LAWTON – Over its first 20 years of operation, Lawton’s youth sports complex could generate nearly $500 million for local coffers, according to a new report on the project’s potential economic impact.
The Lawton Youth Sports Trust Authority, which oversees the city’s youth sports programs, heard a summary of the report during the authority’s Aug. 11 meeting. The board was not required to take action on the report.
As part of the authority’s original contract with Eastern Sports Management, the firm teamed up with other companies to conduct a detailed analysis of the sports complex, known as a feasibility study. ESM is serving as a consultant on the project.
The economic impact study was conducted by a third-party firm, Impact DataSource. Sports-related tourism The economic impact study originally focused on the potential impact of an indoor sports facility, said Authority Chairman Brian Henry. But after the board decided that the complex should include outdoor athletic fields, the authority asked Impact Data-Source to update its study to cover the entire complex.
“This is outdoor and indoor, which we could have softball, baseball, indoor soccer and basketball all going on at the same time,” Henry said.
The report’s authors said the complex is designed to generate sports-related tourism in Lawton, bolster the local economy through visitors’ spending, and provide activities that will improve Lawton residents’ quality of life.
“Visitors participating in and spectating multiple sports tournaments throughout the year will drive several types of additional off-site spending that will benefit the city and county,” they said. “Annual visitor spending on lodging as well as spending at local restaurants and other retail establishments is estimated to be $17.9 million.”
The authors said people who watch weekend tournaments at the complex would likely generate about $6.1 million in lodging sales from 55,860 hotel nights, plus $11.7 million on other taxable sales, per year.
The authors said the complex would generate approximately $499.39 million over the next 20 years, which included:
• $19.07 million from onsite concessions sales.
• $165.10 million from spending on hotel rooms.
• $315.20 million from general off-site taxable spending.
The complex would also generate additional costs and benefits for both the city and Comanche County, the authors said. They estimated that the city would receive approximately $33.2 million in net benefits over the next 20 years, while the county would see about $2 million.