SPORT_113.qxp_Layout 1 11/7/18 12:49 PM Page 113 2019 SPG ILLINOIS GUIDE Huddle Up in the Land of Lincoln Sports Illinois Huddle connects communities, rights holders Baseball and Beer Go Hand in Hand in Illinois 12Site InSpections of Event-Ready Destinations and Their Top Venues A Premier Travel Media publication • www.SportsPlanningGuide.com SPORT_114.qxp_Layout 1 11/10/18 11:35 PM Page 114 2019 State TOC's pp1.qxp_Layout 1 11/7/18 12:55 PM Page 115 Welcome to Illinois! ILLINOIS Cory M. Jobe, Director Illinois Office of Tourism 116 Huddle Up in Illinois 118 Baseball and Beer: An Illinois Tradition On behalf of the Illinois Office of Tourism, we look forward to ©iStock.com/bgblue welcoming you to the Land of Lincoln for your next sporting event. Illinois is a top destination for sports associations and organizations, and with thriving urban centers like Chicago, as well as scenic natural vistas that will take your breath away, there simply is no end to the travel opportunities that await you and your team in Illinois. The Land of Lincoln has a strong track record of successfully hosting a variety of events, from Olympic trials and PGA tournaments to college and high school competitions. In addition, Illinois offers more than 1,200 sporting venues and state-of-the-art facilities of all kinds across the state, which means we can meet your needs no matter how large or small. SI Illinois offers something for everybody. Whether you prefer the world-class culture and dining of the big city, the friendly hospitality of small town America or the serene beauty of our natural wonders, you'll find what you're looking for in Illinois. From professional 120 Chicago Northwest, IL sporting events to top-notch shopping, it's all here. Our theaters and museums represent thriving centers of culture, while lush Rockford, IL forests and scenic parks set the stage for exciting outdoor adven- 122 tures. You'll find an abundance of charming local restaurants, not to mention our many fine breweries, distilleries and wineries. Of 124 Champaign County, IL course, there's no shortage of water parks, zoos, amusement parks, and other kid-friendly activities for the whole family. 126 Lake County, IL Illinois is a four season destination. Our winter eagle watching 128 Illinois & Michigan Canal season offers unique views of one of the largest eagle migrations in Heritage Corridor the nation. Spring and summer offers prime opportunities for families to enjoy Illinois' scenic byways, beaches and parks. Autumn brings 130 Aurora, IL with it the fall colors and provides some of the most beautiful hues and landscapes to be found anywhere in the country. 132 Chicago Southland, IL Go to sportillinois.com to learn more about Illinois sports facilities or to book you next sporting event, and visit enjoyillinois.com to start 134 Bloomington-Normal, IL planning your next trip to Illinois. 136 Southern Illinois Your friend in Illinois tourism, 137 Quad Cities, IL 138 Elgin, IL Cory M. Jobe 141 Effingham, IL Director Illinois Office of Tourism Cover Photo: Chicago International Dragon Boat Festival Photo Courtesy of GWN Dragon Boat SportsPlanningGuide.com Sports Planning Guide 115 SPORT_114.qxp_Layout 1 11/10/18 11:35 PM Page 114 2019 State TOC's pp1.qxp_Layout 1 11/7/18 12:55 PM Page 115 Welcome to Illinois! ILLINOIS Cory M. Jobe, Director Illinois Office of Tourism 1164 Huddle Up in Illinois 1186 Baseball and Beer: An Illinois Tradition On behalf of the Illinois Office of Tourism, we look forward to ©iStock.com/bgblue welcoming you to the Land of Lincoln for your next sporting event. Illinois is a top destination for sports associations and organizations, and with thriving urban centers like Chicago, as well as scenic natural vistas that will take your breath away, there simply is no end to the travel opportunities that await you and your team in Illinois. The Land of Lincoln has a strong track record of successfully hosting a variety of events, from Olympic trials and PGA tournaments to college and high school competitions. In addition, Illinois offers more than 1,200 sporting venues and state-of-the-art facilities of all kinds across the state, which means we can meet your needs no matter how large or small. SI Illinois offers something for everybody. Whether you prefer the world-class culture and dining of the big city, the friendly hospitality of small town America or the serene beauty of our natural wonders, you'll find what you're looking for in Illinois. From professional 1208 Chicago Northwest, IL sporting events to top-notch shopping, it's all here. Our theaters and museums represent thriving centers of culture, while lush Rockford, IL forests and scenic parks set the stage for exciting outdoor adven- 12210 tures. You'll find an abundance of charming local restaurants, not to mention our many fine breweries, distilleries and wineries. Of 12412 Champaign County, IL course, there's no shortage of water parks, zoos, amusement parks, and other kid-friendly activities for the whole family. 12614 Lake County, IL Illinois is a four season destination. Our winter eagle watching 12816 Illinois & Michigan Canal season offers unique views of one of the largest eagle migrations in Heritage Corridor the nation. Spring and summer offers prime opportunities for families to enjoy Illinois' scenic byways, beaches and parks. Autumn brings 13018 Aurora, IL with it the fall colors and provides some of the most beautiful hues and landscapes to be found anywhere in the country. 13220 Chicago Southland, IL Go to sportillinois.com to learn more about Illinois sports facilities or to book you next sporting event, and visit enjoyillinois.com to start 13422 Bloomington-Normal, IL planning your next trip to Illinois. 13624 Southern Illinois Your friend in Illinois tourism, 13725 Quad Cities, IL 13826 Elgin, IL Cory M. Jobe 14129 Effingham, IL Director Illinois Office of Tourism Cover Photo: Chicago International Dragon Boat Festival Photo Courtesy of GWN Dragon Boat SportsPlanningGuide.com Sports Planning Guide 1153 SPORT_116-119.qxp_Layout 1 11/7/18 12:30 PM Page 116 SPORT_116-119.qxp_Layout 1 11/7/18 12:37 PM Page 117 Huddle Up in Illinois Carson Ghys • Dee Hickey/Deelightful Photography Illinois is a sporting paradise, and the Sports Illinois Huddle ensures the state hosts numerous Sports Illinois Huddle top-flight athletes. Connects Communities with Rights Holders Danville Dans of Danville, Illinois Marshall Gehrke • Steve Albert Rock Island Grand Prix • Dispatch-Argus ith eight professional teams in Chicago, and a host of minor Sports Illinois Huddle events to the state, generating well over $13.2 million in economic Huddle Impact Grant. The grant was funded by Sports Illinois members league and collegiate teams across the state, sports are an Each year, tournament directors and events rights holders are impact, according to the Illinois Office of Tourism. It has helped the state at $1,000 and matched by the local host, the Rockford Area CVB, to integral part of Illinois’ fabric. invited to take part in the two-day Sports Illinois Huddle conference that attract such major sports organizations as Airsoft Republic, Game Day equal a $2,000 scholarship in 2018. The grant is available to any local WConsidering the Land of Lincoln possesses more than 1,200 sporting features many Illinois CVBs and sports commissions. USA, the United States Specialty Sports Association, the Professional (local to the host organizing city) nonprofit 501 (c) (3) that runs positive venues and is home to numerous high-profile events, including Olympic The Sports Illinois Huddle is an educational conference/tradeshow Disc Golf Association, USA Ultimate, the American Cornhole Association sports programming. Trials, PGA competitions and NCAA basketball tournaments, the state which features an appointment-based trade show for rights holders, and NXT Lacrosse. The winner of the 2018 grant was the Rockford Park District needs a quality sports tourism group to help promote its many merits and tournament directors and CVB representatives to discuss upcoming “(The Sports Illinois Huddle) was fantastic,” said David Raflo, manager Foundation, a Rockford-area nonprofit, and will go toward its Youth Sport help tournament planners make events and tournaments. The conference also offers guest speakers of events for USA Ultimate. “I Fit Program, which offers a wide range of sport training activities to more smart choices. “The Sports from the sports industry, educational sessions covering new trends and got to meet folks from DMOs that I haven’t met before, I got to deepen than 2,600 area youths. This program occurs each summer for six weeks Sports Illinois, a niche com- Illinois Huddle is ideas, along with a slew of networking opportunities. The conference is relationships with some others and the networking opportunities were during the months of June and July at eight different playground parks mittee of the Illinois Council of an important and similar to many industry conferences with regard to having one-on-one fantastic, I really enjoyed the experience all around.” and six community centers. Convention and Visitors Bureaus, effective component appointments, industry seminars and off-site entertainment designed “Why attend the Sports Illinois Huddle? Because it checks all the “The Rockford Park District team does an exceptional job improving is that organization. specifically for Illinois. boxes,” said Don Flynn, vice president of Business Development for the Rockford community in a variety of ways. Their plan to support youth Sports Illinois plays an integral for our state and The inaugural Huddle was hosted in 2009 in Lincolnshire within Lake Game Day USA. “One-on-one meetings with the top CVBs and sports in our community by giving them more opportunities to play in a variety role in helping attract sporting communities to County and since then, the annual show has traveled around the state commissions from around the state.