Advertise
Directories
Natural Venues Guide Convention Centers Guide Site Selection GUIDE
MUST SEE!
WORLD'S LARGEST ELECTRIC SHOVEL Pittsburg, Kan., is home to "The World's Largest Electric Shovel." Called Big Brutus, the shovel, which is about 160 feet tall and weighs more than 11 million pounds, was actually used to mine coal in the 1960s. Today, it is on display as a tourist attraction.
Hotel tax: 14.95 percent Fields & facilities: More than 65 fields for baseball, softball and soccer; three pools; and more than 30 tennis courts. Contact:Visit Topeka, www.visit topeka.com.
Pittsburg/Crawford County Pittsburg is located in Crawford County in southeast Kansas in an area known as the Four-States, where Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas meet. Crawford County is known as the "Football Capital of Kansas" because of the success of the football programs at Pittsburg State University, the local high schools, and other football events held in the city, said B.J. Harris, director of the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). In fact, the city's Carnie Smith Stadium was voted by Bleacher Report as one of the "Top 50 College Football Stadiums to See Before You Die" and "Top 25 Best College Football Game Day Atmospheres." Hotel rooms: 388 Hotel tax rate: 12.4 percent Fields & facilities: 10 baseball and soft-
ball fields, two football fields, two pools, 11 gyms for basketball and volleyball, and two tracks. Contact: Crawford County CVB, www.visitcrawfordcounty.com.
Overland Park A suburb of Kansas City, Overland Park is located in northeast Kansas. The city has played host to hundreds of national and regional events for more than 20 sports, according to Justin Stine, director of the sports alliance for the Overland Park CVB. "With easy access to interstate highways 70, 35 and 29, and U.S. Hwy. 69, Overland Park is within a day's drive for more than 60 million people," he said.
www.sportseventsmagazine.com
"Additionally, Overland Park is just 35 minutes from Kansas City International Airport, which consistently ranks below the national average for airfare." Hotel rooms: 5,200 Hotel tax: 17.65 percent Fields & facilities: 30 soccer fields, 75 baseball and softball fields, 30 basketball and volleyball courts, and three golf courses. Overland Park Convention Center:
With 237,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 60,000-square- foot exhibition hall, the center is connected to the 412-room Sheraton Overland Park Hotel and within walking distance of 1,000 hotel rooms. Newest facility: Built in 2009, the
Overland Park Soccer Complex offers 12 synthetic turf, lighted fields. Contact: Overland Park CVB,
www.visitoverlandpark.com. Manhattan
See
ad on p. 59
square feet of flexible space for up to 1,500.
Contact: Manhattan CVB, www.visit- manhattanks.org.
Wichita Kansas' largest city, Wichita is located in south-central Kansas. The city will soon have a new sports venue, the Central Plains Youth Sports Complex, which will house 18 fields when completed. Hotel rooms: More than 8,000 Convention center: The Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center offers more than 200,000 square feet of space and connects to the Hyatt Regency Wichita. Wichita Parks & Recreation: The
Manhattan, located in northeast Kansas, is the home of Kansas State University. Known as the "Little Apple," Manhattan is a popular spot for numerous sports. "We have Tuttle Creek State Lake, the second largest lake in Kansas for great outdoor sports like fishing, water recreation, and hunting," said Marcia Rozell, tourism sales manager for the Manhattan CVB. Hotel rooms: Just under
1,200
Hotel tax: 14.55 percent Fields & facilities: 13 baseball fields, nine soft- ball fields, 20 soccer fields, four pools and 20 courts. Manhattan Convention Center: The center fea- tures more than 15,500
July 2012 45
Wichita Parks System offers 38 basket- ball/multi-use courts, six baseball dia- monds, a BMX track, eight football fields, 10 multi-purpose recreation centers, 48 soccer fields, 48 softball diamonds, 11 pools, 75 tennis courts, 39 sand volleyball courts, five city-operated golf courses, and a rugby field. Contact: Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, www.wichitasports.com; Go Wichita CVB, www.go wichita.com. ■ P.T.
Overland Park Soccer Complex
Overland Park CVB ▼