YOUTH/AMATEUR SPORTING EVENTS IN WEST MICHIGAN GENERATED $83.5 MILLION IN ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR REGION IN 2025
West Michigan Sports Commission also Saw Year-over-Year Increases in Athletes/Visitors and Steady Hotel Night Bookings, Plus Increase in Spending and Athletes with Meijer State Games of Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 13, 2026 – The West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) reported that youth/amateur sports tourism generated $83.5 million in estimated economic impact1 for the region in 2025 through 105 hosted events. The Meijer State Games of Michigan also finished strong with a 17.1 percent year-over-year increase in estimated economic impact. The WMSC also announced it will open the expanded Meijer Sports Complex this spring with 20 weekend travel tournaments in 2026, as well as host the second year of The Hartford Nationals in July, the largest U.S. youth & adult sport competition for people with disabilities.
“Last year was healthy for youth and amateur sports from an economic impact perspective, which is impressive considering we had seven less events than in 2024 due to some cancellations,” said Mike Guswiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission. “Included in that success was an increase in visitor spending and estimated economic impact for our flagship event, the Meijer State Games of Michigan. We continue to see positive trends of sports tourism helping drive West Michigan’s economy.”
The WMSC was founded in 2007 as an economic generator to harness some of the $47.1 billion2 in direct visitor spending nationally by youth and amateur spectator sports travelers for the region. One of its key tenets is generating overnight stays from event visitors, which drives spending in area hotels, restaurants and other businesses. Since its inception, the WMSC has booked 1,433 sporting events and tournaments that attracted more than 2.7 million athletes and visitors and filled 632,601 hotel room nights, generating over $822 million in estimated economic impact.
2025 Highlights
The West Michigan Sports Commission tracked the following sports tourism economic highlights in 2025:
● Strong estimated economic impact plus increased athletes/visitors – Last year, 105 sporting events generated $83.5 million in estimated economic impact, attracting 300,659 athletes/visitors while filling 50,050 hotel room nights. Below is the change from 2024 and 2019 (pre-COVID):
Economic impact decreased 8.1 percent from 2024 ($90.8 million) yet increased 52 percent from 2019 ($54.9 million).
Athletes/visitors increased 6.7 percent from 2024 (281,870) and 31 percent from 2019 (230,382)– the highest number of athletes/visitors in the last five years.
Events decreased 6.3 percent* from 2024 (112) and increased 6.1 percent from 2019 (99).
Hotel nights remained virtually unchanged year over year from 2024 (50,085) and 2019 (50,245).
*Nine events were cancelled from the 2025 calendar due to low participation levels.
● Increase in economic impact and athletes for Meijer State Games of Michigan – The Summer and Winter Games held 63 cumulative events that attracted 8,328 athletes and generated $2.9 million in estimated economic impact. Below are the changes from 2024 and 2019:
Estimated economic impact increased 17.1 percent from 2024 ($2.5 million) and 43 percent from 2019 ($2 million).
Athletes increased 3 percent from 2024 (8,085) and decreased 20 percent vs. 2019 (10,441).
The number of events remained the same as 2024 (63) and up slightly from 2019 (60).
● Increase in hotel room nights from out-of-town teams for Meijer Sports Complex despite less tournaments – The 2025 baseball/softball season generated $7.8 million from hosting 16 tournaments and 25,518 athletes/spectators who booked 5,706 hotel nights. Below is the change from 2024 and 2019:
Estimated economic impact decreased 16 percent from 2024 ($9.3 million) due to the late cancellation of five tournaments plus a few that were one-day tournaments, yet increased 28 percent from 2019 ($6.1 million).
The number of tournaments decreased from 20 in 2024 and 22 in 2019.
Hotel room nights increased 18.3 percent from 2024 (4,822) due to more out-of-town teams though decreased 11 percent from 2019 (6,407).
Athletes/visitors decreased 18 percent from 2024 (31,194) and 25 percent from 2019 (33,943), mainly because of the reduced number of events.
Looking to 2026
In 2026, the WMSC is focused on hosting the second year of The Hartford Nationals, the largest and longest- running national sport championship event for athletes with disabilities, July 10-16 and expects to host over 100 other events, while booking more in 2026 and beyond. The WMSC also will unveil the expanded Meijer Sports Complex this spring as well as bid on events to be held at Amway Stadium when it opens in 2027. Additionally, the WMSC will develop a sport facility master plan in 2026 in conjunction with key community partners and stakeholders to determine West Michigan’s infrastructure needs and fill gaps in the region’s sports facilities in order to compete for more national tournaments. Some areas of focus will be how to build up infrastructure for rowing in order to attract high school, collegiate and USRowing regattas; how to support the growing sport of disc golf; and how facilities like multiple rectangle fields can attract more soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, flag football, rugby and other tournaments for a greater share of the nearly $50 billion industry.
“This is an exciting time in West Michigan as we continue to strategize on how to build out our sports infrastructure to make the region even more competitive for hosting youth and amateur sporting events,” said Guswiler. “National rights holders and tournament directors are going to put Grand Rapids at the top of their bid lists when they see the expanded Meijer Sports Complex and new Amway Stadium, and we want to keep building facilities like these so our region is a top contender across all sports.”
Meijer Sports Complex Expansion
A significant milestone of 2026 will be the official opening of the $13.5 million expanded Meijer Sports Complex, starting with the new Alro Steel Championship Softball Field used by Aquinas College Women’s Softball for home games starting in March, followed by the grand opening in May 2026. The expanded complex is estimated to generate an additional $1 million in annual visitor spending through 200 more teams that can be accommodated.
The expanded complex will include a new championship softball field for youth, amateur and collegiate softball; two flexible-use diamond fields for youth and amateur baseball and softball plus collegiate softball; 20 pickleball courts including a championship court (which will host the PPA Challenger Series Pickleball Tournament Sept. 18-20); resurfaced Miracle Field; new playground; bleacher canopies; synthetic turf on the championship baseball field; new concession and restrooms; and 300 more parking spaces.
The improvement phase began following the 2024 season with installing synthetic turf to the DeVos Family Championship baseball field and resurfacing Nate Hurwitz Miracle Field. The expansion portion of the project began in January 2025. Owned and operated by the WMSC and opening in 2015 with eight baseball and softball fields (including a championship baseball field), the Meijer Sports Complex has cumulatively attracted 190 events, 8,851 teams and 287,657 visitors for a total economic impact of $69.3 million in visitor spending.
Amway Stadium Opportunities
The WMSC is working with Legends Global on a booking policy for the $175 million, 8,500-seat soccer stadium scheduled to open in Grand Rapids in spring 2027. The WMSC has begun conversations with state, regional and national field sport tournaments that can be hosted at the stadium when not used by AC Grand Rapids, the new MLS NextPro franchise that will have its inaugural season in 2027. Developer Grand Action 2.0 estimates that 50-plus events can be held annually at the stadium in addition to the 17 pro soccer matches to be scheduled.
2026 Youth & Amateur Sporting Events
Major sporting events on the 2026 calendar so far include (signature events in bold):
● Big Bear Hockey: Avalanche Tournament (Jan. 16-19)
● West Michigan Sports Commission 17th Annual Luncheon (Feb. 12)
● Meijer State Games – Winter Games (Feb. 13-15 – Grand Rapids; 6-8 – Marquette)
● Women's Sport and Health Expo (Feb. 21-22)
● MAHA Girls Tier III Ice Hockey State Championships (March 13-15)
● 2026 GRAFA Third Coast Fencing Cup (March 13-15)
● Mary Free Bed 2026 Adult Sled Hockey Tournament (April 17-19)
● Lakeshore Volleyfest (April 24-26)
● 2026 NPDC Youth & High School Ice Hockey Tryout (April 24-26)
● 2026 WAHA High School Ice Hockey Showcase (May 1-3)
● Amway River Bank Run (May 9)
● 2026 Grand Rapids Invitational Soccer Tournament (May 22-24)
● MJVBA State Championships (May 29-31)
● 2026 MHSAA Track & Field State Finals (May 30)
● National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association Conference (June 12-15)
● Meijer LPGA Classic (June 18-21)
● Meijer State Games – Summer Games (June 26-28 – Main Weekend)
● Beer City Open (July 7-12)
● 2026 Midwest Wheelchair Tennis Championships (July 10-12)
● The Hartford Nationals conducted by Move United (July 10-16) – Second Year
● 2026 Spartan Race (July 18-19)
● MHSAA State & Officiate (July 25)
● National Association of Sports Officials Annual Summit (7.26-28)
● PPA Challenger Series Pickleball Tournament (Sept. 18-20) – First at Meijer Sports Complex courts
● University of Michigan Health-West Grand Rapids Marathon (Oct. 18)
● Special Olympics North America Women's 3x3 Unified Basketball Tournament (Nov. 1-4)
● LETR International Conference - Law Enforcement Torch Run (Nov. 5-7) – NEW to Michigan
● Gymnastics on the Grand (Dec. 4-6)
● 2026 Great Lakes Invitational College Ice Hockey Tournament (Dec. 29-30)
The Meijer Sports Complex also will host 21 baseball/softball tournaments almost every weekend mid-April through September, including 10 by USSSA and 7 by Game Day USA, plus the 2026 NAFA Masters World Series Adult Softball Championship Sept. 10-13. The newly renovated complex opening in the spring also will be the home field for Aquinas College Women’s Softball starting in 2026.
1- “Estimated economic impact” represents both direct and indirect visitor spending.
2- From Sports ETA’s 2024 State of the Industry: Spectator Sports Tourism Executive Summary - p. 1.
About the West Michigan Sports Commission
The non-profit West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) identifies, secures and hosts youth and amateur sporting events to positively impact the economy and quality of life in the region. Since its inception, the WMSC has hosted 1,433 sporting events and tournaments that attracted more than 2.7 million athletes and visitors, generating $822 million in estimated economic impact. Visit westmisports.com, Facebook.com/WestMichiganSportsCommission and instagram.com/westmisports for more information.