Rockford Park District Sports Facilities Generate $14.1 Million Annually
New Data Highlights Rockford Park District Sports Facilities as Powerful Economic Engines that Attract Visitors, Generate Tourism Spending, and Elevate the Region's National Profile
ROCKFORD, IL – The Rockford Park District owns, operates, maintains, promotes, markets, and recruits tournaments for the three primary sports facilities, Mercyhealth Sportscore One, Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, and Sports Factory, which were the main focus of the Reclaiming First initiative. Reclaiming First was a comprehensive plan initially developed in 2010 to retain tournaments, regain ones that were lost, and grow into sports and markets the region had never served. As part of the Rockford Park District’s Master Planning process, a comprehensive study examined ten years of operational, visitation, and economic data from three of the park district’s premier sports facilities. The findings demonstrate that the vision behind these world-class venues has become a reality, transforming Winnebago County’s economic landscape. The study confirms that Rockford Park District sports facilities are powerful engines of sports tourism and regional economic growth, generating significant visitor spending, supporting local businesses, attracting athletes and spectators from across the country and beyond, and strengthening the region’s position as a premier destination for sports and recreation.
First Reclaimed is a report presented at the Winnebago County Regional Tourism Facility Board and was produced through a collaborative effort among regional and industry partners. Place Foundry served as the project lead, guiding research, narrative development, and report production. Huddle Up Group provided sports industry expertise and national facility benchmarking through the HUG Sports Tourism Index. Region 1 Planning Council conducted the macroeconomic impact analysis utilizing IMPLAN economic modeling software and Placer.ai visitation analytics. Data and operational information for the study were provided by the Rockford Park District, GoRockford, and the City of Rockford. Additional source materials included records from the Winnebago County Regional Tourism Facility Board, as well as bond and hotel tax data.
The report found that the Rockford Park District's three primary sports facilities, which were a part of the Reclaiming First initiative welcomed more than 1.48 million visits in 2025, reinforcing the region's reputation as one of the nation’s premier sports destinations. When the Reclaiming First concept was developed in 2010, moderate expectations of economic output of visitors traveling 60 or more miles to these sports facilities were estimated to generate $8.8 million annually. Today, Rockford Park District’s three primary sports facilities have surpassed that initial forecast by 60%, averaging $14.1 million annually between late 2018 and early 2025, not including months of COVID-affected activity. That totals $89.5 million in regional economic output generated by sports tourism activity at Rockford Park District sports facilities.
"This report demonstrates that these sports facilities are vital economic impact stimulators for the region," said Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners President Martesha Brown. “The Rockford Park District plays a significant and intentional role in strengthening the regional economy through recreation, tourism, and quality of life. High-impact sports facilities throughout the park system position the region as a competitive destination for sports tourism, tournaments, festivals, and events, attracting thousands of athletes, coaches, families, and visitors to our community each year. Events at the Rockford Park District sports facilities generate meaningful economic activity for local hotels, restaurants, retailers, transportation providers, and small businesses throughout the region. We are proud that these sports facilities are serving both our residents and the broader community in such meaningful ways. The Reclaiming First initiative was a success, however communities across the Midwest are actively competing to take away business that is so vital to the economic growth of our region. We must come together as a region to defend it.”
Within the last year, the Rockford Park District also expanded the region’s draw and sports tourism success with the expansion of Clarence Hicks Sports Complex.
The study also highlighted the national standing of two of the Rockford Park District's premier facilities. Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ranked No. 9 among 913 flat field facilities nationwide, while the Sports Factory ranked No. 9 among 613 hard court facilities across the country. These rankings place both facilities among the nation's elite sports venues and underscore the region’s growing prominence in the sports tourism industry.
Tournament volume also grew by 98% and team participation grew by 34%. These numbers all impact the sports tourism dollars which flow directly into the local economy through hotel stays, restaurant visits, retail purchases, transportation services, and other visitor spending throughout Winnebago County.
“Mercyhealth Sportscore Complexes have impacted our business substantially. We are busy all the time because of the things going on at these sports facilities. We keep an eye on Rockford Park District sports facilities calendars and plan accordingly to make sure these guests have a good experience,” said Aaron Koch, Owner/Operator, Culver’s.
The next phase of the Rockford Park District’s sports facilities master planning process is to identify reinvestment needs at Mercyhealth Sportscore Complexes and Sports Factory to remain competitive.
About Reclaiming First
Reclaiming First was a community-wide comprehensive plan to enhance and enlarge Rockford Park District’s sports facilities to retain, regain, and grow sports tourism in an increasingly competitive market vying for sports tourism dollars, and provide world class amateur sports tournament facilities for area residents. Reclaiming First called for two major capital projects: conversion of the former Ingersoll building into a hard-court indoor facility, the Sports Factory, and turf field and lighting addition, stadium improvements and indoor sports center expansion at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two. Projects were completed in 2016 and 2017. The Winnebago County Regional Tourism Facility Board (WCRTFB) is the governing body that made the regional sports tourism investment possible. The Board is composed of board and council members, chief elected officials, and staff leaders representing every municipality in Winnebago County that authorized the hotel tax.
