SportsEvents Magazine

JUL 2012

SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.

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Advertise Directories Natural Venues Guide Convention Centers Guide f it all! Photos courtesy of USA Canoe/Kayak Paddle Sports Seek New Growth In Middle America BY ALISON MITCHELL ZUNKLEI With a move to the center of the country, USA Canoe/Kayak (USACK) is hoping to expose a new market to paddle sports and enlarge its membership base. Paddle sports have long been part of the sports line up on both the East and West Coasts in various for- mats; however, paddle sports are only now finding their place in Middle America, said Joe Jacobi, CEO of USACK. "The sport is in its infancy in the center of the country, but it is grow- ing," said Jacobi, who spent 19 years on Team USA and won a gold medal in 1992 for Whitewater Slalom. "We're just getting started." To support this new growth, USACK transferred its headquarters from North Carolina to Oklahoma City, Okla., in December 2011. The move followed a $60 million investment by the city to build a whitewater rafting and kayak racecourse along the Oklahoma River, a $35 mil- lion recreation and training center, and the Oklahoma River Stadium, which will feature grand- www.sportseventsmagazine.com July 2012 31 stands, a floating stage, permanent lighting and additional race infra- structure. These structures will be located in the Oklahoma City Boathouse District, which already contains the Chesapeake Boathouse, the Devon Boathouse, and the Chesapeake Finish Line Tower. The University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma are also planning to build boathouses in the district. The district will have "lots ➤ USA Canoe/Kayak USA Canoe/Kayak relocated its head- quarters to Oklahoma City, exposing more of Middle America to the Olympic sport which has traditionally been prac- ticed on the East and West Coasts.

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