area charities through Time Banking. This will greatly reduce its costs. Area residents, nonprofits, and businesses will have access for hosting community programming, conferences, and social events. The facility will also become the first permanent structure to offer comprehensive services for bicycle tourism.
● Value 3: Home Advantage (35% weight). The project will strengthen K-12 activity-based field trips, with accompanying curriculum focusing upon multicultural studies, a wide variety of history topics, and health and wellness. Students will actively engage in many experiences, rather than be passive observers. In addition, historical resources and programming will support research by students and faculty at both the high school and university levels. The facility will provide access to and support for the growth in participation of a variety of sports: rugby, Irish hurling, soccer, lacrosse, ultimate Frisbee, cycling, running, cross-country skiing, and more. Cottage Grove will establish additional conference and community center style facilities to accommodate private, public, and nonprofit events and fundraisers. Finally, the Center will be an additional amenity to attract visitors to the area.
● Value 4: Engagement (35%). The Center will engage both participants and spectators in activities. Students will be encouraged to participate in neighborhood-based and school rugby programs. Students at all grade levels will be encouraged to utilize the facility to improve their achievement in school and to pursue their post-high school education or training. Activities will help battle childhood and adult obesity and provide opportunities for people of every age and ability to improve their health and wellness. The Center will encourage bicycling for health and environmental benefits. Finally, research has also shown that hosting major sporting events will motivate spectators of such events to be more active.4
4 European Sport Tourism Summit 2014 Page 15
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SECTION 2: ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION A. Ownership Information Madison United Rugby (MUR) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which in turn owns the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex, a 501(c)2 that currently operates field facilities in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. MUR was incorporated in April 2008 and was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status by the IRS. A nine-member Board of Directors governs it.
B. Qualifications of Madison United Rugby Leadership Joshua Hoyt has over 22 years of experience as a consultant, economist, market research professional, and small business owner. Mr. Hoyt has a master’s degree in Applied Economics from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a coach of the Madison West boy’s high school rugby club and a long-time volunteer with numerous organizations including the United Way and the Boy Scouts of America. He is a founding board member of MUR and the current President. Jake Winkler, Executive Director, has over 7 years of project management and customer service experience in addition to 6 years of experience managing volunteers. He has been involved in Midwest rugby for 15 years as a player, administrator, and referee. Robert Buchanan has over 40 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in public education and sports development. He specialized in forming effective public, private, and nonprofit collaborations. Mr. Buchanan earned a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture at UW-Madison through research focused upon the design and development of regional interpretative centers. He conducted and funded the research and acquisition of the artifacts collection. Robert Jafferis is a retired IT professional with 25 years of experience supporting technology for educators and systems administration. He was a founding member of the Sports Complex board and was instrumental in fundraising and construction for the initial project. As a USA Rugby Level 300 coach, he has spent the last 20 years as the head coach for a number of rugby teams in the Madison area. This coaching has involved hundreds of athletes at the high school, collegiate, and adult levels. Steve Stumbras brings decades of hospitality related experience that includes a number of layout and design projects. Steve is also a member/partner with Purple Cow Organics LLC, a leader in soil health products and solutions for farmers and home growers alike.
C. MUR Mission Madison United Rugby is committed to support education, health, wellness, and innovative community services through the culture of rugby, with a specific focus on developing youth. Our home is the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Center, one of the nation’s top rugby facilities and a thriving community hub serving the greater Madison region. The clubs/organizations that make up MUR have a 54-year history of success and involvement in the Madison community. The mission expands upon three goals of Dr. Thomas Arnold, the most influential educational reformer of the 19th century in England: 1. Improve education to strengthen the middle class. 2. Develop leaders committed to community service for the common good of people and the environment. 3. Reduce school bullying and behavior problems by developing the character of students through emphasizing the values of courage, honor, and respect.
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MUR encompasses Dr. Arnold’s mission through the guiding values, character, and spirit of rugby. The renowned author and statesman Thomas Hughes’s 1881 book Rugby, Tennessee uplifts Dr. Arnold’s methods. An introduction to the book states, “Rugby [School] created a generation of leaders with a sense of duty to their country; with a belief in the nobility of hard work, honor, and selflessness; and with a determination to work for the betterment of those less fortunate than themselves.”5 The list below examines this ethos and provides a community-centered focus to guide the development and operation of the proposed Wisconsin Rugby Sports Center (the Center). We value:
● Demonstrating courage by helping others in need while taking positive risks to improve yourself and your community
● Securing honor by telling the truth and keeping your promises
● Embracing respect by treating all people equally regardless of age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and orientation, while accepting differences
● Honoring, respecting, and caring for elders
● Being inclusive and providing hospitality to all segments of society
● Promoting active, healthy lifestyles especially with regard to youth activities
● Working to ensure environmental and economic sustainability
● Providing true leadership based upon abilities and actions, not titles
D. History of the Organization In August of 2004, a former player with the Wisconsin Rugby Club offered a $250,000 donation to provide a financial foundation for the acquisition and development of a permanent site for the activities of the Wisconsin Rugby Club and related amateur athletics. At the time of the donation, rugby participants played on a leased property having moved to a number of different locations over the years. The rugby community developed and created this field at its own expense. That field was the latest in a search, build, and move cycle that plagued rugby since the establishment of the Wisconsin Rugby Club in 1962. Ongoing concern about the sale of that property and loss of the lease caused worries that this cycle was about to repeat once more. This initial major donation started the drive to end that cycle and create a permanent location. Discussions with the donor helped determine the search criteria. The site was to be within a 30-minute drive radius of downtown Madison and a minimum of 15 acres. Purchase and development costs were restricted to an amount that would keep the project debt-free. The distance from downtown Madison would keep the rugby community in touch with its origins and enable ease of access for the majority of the rugby community. The acreage was the minimum needed to accommodate multiple fields, buildings, and parking. Fundraising after the purchase of the property and limiting costs would move future funds toward improvements to the property. A handful of rugby coaches and administrators met in the fall of 2007 to look for a way to unite all of the Madison area rugby clubs around common interests. They thought a new umbrella organization could provide organizational efficiency and help grow the sport. It was important that this new organization would represent the traditions and ethos of rugby. Combining those goals with the need for a new organization to oversee the search, fundraising, purchase, and development of a new facility led to the creation of Madison United Rugby (MUR). It was incorporated, and 501(c)3 non-profit status was granted in 2008. MUR worked with Dane County Parks, area realtors, and others to conduct an extensive search in Madison
5 Howell, Benita J., PhD. Rugby, Tennessee. http://utpress.org/title/rugby-tennessee/ Page 17
MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER and the surrounding area. Many of the sites were cost prohibitive. Donors would not support sites involving lease proposals. MUR members visited the best candidate sites in Madison, Waunakee, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Blooming Grove, and the Town and Village of Cottage Grove. Eventually, MUR chose the site in the Village of Cottage Grove. The Cottage Grove site had a number of positive attributes including proximity to Madison, ease of access to major traffic arteries, adjacent parkland, location of the planned bike trail expansion, and the cooperative environment in the Village. Discussions with area youth soccer, Cottage Grove Parks Commission, and the Village of Cottage Grove determined the location and size of the parcel for MUR to purchase. MUR accelerated fundraising efforts to reach the purchase price. Through the purchase and development agreement, MUR assisted in the grading of two rugby fields, two soccer fields, and a parking area. MUR would purchase land to accommodate their fields as well as space for a building. Cottage Grove would retain ownership of the rest. The groundbreaking was held on August 3, 2009. On the MUR property, improvements were constant. Seeding, fertilizing and watering in 2009 got the grass started. The property installed fencing around the property and a small set of bleachers in July 2010. Those efforts led to the first rugby event, the Stuart Daily Memorial Rugby Tournament, to be held that August. A storage building and concrete pad for use as a spectator plaza were added. In 2012, an electronic scoreboard was installed and additional landscaping performed. A targeted donation in 2013 expanded the spectator plaza and bleacher seating capacity. Marketed as the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Center, the fields are matching the intent of the initial donor with use by a variety of amateur athletic groups. Rugby users include men’s, women’s, collegiate, high school, and youth rugby. The site has hosted a number of rugby playoffs and tournaments. The complex is the yearly host for the Wisconsin State Boys High School Rugby Championship. The facility has also accommodated youth soccer, Irish hurling, and boomerang competitions. While the fields are proving very popular, there is still a need for a building to meet the needs of rugby and the community. The Center is planned to keep both the community’s and rugby players’ needs in mind. The facility will help MUR meet the goal of following the traditions and ethos of rugby, as well as developing a space that can serve as an asset for the entire community.
E. Development Milestones 1. In 2007, MUR received a $350,000 lead donation from an anonymous donor. Excluding this generous gift, the following were donated by alumni, families, and friends from 2007-2016: Year Donations Total 2007 $75,927 2008 $11,100 2009 $92,176 2010 $122,551 2011 $90,155 2012 $37,052 2013 $81,702 2014 $39,856 2015 $74,091 2016 $96,049 Total to Date $720,659
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The average annual cash donation total for these ten years was $72,066. By including the lead donation, the overall donation total from 2007-2016 was $1,070,659. This amount does not include the large amount of in-kind donations of goods and services. MUR is confident that a fundraising campaign should attract $75,000 per year in donations after the facilities are fully operational. 2. Since the playing fields opened in 2010, the site has hosted the Midwest D2 and D3 Championships (2011), Big 10 7s Rugby Championship, U24 Women’s Midwest Select Side Tournament, the Midwest Irish Hurling Championships, National Boomerang Championship, and it is the site for the foreseeable future of the boys’ high school state rugby tournament and a Midwest Rugby 7s Qualifier (1 of 7 sites in Midwest). MUR hosted the USA Rugby National Finals at Breese Stevens in 2014, due to the lack of necessary amenities alongside the current fields. The proposed facility will allow the site to accommodate future tournaments. 3. Over a period of 45 years, Robert Buchanan researched and acquired the Center collection consisting of more than 7,000 rare artifacts, a collection which is unique to the nation and world. 4. Many members of this nonprofit organization have directly supported education, from K-12 to universities, for the past 50+ years as teachers, coaches, administrators, and staff development facilitators. The nonprofit has offered programming in both schools and neighborhood facilities. 5. Furthermore, more than $400,000 has been invested in three endowment funds in order to provide students with scholarships to continue their education in pursuit of their career goals. Over $130,000 in scholarships has been awarded to date. 6. For the past eight years, Robert Buchanan and Robert Jafferis have made site visits around the nation and world to guide the design and development of the inspiring museum, library, and archives facilities. Ongoing collaborative relationships have been established with UW-Madison and other universities and museums worldwide. 7. In the fall of 2016, MUR began fundraising for their contribution to this project’s overall capital campaign. One rugby lead donor, Robert “Skip” Heffernan, gave a property donation of approximately $750,000 (net), while another lead donor pledged $500,000 in a matching challenge gift. During the last two months of 2016, MUR raised the first $24,993 in matching donations and is currently over $200,000 in pledges (before matching).
F. Madison United Rugby Goals The transformational development of the new facility and programs, guided by the ethos of rugby, will improve the education, health and wellness, community services, and economic development of Cottage Grove and the greater Madison area. Public schools will not only access activity-based field trips focused on multicultural history and physical fitness, but they will also be provided with supporting curriculum and staff development. Students will also be encouraged to be physically active in sports and recreation and mentored to continue their postsecondary education. Scholarships for participation in sports and for further education will continue to be awarded annually. Universities will have access to an internationally significant museum, a library, and archive artifacts along with facilities to support teaching and research. In addition to these education initiatives, MUR will allow access to these facilities to community residents, nonprofits, and businesses as collaborating partners. Programming serving the community will encompass a diversity of uses such as conferences, regular meetings, special events, recreation activities for all ages, and social occasions, e.g., weddings, anniversaries, birthday celebrations, prom parties, and much more. Local nonprofits will even be able to rent access through volunteer time-banking. The internationally significant facilities will place a bright spotlight on Cottage Grove and the greater Madison area. As a result, the Center will work closely with local chambers of commerce to attract complementary business activity. The Center will generate new revenue for the community in areas ranging from foodservice and lodging to retail and services. One of the most significant innovations will be to ensure the long-term economic sustainability of the facilities and programming without large annual government subsidies. There may be no better measure of
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MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER our Business Plan’s strength for supporting the 200-year-old history of rugby’s ethos than our invitation to present the Business Plan at the international rugby conference held from June 28-30, 2017, at Massey University, in New Zealand. The World in Union conference selection committee, led by Dr. Rachel Batty, invited MUR’s Donald Becker, Robert Buchanan, and Robert Jafferis to make an extended presentation of this Business Plan to the many international attendees. Dr. Batty is confident that our research and innovative solutions can serve as a role model for communities around the world. Madison schools and UW-Madison have experienced significant reductions in funding. Both are increasingly turning to private donors, nonprofits, and businesses to help support improved student achievement and affordable post-high school education. Health and wellness programming and community services have also experienced similar budget reductions. In search of funding, nonprofits have inherently become more competitive and less collaborative.6 Single-use facilities without large annual government subsidies for operating costs are not economically sustainable and prevent the nonprofit and public sectors from accomplishing transformational developments. Given this situation and the MUR mission, there is a unique opportunity to serve the public in four ways: 1. Community Programming
● Accommodate large and small events that are generally for organizations, businesses, and government in Cottage Grove and the surrounding areas.
● Make space available for use by the public using a volunteer time-bank system.
● Provide space for innovative health, wellness, and community services as well as summer programs for kids. Provide classes for people of every age and ability to improve their health.
● Promote the inclusive access of the Center’s facilities for organizations’ and businesses’ activities and events, while also providing an economic stimulus to Cottage Grove, Dane County, and Wisconsin.
2. Education and Sports Tourism ● Host activity-based, K-12 field trips focusing on multicultural studies, Wisconsin and U.S. history, women’s studies, and health and wellness. The Museum will provide supporting curriculum and staff development.
● Provide visitors with a unique museum experience that includes an artifact collection documenting the complex interrelationships between sports and society during the 19th-century origins of team sports.
● Attract national and international visitors to the Center’s Sports Heritage Museum, library, and archives.
● Support student achievement through educational programs, mentoring, scholarships, and career networking based in neighborhoods, K-12 schools, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Museum.
● Facilitate diverse service learning, internships, and research opportunities for University of Wisconsin-Madison students and staff in collaboration with the Morgridge Center for Public Service.
● Offer a variety of interactive adult education programs.
6 Personal correspondence (Buchanan) Page 20
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3. Sporting Events and Field Uses ● Host major local, regional, national, and international sporting events, which attract large crowds from outside of Dane County.
● Support diverse regional recreational activities through access to these facilities.
● Host regional bicycle conferences, events, and tours. Increase the use of bicycles for daily transportation to reduce obesity, health care costs, morbidity, environmental damage, and traffic.
4. Hospitality ● Host private events, banquets, or receptions for social or social/business events. Such events might include weddings, reunions, graduations, and other private parties.
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SECTION 3: DEVELOPMENT PLAN In accordance with the guiding values, character, and spirit of rugby and the goals of Madison United Rugby (MUR), a unique development is planned that will serve the Cottage Grove area, Dane County, and beyond. Building on the growing interest in sports tourism, the proposed development, named the Madison United Community and Sports Center7 (the Center), will offer education, community programming, hospitality events, and sporting events and feature the National Sports Heritage Museum (the Museum). It will also be a catalyst for Cottage Grove’s economic development. It will be self-sufficient and not rely upon public operating funds. While each of the four components will generate its own revenue, these components support each other through the shared celebration of sports and community.
A. Proposed Facility The proposed Center reflects five years of research, site visits and consultations, both nationally and internationally, integrating best practices into architectural design and programming. The Center will be a financially self-sustaining multipurpose facility and sports venue. Table 2: Facility Area
WISCONSIN RUGBY SPORTS CENTER
FLOOR Area (Sq. Ft)
Basement 4,000
First Floor 10,500
Second Floor 7,500
MAIN ROOMS Area (Sq. Ft)
Community Room (1st Floor) 2,400 (or two at 1,200)
Conference Room (1st Floor) 640 (or 2 at 320)
Banquet Hall (2nd Floor) 3,600 (seating approx. 320)
7 Working title – to be named in conjunction with lead donor when secured. Page 22
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The building design's inherent flexibility will not only attract major events, but it will also support a variety of local programming which can be hosted simultaneously. See Appendix B for larger images. Figure 1: Basement Floor Plan
Figure 2. First Floor Plan
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Figure 3. Second Floor Plan
B. Museum Archives The building will include the internationally significant National Sports Heritage Museum, Library, and Archives. A collection of over 7,000 artifacts acquired through 45 years of research and travel will be the backbone of a multi-disciplinary interpretative Museum exploring the past and present heritage and values of sports and their complex interrelationships with society. The majority of the artifacts in the collection are from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The following are a sampling of the many rare artifacts, books, and documents in the collection: National Rugby Collection, the Origin of American Football
Large, original oil painting of the first rugby football game played between Harvard and Yale in 1875, the origin of American tackle and ball-carrying football.
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Original 1911 letter of Ezekiel Webster, who was injured playing in a mass football game at Harvard, along with the Harvard student newspaper which includes articles describing the first ever intercollegiate rugby football match between Harvard and McGill.
Origins of Women's Sports Collection
Published in 1871, a humorous illustrated book on women’s rights.
Ball, shoes, and bat used by Ada Thurston, who was a member of the Resolutes, a Vassar women’s baseball team in 1876. Page 25
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Origins of American Sports Collection
USA uniform patch and I.D. card given to American athletes in the 1924 Olympics. Newspaper article on Yale’s crew; rowing was the first intercollegiate American sport and helped determine the role of sports in society.
Origins of Youth Sports and Physical Education in Schools Collection
Circa 1890 American board game encouraging kids Weekly magazine publication promoting sports for to play sports. youth
Indigenous Cultures and Team Sports Collection
c 1910 Carlisle Indians Football Pennant c1900 Carlisle Indians Lacrosse Stick modeled after Jim Thorpe.
There is no similar collection in the United States. A worldwide network of contacts was developed to continue securing invaluable artifacts. Once the museum opens to the public and is marketed through various forms of media, curators of other significant sports museums have advised us to be prepared for a flood of donated artifacts or offers of sale. An Artifacts Collection and Design Committee consisting of Robert Buchanan, Robert Jafferis, and the curator, to be hired, will screen which offers to accept for display or preservation. Page 26
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C. Field Improvements and Stadium MUR has been developing the grounds and playing fields over the past 8 years. The current layout includes two premium grass-playing surfaces (one of which exceeds World Rugby event hosting specifications) including an electronic scoreboard. A storage building, picnic pavilion, and permanent bleachers have also been added to support events. Fencing and entrance gates surround the property. The next phase of field improvements involves: stadium seating around the larger east field to accommodate a seating capacity of 2,500, the addition of a small press/broadcast booth, additional bleacher seating on the smaller west field, and field lighting around both fields for night games.
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SECTION 4: LOCATION The proposed Madison United Community and Sports Center (the Center) will be located on the grounds of the existing Madison United Rugby (MUR) fields in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin.
A. Location and Access Madison and Milwaukee are the two prominent metropolitan areas in close proximity to the proposed site. Cottage Grove is located approximately 12 miles east of downtown Madison, Wisconsin. It is located in the Madison Metropolitan area on the eastern side of Dane County (population 515,000). In addition, Milwaukee is approximately 70 miles from Cottage Grove. Milwaukee County has a population of roughly 950,000. Chicago is 140 miles (2.5 hours) southeast and Minneapolis-St. Paul is 270 miles (4.5 hours) northwest. Figure 4. Cottage Grove’s Proximity to Madison and Milwaukee
Source: Business Analyst The proposed Center would be minutes from two interstate highways and will offer efficient transportation access. Figure 5 displays Cottage Grove’s proximity to interstates 94 and 90. In addition to these large interstates, visitors and residents can access Cottage Grove through US 12/18. This highway access, coupled with the close proximity of a regional airport and the adjoining interstate bicycle trail, will also facilitate easy access by sports tourists. The proposed site of the Center has numerous highway access points to Dane County Regional Airport. The Center is roughly 12 miles from the airport, and a person can travel between the two destinations within 25 minutes.
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Figure 5. Highway Access to Cottage Grove
Source: ESRI, for educational use. Lodging will be an important requirement for overnight guests of the Center. Currently, most of the overnight visitors are limited to facilities on E. Washington Ave. near Interstates 39/90/94. These hotels are approximately 8 miles northwest of the Center's site. There has been a concerted effort from the Village of Cottage Grove to build a hotel near the I-94 highway exits. According to the Village Planning and Development Director, one developer has already completed a feasibility study that recommends a 70-unit facility. The Village has also provided marketing information to other developers. The planning group determined the primary market for schools would be those located within a 30-minute drive time. These boundaries were calculated from the center of Cottage Grove, which is designated with a blue star. Table 3. Average number of classes within drive time
Drive Time 4th-12th Grade Students No. Homeroom Equivalents
30 Minutes 57,114 2,596
60 Minutes 184,801 8,035
90 Minutes 502,104 21,831 * Average classroom size (23) was used to find the number of homeroom equivalence ** Source: ESRI Business Analyst, for educational use only
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Figure 6. School Districts within a 90-Minute Drive Time
Source: ESRI and TIGER Data, for educational use.
Madison is famous for its bike-friendly atmosphere due to the numerous bike paths within the city.8 Bike paths have been extended outside of Madison into nearby towns. Numerous paths would connect bikers to the city center and to the Glacial Drumlin Trail. The Glacial Drumlin Trail is 52 miles long and connects Cottage Grove to Waukesha. Furthermore, a 2019 expansion to the Glacial Drumlin Trail’s west terminus in Cottage Grove would serve 250,000-300,000 bicyclists annually.9
8 Wahlberg, David. 2015, November 16. Madison One of 5 Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Communities. http://host.madison.com/wsj/lifestyles/recreation/madison-one-of-platinum-level-bicycle-friendly- communities/article_bdc92f63-e113-5b98-8391-3450d62e778a.html 9 Passon, Kevin. 2016, October 20. Plans to Complete Glacial Drumlin Trail Announced. http://www.hngnews.com/monona_cottage_grove/article_26b61864-9619-11e6-872f-5fb75f79a0ba.html Page 30
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Figure 7. Glacial Drumlin Trail
Source: Glacial Drumlin
Figure 8 (Glacial Drumlin Trail Access Point) shows that both the most direct and scenic routes run directly next to the proposed site for the Center just west of Fireman’s Park.
Figure 8. Glacial Drumlin Trail Access Point
Source: Glacial Drumlin
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B. Site The Center would be on MUR’s 7.58-acre parcel adjacent to Phoebe Bakken Memorial Park. This park has a playground, portable restrooms, two soccer fields, and trails. Figure 9. Madison United Community and Sports Center, Cottage Grove
Source: ESRI, for educational use. The most travelled segments are the gateway roads into the center of Cottage Grove, and these allow access to the Center. These roads are Main Street and Cottage Grove Road, which have a range of 7,600 to 9,600 vehicles per day. McCarthy Park is located just north of Cottage Grove. Russell and Ella McCarthy owned 180 acres of land that they eventually donated in 1974. This donation is what started the vision for McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park. As detailed on the Dane County Park website, “The McCarthy’s primary goal was for the park to become ‘a place where kids from the city could learn about nature.’ The park offers a group camp, hiking, cross-country skiing, equestrian trails and camping, picnic opportunities, and a beautiful prairie/wetland restoration.”10 The Center can provide a support to activities in McCarthy Park by providing a nearby venue to host post-activity events. In addition, the Ho Chunk Nation and Dane County Parks are planning to construct an interpretative trail portraying traditional Ho Chunk culture within the park. The Museum’s Native American artifacts, books, and documents will provide a wonderful complementary site for education and sports tourism.
C. Regulatory Requirements The proposed site of the Center is zoned as Park and Open Space. Moving forward, MUR would need to get a conditional use permit from the Village in order for the building to be considered as an Institutional Indoor Space. There is an existing operational agreement between MUR and the Village of Cottage Grove.
10 McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park. https://parks-lwrd.countyofdane.com/park/McCarthyYouthConservation Page 32
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SECTION 5: COMMUNITY PROFILE The proposed Wisconsin Rugby Sports Center (the Center) will be located in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, a growing community in eastern Dane County, part of the Madison metropolitan area.
A. Demographic Characteristics The following table summarizes characteristics of the resident population and compares Cottage Grove Village and Town, Dane County, Wisconsin, and the United States. Comparing Cottage Grove to these three geographic areas will be considered when estimating market demand for the four components of the Center. Table 4. Demographic Analysis Cottage Grove Dane County Wisconsin U.S. 2010 Population 7,931 488,073 5,686,986 308,745,538 2016 Population 10,865 515,225 5,795,428 323,580,626 % Annual Change ‘10- ‘16 6.5% 5.6% 1.9% 4.8% 2010 Households 3,673 203,750 2,279,768 116,716,292 2016 Households 4,021 217,593 2,333,049 121,786,233 % Change ‘10- ‘16 9.5% 6.8% 2.3% 4.3% 2016 Avg. HH Size 2.74 2.31 2.42 2.59 2010 HH w/ Children 41.4% 28.4% 30.6% 33.4% 2016 Median HH Income $85,285 $62,606 $53,160 $54,149 2016 Per Capita Income $35,142 $35,289 $28,544 $29,472 2010 Median Age 37.6 34.5 38.4 37.1 Bachelor’s Degree or Higher 39.7% 49.8% 29% 30.4% Source: ESRI Market Profile and Business Analyst Online. For educational use. Key findings from analyzing the data include: ● The Village and Town of Cottage Grove had a combined 2016 population of 10,865. The change in population between 2010 and 2016 in Cottage Grove is 1.4 times higher than the U.S. and 3.5 times higher than Wisconsin.
● The area is rapidly growing in the number of households. Cottage Grove realized a 9.5% increase between 2010 and 2016, which is 4 times more than Wisconsin and 2.2 times more than the U.S.
● In 2010, nearly half of the households in Cottage Grove had children. This figure is once again significantly higher than Dane County, Wisconsin, and the U.S.
B. Cottage Grove Businesses Cottage Grove has experienced significant growth in businesses in recent years due in part to its eastern gateway location to the Madison area. Major companies include Hydrite (130 employees), R.G. Huston, Johnson Health Tech (300+ employees), Landmark Cooperative (142 employees plus 23 seasonal or part- time staff), Midwest Stihl, Nelson Bus Service, and Summit Credit Union HQ (coming soon). According to the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce, the community is also served by over 125 businesses representing retail, food and drink, personal and professional services, construction, residential, etc. The Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce retained Vierbicher in 2016 to analyze commercial leakage from Cottage Grove. However, businesses are currently capturing only 13% of the retail spending generated by its residents. Cottage Grove has significant retail supply gaps in nearly every sector analyzed and could support development automobile dealerships, health/personal care stores, gas stations, and restaurants.11
11 Vierbicher. 2015, August. Cottage Grove Commercial Leakage Study. Page 33
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C. Major Businesses within 15-Minute Drive Within a 15-minute drive around the Cottage Grove site there are approximately 337 businesses with 50 or more employees. Many of these businesses are on the east side of Madison and represent a potential market for the Center's community programming market.
D. Tourism Characteristics Important to the proposed Center is the availability of visitor amenities including food, lodging, fuel, and some retail. While there is currently a shortage in many of these categories,12 the emergence of a destination attraction such as the Center could be a catalyst in attracting new business development. In 2015, Dane County’s visitor economy increased by 6.2%, continuing a trend of strong growth. The county continuously outperforms the state in visitor spending growth and encompasses nearly 10% of all visitors’ spending in Wisconsin. Table 5: Visitor Spending Visitor Spending and Impacts in Dane County Millions Percent Change Spending Category 2013 2014 2015 ‘14 to ‘15 Lodging $256.5 $280.6 $304.6 8.53% Food & Beverages $288.6 $298.9 $318.4 6.53% Retail $233.1 $232.5 $248.7 6.97% Recreation & $119.0 $124.4 $132.2 6.25% Entertainment Local Transportation $146.7 $150.5 $150.2 -0.20% Total $1,043.8 $1,086.9 $1,154.1 6.18% Growth Rate 4.13% 6.18% Source: Tourism Economics According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and Tourism Economics, visitor spending is distributed as: food and beverage (27.5%), lodging (25.8%), retail (21.4%), transportation (13.8%), and recreation (11.4%). The increase in visitors to Cottage Grove due to the Center will likely have an impact on local incomes, taxes, and job creation as well as a continued enhancement of quality of life. While a full economic impact study has not been performed on the proposed facility, research conducted by Tourism Economics demonstrates how tourism spending contributes to employment, wages, and taxes.13 The thousands of visitors who will come to the Center each year will spend money on food, lodging, retail, and transportation in the area.
http://www.cottagegrovechamber.com/uploads/4/0/7/8/40788503/commercial_leakage_study_-_cottage_grove_2015-08- 20.pdf 12 Vierbicher. 2015, August. Cottage Grove Commercial Leakage Study. http://www.cottagegrovechamber.com/uploads/4/0/7/8/40788503/commercial_leakage_study_-_cottage_grove_2015-08- 20.pdf 13 Tourism Economics. 2012. Tourism Economic Impact. http://www.tourismeconomics.com/economic-impact/tourism- economic-impact Page 34
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SECTION 6: MARKET ANALYSIS This section examines the market demand for the primary revenue components of this project. These primary revenue components have been grouped into four categories as follows: 1. Community Programming 2. Hospitality Events 3. Education and Sports Tourism 4. Sporting Events and Field Uses While each represents its own distinct market, the strength of relying on multiple revenue sources rather than one single source of revenue is vitally important to the success of this project and its ability to remain sustainable into the future. Rather than build a facility that is only used occasionally or seasonally, this approach results in greater capacity utilization and a facility that will be vibrant and energetic on a daily basis. For each category, Figure 10 outlines the process that generated the revenue projection. Figure 10. Revenue Projection Flowchart
A. Strongest F. Market E. Comparative Customer Advantage Communication Perceived Benefit Plan
B. Target D. Comparison G. Pricing Customer Facilities
C. Geographic Territories H. Market Capture
I. Revenue Projection
The market buildup methodology used in H. Market Capture estimates the volume of business activity by identifying the number of potential users in the market and taking an account of their potential future utilization of the facility. The assumptions are used here as a secondary check to ensure the reasonableness of projections that are based on comparable analyses and professional experiences of the planning team.
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1. COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING MARKET Community programming events include a wide variety of functions that are not necessarily sports-related. These events are generally for organizations, businesses, and government agencies in Cottage Grove. In the absence of a food and beverage staff, revenue will be generated from room fees as either a percent of revenue or a flat fee per room. In some cases, space will be available for use through a volunteer time-bank system.
A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit Potential groups will view the Center as a valuable community resource. The lack of a community center in Cottage Grove, coupled with the growing number of businesses and organizations, suggest that the facility will be in high demand. Further, the concept of time-banking, by which labor is donated, will provide a sense of community ownership.
B. Target Customer The Center will provide space to support innovative community and health and wellness services as well as summer programs for kids. The facility will be able to accommodate programs to help seniors remain healthy, independent, and connected to people of all ages. Seniors will have the opportunity to serve as docents for museum tours and school field trips, in addition to serving as library and research assistants for K-12 teachers, university faculty, and authors. Art, book, card-playing, and other recreational clubs will be hosted for seniors and other adults. In addition, space will be provided for people of every age and ability to improve their health and wellness. The site will host retreats, conferences, clinics, adult education programs, and entertainment events serving the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Currently, area businesses lack both quiet off-site meeting locations for retreats and a local larger conference venue. In addition, UW-Madison and other institutions offer wonderful adult education programs on campus, but lack of parking and knowledge of University buildings limit their attendance.14 Our Center’s ample parking and proximity to major transportation corridors will remove such barriers to hosting similar programming. Furthermore, the presence of four locker rooms, indoor and outdoor activity areas (including adjoining athletic fields in Bakken Park), and a variety of meeting rooms will attract a wealth of recreation and sports instructional clinics. Finally, smaller entertainment events will be hosted in the banquet facilities, while larger concerts in support of annual community events such as the Firemen’s Festival will be hosted in the stadium seating. MUR will support the programs of collaborating nonprofits (e.g., Lions Club, Scouts, Chamber of Commerce, and senior services). For example, the Lions Club will be able to greatly improve the size, quality, and effectiveness of important annual events, e.g., the regional directors’ dinner meeting, holiday parties, and their annual fundraisers including Hog Days, Pancake Breakfast, and Chili Cook-Off. Currently, area nonprofits must hold their events in the aging Flynn Hall, which lacks parking and seating for more the 70 people. MUR aims to promote the inclusive access to the new facilities for the activities and events of all community organizations and businesses, while also providing an economic stimulus to Dane County and Wisconsin. MUR will host regional bicycle conferences, events, and tours with the intent to increase the use of bicycles as daily transportation to reduce obesity, healthcare costs, morbidity, environmental damage, and traffic.
C. Geographic Territory For the purpose of this business plan, a 15-minute drive time is the primary geographic territory. This reflects a reasonable commute for personnel of businesses and organizations to attend out-of-office events. It also captures a significant number of larger entities (businesses employing over 50 employees) that would likely
14 Personal correspondence (Buchanan) Page 36
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D. Comparison Facilities Research was conducted to examine the utilization and operations of comparable community venues operated by a nonprofit. There are no directly comparable facilities to that which is planned, but selected elements of other facilities provide insight into market segments of importance to this project:
● Warner Park Community Center is a multi-purpose facility for community activities. The facility includes a gymnasium, fully equipped exercise room, game room, dry and wet craft rooms, and meeting rooms. Community rooms are available to rent.
● Milwaukee Irish Cultural and Heritage Center is “the home of a wide range of cultural and educational programs and the site for concerts, lectures, art exhibits, dances, Irish music classes, and a center for genealogical research. The halls and parlors of the ICHC are available for rent by individuals or organizations.”15
● Madison Ice Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, runs the Madison ice arenas without government subsidies and “is committed to providing quality ice skating facilities and programs to youth hockey organizations, figure skating clubs, high school teams, adult leagues, Learn-to-Skate programs, and the greater Madison Area community.”16
● The Alliant Energy Center’s meeting rooms offer their customers “supreme on-site amenities including ample parking..., a full range of audio/visual equipment, high-speed internet connections, and experienced staff.”17
● The Waunakee Village Center includes an arts and crafts space, community meeting rooms suitable for classes and organization meetings, dining for family events such as holidays and birthday parties, an exercise equipment area, a multi-use gymnasium, a walking track, and its Senior Center has nutrition, lounge, and wellness areas.
E. Comparative Advantages There is no community programming center within Cottage Grove. Locals will now be able to enjoy amenities and services to all residents within the Village and Town. In addition, residents and businesses will have the capability to hold meetings within their own town. While there is currently a shortage of businesses in the retail, food, and lodging categories, the emergence of a destination attraction such as the Center could be a catalyst in attracting new business development.
F. Market Communication Plan The following section describes how the Center will create powerful communication strategies in order to appeal to their target customers, in addition to developing a branding mechanism. This plan will help support the Center’s overall mission and should provide a clear focus on the future of the facility. 1. Website – general information, focused section for hosting events/programs (showcasing organizations that already use the space) and rental information. 2. Social Media – Facebook page and Instagram, connected to community organizations to cross- promote and provide a sense of community ownership (noted as part of benefits) 3. Email – newsletter, promotional updates, event invitations, cross-promotion of events/programs
15 Mission/Vision. http://www.ichc.net/ 16 Mission Statement. http://www.madisoniceinc.com/ 17 Alliant Energy Center Overview. https://www.alliantenergycenter.com/About-Us/Overview#.WSRd8WjysdW Page 37
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hosted at the Center 4. Groundbreaking Ceremony 5. Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting 6. Printed Brochure or Booklet 7. Local Community Event and Program Calendar Listings - free or low-cost listings in promotional efforts, e.g., the Cottage Grove newspaper, the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce calendar, and local wellness event listings. 8. In-Person Outreach – local community organization events, 1-on-1 informational meetings with community program influencers such as the Lions Club president and executive directors of local senior centers and the Wisconsin Bike Federation. 9. Center Events – events, such as a Community Wellness Fair, held at the Center that showcase the facility and available space
G. Pricing Pricing is based on the same assumptions used in the Hospitality market segment. As a nonprofit serving the needs of the community, MUR expects some user groups to pay their balance via the time-bank rather than paying monetary fees.
H. Market Capture Based on discussions with local entities we believe these to be reasonable estimates of future use.
Table 6: Community Programming Market Buildup
Market Buildup Model – Community Programming, Year 4 Geographic Theoretical Available Available Market Capture Market Territory Market (1) Market % (2) Market % (3) Capture # Small Events 337 50% 169 18% 30 Large Events 337 25% 84 26% 22 (1) The number for potential events is based on roughly 337 businesses with 50+ employees within a 15-minute drive. (2) Customers who know about, want to go to, and have the resources to visit the Center (3) The Center's share of available market that includes all direct competition
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I. Revenue Projection Table 7: Community Programming Revenue Projections
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2. HOSPITALITY EVENTS MARKET The Center will fill a much needed niche as a meeting and hospitality venue for business and social events. Spacious and smartly designed to accommodate the food service preferences of the organizing party, revenue will be generated from room and user fees, thus avoiding many of the overhead expenses associated with a culinary operation. From weddings, rehearsal dinners, class reunions, and anniversaries to business training and corporate retreats, the elegant features steeped in sports history will provide added appeal.
A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit The Center serves a local need for residents looking to host any size event within the Village of Cottage Grove, and, with spacious yet elegant features and a unique story to tell, the Center is sure to become a regional favorite for groups of all types. The Center is conveniently located near the Dane County Airport and major highways in all directions making traveling easy for incoming guests. Additionally, nearby parks will be ideal for large gatherings with children. With indoor/ outdoor appeal, this facility is located on the bike trail just a few comfortable minutes from the Capitol.
B. Target Customer The facility will provide an attractive and unique setting for private events such as weddings, reunions, and private parties.
C. Geographic Territory For the purpose of this business plan, the primary geographic territory will be the Village and Town of Cottage Grove. The secondary geographic territory will include everything within a 30-minute drive time from the center of Cottage Grove.
D. Comparison Facilities Research was conducted to examine the utilization and operations of comparable hospitality facilities. There are no directly comparable facilities to that which is planned, but selected elements of other facilities provide insight into market segments of importance to this project:
● Badger Farms, LLC, is a locally owned and operated Wedding Barn, custom farming and special life events facility (i.e.: banquet facility and reception hall). It is a popular venue for weddings, corporate meetings, special life events, private dinners, etc.
● Door Creek Golf Course holds golf events, weddings, private parties, etc.
● The Waunakee Village Center includes an arts and crafts space, community meeting rooms suitable for classes and organization meetings, dining for family events such as holidays and birthday parties, an exercise equipment area, a multi-use gymnasium, and a walking track. Its Senior Center has nutrition, lounge, and wellness areas. ● Local hotels with meeting rooms/halls
● Noah’s Event Venue offers space for weddings and corporate and social events. Badger Farms and the Waunakee Center appear to be the best comparable venues.
E. Comparative Advantages The facility will be able to accommodate 320 people, which is hard to find within the east-Madison area. In addition to the accommodation size, the building will have numerous rooms for people to get ready in or to lock presents in. The building will be equipped with AV technology for business meetings. This advantage
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MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER will allow families to utilize the technology to suit their needs such as playing slideshows at major events. The elegance of the building plus the history and its undertone of sports will create a unique atmosphere for potential clients.
F. Market Communication Plan The following section describes how the Center will create powerful communication strategies in order to appeal to its target customer, in addition to developing a branding mechanism. This plan will help support the Center’s overall mission and should provide a clear focus on the future of the facility. The majority of the communication efforts and marketing strategies noted earlier will also be applicable and adapted to hospitality events for the Cottage Grove community. The Center can utilize these same tools and efforts to reach a target audience of individuals and organizations that will utilize the Center for their programs and events. 1. Website – general information, focused section for hosting events/programs (showcasing organizations that already use the space) and rental information. 2. Social Media – Facebook page and Instagram connected to local Cottage Grove organizations and businesses to cross-promote 3. Email – newsletter, promotional updates, event invitations, cross-promotion of events/programs hosted at Center 4. Groundbreaking Ceremony 5. Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting 6. Printed Brochure or Booklet 7. Local Community Event and Program Calendar Listings: free or low-cost listings in promotional efforts, e.g., the Cottage Grove newspaper, the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce calendar, Dane County community newspapers, Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce calendar, Madison Magazine Wedding Planning issue. 8. In-Person Outreach – community events (local community organization events), 1-on-1 informational meetings with Cottage Grove and Dane County influencers and event organizers 9. Center Events – events held at the Center that showcase the facility and available space and that demonstrate to others the capabilities of the Center
G. Pricing There are two common methods used to price banquet space provided on a room and user basis. The following considerations are made independent of beverage related revenues. 1. The venue could charge a moderate room fee for primetime events ($800) and require 10% of the food (caterer’s) invoice. 2. The venue could charge a flat per-person fee.
In either case, the net revenue associated with an average primetime event would be similar. At $7 per head (flat fee), a 166-person event would net $1,162 to the facility. Alternatively, 10% of $3,000 plus an $800 room fee would be $1,100. It is in the best interest of MUR to reserve the right to decide which method we will employ; if average guest counts in the early years are lower than the average due to the newness of the facility, option #1 is favorable. However, as time goes on and an event for more than the 160-person average books, a per-person flat fee may be a better option. Either way, using a net income of $1,100 per event is a
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reasonable projection.
H. Market Capture Table 8: Hospitality Market Buildup
Market Buildup Model - Hospitality, Year 4 Geographic Theoretical Available Available Market Capture Market Territory Market (1) Market % (2) Market % (3) Capture # Small Events 2,436 50% 1218 9.4% 114 Large Events 2,436 25% 609 4% 24 (1) Total number of households in Cottage Grove (Village) (2) Customers who know about, want to go to, and have the resources to visit the Center (3) The Center's share of available market that includes all direct competition
The regional challenge of trying to find a venue to accommodate 300+ guests will drive the weekend primetime bookings. The chart that follows takes a conservative approach to revenues based on the following research. Wisconsin weddings average 166 guests; food revenues per wedding or special event average approximately $3,000 in this market. In Dane County, there are approximately 2,800 weddings per year. Weddings are somewhat seasonal, with peak months in the summer. Class reunions also tend to be held in the summer while holiday parties, anniversaries, and business related events can fill out the events calendar on a year-round basis.
I. Revenue Projection Table 9: Hospitality Revenue Projections
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3. SPORTING EVENTS AND FIELD USES MARKET For rugby and other sports-related events, revenues will generally come from field rentals and tournaments. Compared to Hospitality events, less complicated and more limited food and beverage offerings will be available to participants and spectators. For some events that a group chooses to execute on its own, the user group must determine the details, service, and supervision of that particular event. Revenue will also be generated from concession and alcoholic beverage sales.
A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit Dane County has a great capability for combining sporting events with other area activities and events. The Madison Area Sports Commission (which just landed the CrossFit Games) exists to organize sports tourism into multi-activity trips. The city has experience hosting big events across a range of user groups from the Badger football Saturdays to Ironman triathlons, marathons, cycling, and water sports.
B. Target Customer Sporting events and field users will include major local, regional, national, and international sporting events, which attract large crowds of spectators from outside Dane County. The Center will support many diverse recreational activities, such as bicycling, non-traditional and adaptive sports (Irish hurling, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, xc skiing, etc.), and intergenerational community fitness programming. Cycling events/tour stops include the AIDS Ride and the Ice Age Trail link.
C. Geographic Territory Currently the MUR regularly draws spectators and athletes from throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest for regional events. However, for important national qualifying tournaments, MUR has attracted visitors from New York to Colorado and from Manitoba to Texas. Furthermore, the 2012 Wisconsin Rugby Club 50th Anniversary weekend activities even attracted visitors from seven nations. Eventually, the facility will attract a secondary market with a regular stream of tourists from throughout the nation and the world.
D. Comparison Facilities Research was conducted to examine the utilization and operations of comparable community sports venues operated by nonprofit organizations. There are no directly comparable facilities to that which is planned. However, elements of other facilities provide insight into market segments of importance to this project:
● The Chicago Blaze outside Chicago, IL, own 3 full-sized rugby pitches (soon to be 4). Two of these pitches have lights and bleachers. They have hosted many national and regional events for men's, women's, collegiate, high school, and youth rugby at their fields. The Blaze Pavilion offers covered outdoor seating and a bar.
● Infinity Park is a sports stadium in the Denver suburb of Glendale, Colorado, and was formerly the unofficial home stadium of the United States national rugby union team. The complex hosts year- round entertainment, dining, and culture.18
● Founders Field outside Pittsburgh, PA, operates two fields and a clubhouse with a lounge and locker rooms. They are a regular host of regional playoff events for USA Rugby.
● Woodside in Wisconsin Dells, WI, consists of six synthetic turf multi-purpose fields, four synthetic turf baseball/softball fields, two grass/sod fields, six batting cages, a full concession stand and retail area, two separate meeting rooms, and a VIP viewing area.19
18 Rugbytown USA. http://infinityparkatglendale.com/rugbytown-usa/ 19 Woodside Sports Complex - Wisconsin Dells. https://www.gymdandy.io/wi/wisconsin-dells/orgs/woodside-sports- Page 43
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E. Comparative Advantages The other facilities do not have the option for spectating two fields from their buildings. Additionally, all of the comparable facilities (excluding Infinity Park) only provide spectator seating on one side of their fields. Only the Blaze and Infinity Park have the bar feature. All sites except Woodside struggle with event parking, topping out near 80 on-site stalls. MUR’s overflow lot is a 5-minute walk from the entrance. Also, the Center has superior near-area attractions due to its close proximity to downtown Madison.
F. Market Communication Plan The following section describes how the Center will create powerful communication strategies in order to appeal to their target customer, in addition to developing a branding mechanism. This plan will help support the Center’s overall mission and should provide a clear focus on the future of the facility. The majority of the communication efforts and marketing strategies noted earlier will also be applicable and adapted to field users. The Center can utilize these same tools and efforts to reach a target audience of individuals and organizations that will utilize the Center’s fields for their practices, competitions, and events. 1. Website – general information, focused section for hosting practices, competitions and sports events (showcasing teams and organizations that already use the space), and rental information 2. Social Media – Facebook page and Instagram connected to local sports organizations and businesses to cross-promote 3. Email – newsletter, promotional updates, event invitations, cross-promotion of events/programs hosted at the Center 4. Groundbreaking Ceremony 5. Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting 6. Printed Brochure or Booklet 7. Local Community Event and Program Calendar Listings - free or low-cost listings in promotional efforts, ex. youth sports directories, Isthmus Annual Manual (Athletic Organizations), USA Rugby calendar 8. Trade Shows – booths at trade shows and conferences that cater to sports markets 9. In-Person Outreach – local sports events, 1-on-1 informational meetings with local sports influencers and team organizers such as executive directors of state and regional teams and programs 10. Center Events – events held at the Center that showcase the facility and available space and demonstrate to others the capabilities of the Center
complex/facilities/woodside-sports-complex---wisconsin-dells Page 44
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G. Pricing Pricing for field usage is calculated based on the types of use (practice vs. game use) and type of team (MUR member vs. non-member). These rates are presented below:
Pricing for Fields Type of Team Practice Game Use Tournaments Member rugby $30/member per year $100 per hour $100 per hour of game use Non-member rugby $250 flat rate $100 per hour $150 per hour of game use Non-rugby users $75 per hour $250 per hour $200 per hour
H. Market Capture Year 1 is based on the 2016 numbers for the existing facility, except billboards which are a new feature. Practices revenue is based on the number of members of practicing teams. Games revenue is an hourly rate, and the number of games is a function of how many games our member teams play. More successful teams play more games and add developmental teams. Tournaments/Events/Gate revenue is derived from field usage fees and admission. MUR held 14 events in 2016, including both league and regional playoffs and daylong tournaments for adult, collegiate, and high school teams. Concessions revenue largely comes from sales during tournaments/events. Billboards are advertising spaces and sell for $1000/year.
I. Revenue Projection Table 10: Sports Use Revenue Projection
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4. EDUCATION AND SPORTS TOURISM MARKET This market segment is a key component of the National Sports Heritage Museum (the Museum). It includes school-aged visitors on field trips (education) and leisure travelers visiting the museum (sports tourism). It will facilitate diverse service learning, internships, and research opportunities for University of Wisconsin– Madison students and staff.
A. Strongest Customer Perceived Benefit Interest in interactive and interpretive centers/museums is exploding around the world. Attendance at the comparable facilities in Wisconsin are experiencing 7.5% - 37.5% increases in annual attendance. The nation lacks an artifact collection documenting the complex interrelationships between sports and society during the 19th century origins of team sports. Most importantly, there is not a women’s sports museum in the U.S.
B. Target Customer The museum will serve K-12 schools in the greater Madison area, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and adult educational programming. Museum visitors will come from the wider area, often in tandem with other sports tourism activities in the Madison Metropolitan area. See Appendix B: Analyzing the Project In Relation to Sports Tourism.
C. Geographic Territory The primary market for this study will be schools within a 30-minute drive time and museum visitors interested in sports history, throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. Eventually, Madison United Rugby (MUR) will attract a secondary market with a regular stream of tourists from throughout the nation and the world. The current annual attendance of comparable sites, not including the outliers of Lambeau Field and the Mustard Museum, averages 135,800 visitors. However, these sites do not see the significant number of international visitors that MUR anticipates attracting; 87% of the annual visitors to a collaborating partner, the New Zealand Rugby Museum, are international tourists.
D. Comparison Facilities The Center’s primary competitors for K-12 field trips will be Cave of the Mounds, the Wisconsin Historical Museum, the Veterans Museum, the Madison Children’s Museum and Old World Wisconsin. None of these facilities utilize the sports tourism model of combining access to history with inspiring facilities and the ability to host mega-events. In addition, none of these offer access to similar artifacts, activities, and curriculum. The Green Bay Packers are successfully following the sports tourism model, but they will not be directly competitive. Research was conducted to examine the utilization and operations of comparable facilities operated by a nonprofit. There are no directly comparable facilities to that which is planned, but selected elements of other facilities provide insight into market segments of importance to this project.
● The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum shares a 45,000-square-foot building with US Lacrosse Headquarters outside Baltimore, MD. It has free admission and sees 5,000-6,000 visitors per year. Lacrosse has 775,000 active players in the U.S.
● The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is 10,000 square feet and sees 9,000 visitors per year. It is open 6 days a week, charges $3-7 for admission, and serves about 200,000 active wrestlers. It is also funded by the state of Oklahoma and private donations.
● The US Hockey Hall of Fame Museum resides in a 15,000-square-foot building owned by the Town of Eveleth in Minnesota. Ten to fifteen thousand people visit it each year. It is open 7 days per week Page 46
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in the summer but only on weekends from Labor Day through Memorial Day and charges $6-8 for admission.
● Madison Children’s Museum “connects children with their families, their communities, and the world beyond through discovery learning and creative play.”20 They offer numerous exhibits focusing on sustainability. They have an admission fee of $7.95 for children and adults and are open Tuesday through Sunday 9:30am to 5pm.
● Old World Wisconsin’s “more than 60 historic structures range from ethnic farmsteads with furnished houses and rural outbuildings to the 1880s Village with its traditional small-town institutions.”21 It is open daily May 1 through October 31. Senior admission is $16, adults are $19, and children are $10, with children 4 and under are free, as are members.
● The Mustard Museum has “a collection of mustard pots, antique tins and jars, and vintage advertisements.”22 Admission is free and they are open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm. The majority of their revenue comes from in store or online purchases and donations.
● The Cave of the Mounds “has become the premier cave in the upper Midwest...Guided tours of this geologic wonder follow paved, lighted walkways and depart daily.”23 Admission is $17.95 for adults, $9.95 for kids 4-12, and free for younger children. It is open every day with restricted weekday hours for 4 months in winter.
● The Wisconsin Historical Museum helps “people connect to the past by collecting, preserving, and sharing stories.” Their vision is to enrich and transform lives through access to history.24 Admission is free for members, $5 for adults, and $3 for kids.
● The Wisconsin Veterans Museum consists of “exhibits, living histories, informational programs, and speakers.”25 Admission is free.
● The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame is a tribute to the Packers football team, and “the new facility uses the latest technology, enhanced interactive displays and a treasure trove of artifacts to educate and inspire visitors about the rich history of the Packers, as well as the teams of today.”26 Seniors, teens, students, and military pay $12 for admission, adults pay $15, kids pay $9, and children under 6 are free. It is open daily year-round. The Center’s close proximity to sports venues with museums (e.g., Miller Park, the future Milwaukee Bucks arena, and Lambeau Field) will draw more sports tourists who wish to combine visits to multiple attractions. In 2015, the Lambeau Field stadium and museum tours were a tool for increasing the Green Bay Packers' local income, which was $149 million (40% of total income).
E. Comparative Advantages There is not a competitive museum in the U.S. with artifacts similar to the Museum’s collection, which documents people and events that dramatically shaped the nation’s history. In addition to the uniqueness of the historically significant artifacts, the Museum will be the first such facility in the nation to focus on the
20 About Madison Children’s Museum. http://madisonchildrensmuseum.org/about/ 21 Old World Wisconsin - About Us. https://oldworldwisconsin.wisconsinhistory.org/about-us/ 22 2015, June 7. Image Magazine - Summer 2015. https://issuu.com/mountainviewpublishing/docs/image-magazine-summer- 2015 23 Cave of the Mounds. https://www.caveofthemounds.com/ 24 Mission and Vision of the Wisconsin Historical Society. http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:4294963828-4294963805&dsRecordDetails=R:CS3547 25 2014. May 2. Wisconsin Veterans Museum Announces Smithsonian Affiliation. http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com/newsroom/?ID=40 26 Packers Hall of Fame. http://www.packers.com/lambeau-field/hall-of-fame/visit.html Page 47
MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER complex interrelationships of sports and society. The facility will also offer activity-based programming; students and tourists will be excited to actively participate in more ways than merely looking at displays and remaining quiet. Admission prices, transportation costs, and easy access are crucial factors in the ability to attract school field trips. Field trips to the facility will be easy to access and less expensive to schools than most competing facilities. Teachers will be provided with extensive curriculum to meet their educational standards. An added benefit to the Museum over the comparable facilities above will be its ability to also attract many international sports tourists.
F. Market Communication Plan The following section describes how the Museum will create powerful communication strategies in order to appeal to their target customer, in addition to developing a branding mechanism. This plan will help support the Museum’s overall mission and should provide a clear focus on the future of the facility.
1. Educational Visitors The Museum will develop its branding to showcase the one-of-a-kind collection of artifacts, and, as the first- ever facility of its kind in the United States, it will additionally develop its reputation as a must-see place to visit when in the area. These same tools can be used for sports tourism by changing the target audience. 1. Website – general information, focused sections for both educational visitors and sports tourism 2. Social Media – Facebook page and Instagram connected to educational and sports tourism accounts 3. Email – newsletter, promotional updates, event invitations 4. Groundbreaking Ceremony 5. Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting 6. Printed Brochure or Booklet 7. Sports Tourism/Event Directories and Calendar Listings - free or low-cost listings in promotional efforts, e.g., Isthmus Annual Manual, madison.com Event Calendar, Madison Sports Commission Website, Travel Wisconsin, USA Rugby Events Calendar 8. In-Person Outreach – educational/professional conferences, community events (parades, family days, holiday festivals), community organizations, athletic events (Madison Mallards, Crossfit Games, Wisconsin Badgers), and meetings with sports tourism and educational visitor influencers 9. Center Events – events held at the Center that showcase the facility and its collection, such as an event tied to National Women and Girls in Sports Day, the Olympics, or local festivals and family events
G. Pricing As a nonprofit serving the needs of education and the community, all education and sports tourism admission fees will fall on the modest end of the continuum of fees for the comparable museums above. (Please note: The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is an outlier with no admission fee as it is heavily subsidized through public funding. The Mustard Museum and lacrosse facility also have free admission and were not used in this calculation.) Student field trip fees will be $5; the average of the comparable sites examined is $7.18. One staff member will be free for each 8 student’s admission throughout the year. For sports tourism, the adult fee will be $10; the average of the comparable sites is $11.36. The youth fee will be $7.50; the average of comparable sites is $8.00. In addition, seniors, college students, military personnel, and family groups of 3+ will each receive a $1 discount off their tickets. Furthermore, members Page 48
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who annually donate $250 or more will enjoy free admission throughout the year.
H. Market Capture Rate Table 11: Education Market Buildup
Market Buildup Model - Education, Year 4 Geographic Theoretical Available Available Market Market Territory Market (1) Market % (2) Market Capture % (3) Capture # 30 minute drive time 57,114 50% 28,557 9% 2,500 (1) Population was derived from a 2016 projection based on the 2010 census, ESRI Aged Detail Report (for educational use only) – for 4th to 12th grade students (2) Customers who know about, want to go to, and have the resources to visit the Center (3) The Center's share of available market that includes all direct competition
Table 12: Sports Tourism Market Buildup
Market Buildup Model - Sports Tourism, Year 4 Geographic Theoretical Available Available Market Market Territory Market (1) Market % (2) Market Capture % (3) Capture # Tourists 10,213,275 5% 510,664 1.5% 7,500 (1) Number of potential visitors based on the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Economic Impact Report (2) Customers who know about, want to go to, and have the resources to visit the Center (3) The Center's share of available market that includes all direct competition
In year one, the Museum expects to host a minimum of 1,000 K-12 field trip students and 1,000 sports tourists. In each following year, the facility expects to add an additional 500 K-12 field trip students and 2,000 sports tourists. Within ten years, the Center will host 10,000 K-12 field trip students and nearly 25,000 sports tourists. The activity-based field trips, with curriculum aligning with educational standards, will attract the participation of many schools. Hosting large community and sporting events will bring many annual spikes in visitor admissions to the museum. By year ten, the Museum expects to host more than 30,000 visitors with an annual revenue stream of more than $400,000 in tickets sales with related merchandise and concessions sales.
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I. Revenue Projection Table 13: Education and Sports Tourism Revenue Projection
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SECTION 7. MANAGEMENT/PERSONNEL A. Staffing Labor costs will be the most significant and controllable operating expense of the Madison United Community and Sports Center (the Center). A modest staffing model has been developed that includes two full-time and one part-time base management positions, one part-time maintenance position (possibly a contract for service), volunteer time, and eventually various hourly positions as needed to provide a high- quality experience as museum visitation and group events increase. An organizational chart of staffing is presented below. Figure 11. Organizational Chart
General Manager/ General Director
Assistant Assistant Manager: Facilities and Manager: Host and Community Maintenance Hospitality Programming and Curator
Volunteers/ Catering
Time-Bank Contracts
Hourly Labor Hourly Labor (18% of food (25% of museum revenue and 50% revenue over of beverage $250,000) revenue over $500,000)
B. Position Descriptions Initially, two full-time and one part-time positions must combine a wide variety of roles: museum and building management, marketing, programming, events, and volunteer coordinator. Their work will be fluid in the initial years as they respond to the emerging needs of and responsibilities for the Center. General Manager/Executive Director: Responsibilities include maintaining facilities, organizational stability, and financial security (including fundraising). The person serving in this position will be a highly visible face of the organization. The position requires a responsible manager and administrator in planning, Page 51
MADISON UNITED COMMUNITY AND SPORTS CENTER organizing, directing, and controlling the overall operations, program, service delivery, and staff of the Center. The work involves developing and implementing Madison United Rugby (MUR) policies and procedures and serving as a link to the local neighborhoods, the MUR Board and its subgroups, and any related tenant organizations. Work also involves overseeing and performing budgeting, marketing, data collections, and reporting functions for MUR. Work also includes community and neighborhood engagement and relationship-building. Work is performed under the direction of the MUR Board with review through periodic evaluation of results with established goals and objectives. Assistant Manager - Community & Museum Curator: Responsibilities include serving as museum curator, organizing community programming and events, and working in the office. This is primarily a daytime position. This person must play a hands-on role in the revenue-generating events at the facility. A robust team of volunteers will be needed as this salary covers all labor costs until the museum revenues reach $250,000. At that time, additional labor dollars are budgeted at 25% over this revenue threshold. Assistant Manager - Host & Hospitality: Responsibilities include: overseeing center staffing and managing sporting events, food and beverage events (room rentals, outside caterers, and game-day food and beverage service). This is primarily a nights-and-weekends position and will be a part-time position initially. Community Programming and Curator (hourly labor): These positions are variable and assist the corresponding assistant manager when museum revenues exceed $250,000 per year. Host and Hospitality Assistant (hourly labor): These positions are variable and involve assisting the corresponding assistant manager when combined food and beverage revenue exceeds $500,000 per year. Facilities and Maintenance: These responsibilities will typically be contracted to an outside service provider, but are described here as they are labor-intensive. They will include skilled duties such as that of a maintenance mechanic including general maintenance or specialized work done by plumbers, electricians, or heating contractors. They will also include routine manual work in the performance of a variety of building cleaning tasks.
C. Personnel Plan Salary & Benefits
General Manager $65,000
Assistant Manager – community programming and curator $50,000
Assistant Manager – host and hospitality $25,000
D. Outside Advisors and Service Providers Service Provider: Bank-Old National Bank; Accountant-Wegner LLC;
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SECTION 8. FINANCIAL ASSUMPTIONS A. Sources & Uses of Funds
B. Start-Up Costs Start-up costs are woven into the components of item A.
C. Sales Forecast Assumptions See Section 6 Market Analysis.
D. Expense Assumptions Payroll and Benefits (fixed): See Section 7 Management Personnel. Payroll and Benefits (variable): See Section 7 Management Personnel. Time bank hours value owed: this includes what is owed to time-bank volunteers, whether individuals or groups, who worked at the Center. Administrative (fixed): This includes expense categories such as credit card commissions, credit and collection, computer expenses, donations, dues descriptions, executive office, human resources, accounting fees, operating supplies, professional fees, security, telephone and Internet, etc. Marketing (fixed): This includes expense categories such as community projects, outside services, direct mail, in-house graphics, print advertising, radio and TV advertising, etc. Maintenance and Cleaning (fixed) - contracted out. Field Maintenance (fixed): This includes the cost of supplies and contracts relating to the maintenance of grounds, stadium, and fields. Utilities (fixed): This includes the cost of electricity, fuel, and water. Insurance (fixed): This includes the cost of insuring the Center and its contents against damage or destruction by fire, weather, sprinkler leakage, or any other cause. Food and Beverage (not applicable in first four years):
● Over the four-year projection period, all food and beverage services for community programming and hospitality events are projected to be catered. A percentage of food and beverage revenue charged to the client by the caterer is incorporated into the room rental rates presented in the market analysis section.
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● To keep estimates conservative, beverage sales for community programming and hospitality events are assumed to be catered and not served by the Center. This may change in the near future as beverage revenues have a greater profit margin than food revenues.
● Looking beyond the four-year period, and, depending on the capacity of the host and hospitality assistant manager and additional part-time staff, the Center may generate revenues directly from food and beverage services provided in-house (i.e. not catered in). In such cases, incremental (or variable) costs are as follows. Note that additional part-time personnel are considered when annual food and beverage revenues exceed $500,000. Food: o 15% supervision, set-up, and cleaning costs. o 35% food cost o 12% food service staff o 20% food production staff o 5% other food related expenses o Approximate profit margin = 13%
Beverage: o 30% beverage cost of goods o 15% bar service (when scheduled in conjunction with an event) o 25% bar service for non-event hours o 5% other beverage related expenses o Approximate profit margin = 25%
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SECTION 9. PROJECTION OF OPERATING INCOME AND FINANCING
A. Operating Projections Table 14: Operating Projections Projected Operating Income Rev. 5/3/17 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Revenue: Education and Sports 22,200 25.0% 43,300 34.6% 64,400 38.5% 89,500 42.0% Tourism Community Programming (including 7,900 8.9% 12,400 9.9% 21,300 12.7% 30,200 14.2% time bank) Hospitality Events 31,900 35.9% 38,100 30.4% 45,500 27.2% 52,700 24.7% Sporting Events and 26,800 30.2% 31,450 25.1% 36,100 21.6% 40,750 19.1% Field Uses Total Revenue 88,800 100.0% 125,250 100.0% 167,300 100.0% 213,150 100.0%
Operating Expenses: Payroll and Benefits 140,000 70.1% 140,000 70.4% 140,000 69.9% 140,000 69.3% (fixed) Payroll and Benefits 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% (variable) Time-bank hours value 1,200 0.6% 1,800 0.9% 2,400 1.2% 3,000 1.5% owed Administrative (fixed) 7,500 3.8% 7,500 3.8% 7,500 3.7% 7,500 3.7% Marketing (fixed) 7,500 3.8% 5,000 2.5% 5,000 2.5% 5,000 2.5% Maintenance and 15,000 7.5% 15,000 7.5% 15,000 7.5% 15,000 7.4% Cleaning (fixed) Field Maintenance 12,500 6.3% 12,500 6.3% 12,500 6.2% 12,500 6.2% (fixed) Utilities 12,000 6.0% 13,000 6.5% 14,000 7.0% 15,000 7.4% Insurance (fixed) 4,000 2.0% 4,000 2.0% 4,000 2.0% 4,000 2.0% Total Operating 199,700 100.0% 198,800 100.0% 200,400 100.0% 202,000 100.0% Expenses
Total Operating Income -110,900 -124.9% -73,550 -58.7% -33,100 -19.8% 11,150 5.2% (b/4 depreciation)
Note: Presented in constant 2017 dollars (before inflation)
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B. Funds Required Our fundraising goal of $6 million includes securing 50% of the necessary funding before seeking grant funding for the remainder. Eight years of local, national, and international research by Madison United Rugby (MUR) supported the need for a comprehensive plan to secure funding for construction; infrastructure, appliances, and furniture; museum displays and storage; increased stadium seating, press box, bathrooms, and lighting; and three years of declining annual budget support. The goal is to be financially sustainable by year four (positive operating income before depreciation. )
Fundraising Progress: ● Before fundraising for this project, Madison United Rugby (MUR) has already invested over $1 million to not only purchase the land and develop its current rugby facilities, but to also develop and help maintain Bakken Park, including two soccer fields for use by local schools and the community. In addition, MUR helped to develop the Kids Dream Park within Bakken Park.
● MUR will raise $2 million for this project. Rugby alumnus Robert “Skip” Heffernan has donated properties that generated for over $750,000 in net income at sale. An anonymous rugby alumnus has pledged a $500,000 challenge gift that must be matched by the rugby community. MUR is committed to raise the matching funds and any balance needed to reach its overall fundraising goal.
● MUR is seeking outside partners from Cottage Grove businesses and local and national brands for donations and naming rights. ● MUR will seek the remaining project balance of $3 million in grant funding in order to secure the necessary total of $6+ million.
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SECTION 10. ANTICIPATED IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT Too often the value of innovative development projects, especially those related to sports tourism, are primarily judged by the narrow measure of economic impact. Robert F. Kennedy captured the dangers of using a limited evaluation metric, the Gross National Product (GNP): “It measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.”27 The plenary speakers of the 2014 European Sports Tourism Conference included the executive directors of the Ryder Cup, the London Olympic Games, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Tour de France, and the European Union Football Association. Together they not only reinforced Kennedy’s observation, but they also presented a much more accurate and holistic weighted measurement of values. The values and weights they selected are presented below with how the Center will embody them.28
Value 1: Economic Impact (10% weight) While the development project will attract significant spending related to sports tourism to Cottage Grove, Madison, and Dane County, the values that follow are more important.
Value 2: Legacy (20% weight) This measurement of value refers to the long-term effects of the development
● Madison United Rugby’s (MUR) sustainable income streams will also allow us to offer facility access to area charities through time-banking, which will greatly reduce their annual costs. In fact, area nonprofits will also be trained in the use of time-banking to expand their outreach to people in need. The founder of Time Banking, Edgar S. Cahn, hopes that the facility can become an international training center in this area.
● The Museum’s collection, library, and archives collection will place a permanent international spotlight on Dane County, while providing support for education and sports tourism.
● The multi-purpose design and programming of the facility, which features varied sustainable income streams independent from large annual government subsidies, will become a model for communities around the world. Already, three project leaders have been asked to make a presentation in 2017 at the World in Union conference in New Zealand.
● Area residents, nonprofits, and businesses will have access for hosting community programming, conferences, and social events.
● Madison, Dane County, and the State of Wisconsin have developed one of the finest networks of bike trails in the United States. As the facility is located on Wisconsin’s interstate bicycle trail, it will also become the first permanent structure to offer comprehensive services for bicycle tourism.
Value 3: Home Advantage (35% weight) This measurement of value refers to ways the project will strengthen existing programs and organizations:
● MUR will offer K-12 activity-based field trips, with accompanying curriculum, focusing upon multicultural studies, a wide variety of history topics, and health and wellness. Students will actively engage in many experiences, rather than just be passive observers.
● Historical resources and programming will support research by students and faculty at both the high school and university levels. Similar historical resources at the National Sports Museum in
27 Kennedy, Robert F. Remarks at the University of Kansas, March 18, 1968. https://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research- Aids/Ready-Reference/RFK-Speeches/Remarks-of-Robert-F-Kennedy-at-the-University-of-Kansas-March-18-1968.aspx 28 European Sport Tourism Summit 2014 Page 57
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Melbourne, Australia, were found to also attract the interest of a wide variety of other people, from authors to individuals looking up history related to their families.
● The facility will provide access to provide support for the growth in participation of a variety of sports: rugby, Irish hurling, soccer, lacrosse, ultimate Frisbee, cycling, running, cross-country skiing, and more.
● The greater eastern Madison/Cottage Grove area lacks conference and community center facilities to support and grow annual private, public, and nonprofit events and fundraisers. For example, the Lions and Lionesses charitable fundraisers are severely restricted currently by being held in Flynn Hall, which seats 70 and has limited parking. The proposed facility will have seating for over 300 and ample parking.
● The National Sport Heritage collection will provide a stimulus for participation in all Dane County events similar to what happens through Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Museum provides a symbiotic stimulus to increased participation in activities throughout their county.29 The close proximity to Lambeau Field attracts more participants to any event, since visitors can combine their trip with a stop at the home of the Packers. In return, all of the events in the county also lead to greater participation in the Lambeau Field and Museum tours.
Value 4: Engagement (35%) This measurement is the direct involvement of people either as participants or spectators:
● MUR encourages students to actively participate in neighborhood-based youth rugby programs and in area programs offered in middle schools and high schools. Scholarships are provided for any student in need to participate in rugby.
● Students at all grade levels are encouraged to improve their achievement in school and to pursue post high school education or training. Furthermore, the rugby community offers a variety of college scholarships through high schools and UW-Madison to help students continue their education. UW- Madison alumni rugby members have donated $400,000 in scholarship endowments and have awarded more than $130,000 since 1991.
● In battling childhood and adult obesity, the facility provides many opportunities for people of every age and ability to improve their health and wellness. A goal of the Center will be to help people “move more” in any activity of their choice. Children who begin sporting and recreational activities by the age of 7-8 are twelve times more likely to be active adults.30
● Encouraging bicycling has additional benefits to society, which include reducing obesity, health care costs, morbidity, environmental damage, and traffic congestion. About half of Wisconsin’s residents bike for recreation.31 MUR’s location on the longest bike trail in the state will help many sports and events to become bicycle accessible.
● Research has also shown that hosting major sporting events will even motivate the spectators of such events to become more active. While 60% of adult spectators will become more active, their drop-off in continued activity is much quicker, with only 24% maintaining higher levels. More importantly though, 74% of youth spectators will be inspired to become more active and their drop-off rate is much smaller than that of adults.32
29 Personal correspondence (Buchanan) 30 European Sport Tourism Summit 2014 31 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Wisconsin Outdoor Uses and Trends. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/planning/scorp/pdfs/WI_SCORP_2011_16_chap2.pdf 32 European Sport Tourism Summit 2014 Page 58
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APPENDIX A: BUILDING FLOOR PLANS
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APPENDIX B: ANALYZING THE PROJECT IN RELATION TO SPORTS TOURISM According to the first European Sport Tourism Conference, attracting year-round sports tourists is dependent upon combining their interest in history, inspiring facilities, and the hosting of mega events integrated with regional/local events. The facility will attract visitors from the nation and the world. The proposed site will have many similarities with the New Zealand Rugby Museum, which draws 87% of its visitors from other nations. While sports tourism is broad in nature, the Center’s signature attraction will be the museum of sports artifacts. It will attract thousands of students and teachers through activity-based field trips. In addition, large events, especially during the summer months, will create large spikes in museum attendance by the spectators and participants similar to what happens at Lambeau Field. Within 10 years the Center should attract over 30,000 visitors annually. In addition, the Center will secure grant funding for academic research by students and staff at UW-Madison. Eventually MUR will create traveling thematic artifact collections, which can be leased by other institutions for short periods of time and funded through grants. According to the World Tourism Organization, sports tourism represents the fastest growing sector in global tourism.1 According to W2 Consulting, ten future trends in sports tourism need to be navigated for success.24 The Center will respond to these trends as follows: 1. Partnership: Collaborating members include: UW-Madison, UW-Extension, Wisconsin Small Business Development Center, Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce, MUR, area governments, area nonprofits. These groups are effectively working together to construct and financially sustain the proposed new facilities, and also to leverage this Center as a critical stimulus to the region’s economic development. 2. Innovation: Sites visits were conducted around the United States and in many other nations. The architectural design of the multi-purpose building incorporates the compilation of best practices discovered through eight years of research. Designing a facility that supports education, health and wellness, community services, and business development and that is financially sustainable without government subsidies will provide a model for communities around the world. 3. Delivery: The facilities will support much more than major sporting events and recreation. The facilities will host a wide variety of large events such as business or education conferences, with up to 300 attendees. The facility will have the flexibility to host a wide variety of smaller events, with the ability to host multiple small events at the same time. The facility and educational resources will support teaching and research at the university level, while also supporting activity-based field trips for students in grades 4-12. Local nonprofits will be able to earn free access for their events through volunteering. 4. Experience: The goal of sports tourism is to encourage spectators and tourists to arrive one day earlier than an event and leave a few days after the event. We will work closely with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the Greater Madison Visitors Bureau, and the Madison Area Sport Commission to develop a package of experiences available to visitors for every important event. 5. Volunteers: MUR has provided volunteers for many community events for more than 35 years. Through the use of time banking, volunteers from local nonprofits will be able to exchange volunteer hours for access to the facilities. The nonprofits will also be trained in the management of time banking for meeting local needs. 6. Local Culture: Cottage Grove’s largest event, the Fireman Festival, is held on adjacent grounds the same day as one of MUR’s biggest events: Madtown 7s, a national qualifier event that also has multiple divisions for youth and social teams. These events are cross-promoted. Visitors to the Center also can quickly travel to Madison’s events and attractions. 7. Government: The governing bodies of the State of Wisconsin, Dane County, the City of Madison, the Township of Cottage Grove, and the Village of Cottage Grove have participated in our collaboration. The goal of the project is to encourage active use of the facilities by various levels of government agencies and offices as stakeholders without the need for an annual government subsidy
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for the facilities’ financial sustainability. 8. Competition: Central to the facilities will be the Center’s collection, which will incorporate a museum, research library, and archives. The Center will be located near major travel arteries. There will also be seating for up to 4,500 spectators and the required competition infrastructure, which will host regional and national championships in a variety of sports and recreation. These features will keep the Center’s competitive edge as other venues enter the marketplace. 9. Digital Media: MUR already has incorporated a dedicated website, Facebook accounts, Twitter accounts, and a digital newsletter which is published monthly. 10. Legacy: The multi-purpose design of the facilities and programming will attract great interest from many nations. Because it will not rely on government funding, the Center will serve as a model for other communities seeking to provide services under low-budget conditions.
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