Warren County CVB Earns Award from National Sports Association

WARREN COUNTY, OH (October 26, 2021) – Warren County Sports, the sports tourism branch of the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB), has received a Rise Up Recognition Award from the Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA), the trade association for the sports and events tourism industry in the United States.

The award, presented today at Sports ETA’s annual Symposium in Birmingham, Alabama, recognizes sports tourism organizations across the nation that went above and beyond to combat the many unique obstacles the sports-tourism industry faced in 2020.

“Last year, 2020, was a challenging year for everyone and that was especially true for those of us in the event and hospitality industries,” said Ben Huffman, Director of Sports Enterprises for the WCCVB. “We’re incredibly proud of the way our team and our county worked together to keep sports tourism going strong at a time when our community needed it most, and we’re honored to have earned Sports ETA’s recognition here today.”

In 2020, Warren County Sports hosted or assisted in hosting 56 total events, generating an estimated economic impact of $26.3 million and accounting for 33,500 room nights at local Warren County hotels.

Many of those events were held at the 128-acre Warren County Sports Park at Union Village (WCSP), which is owned and operated by the WCCVB.

“Last year we struggled just to stage events, as lockdowns and restrictions severely diminished our capabilities,” said Phillip S. Smith, the President & CEO of the WCCVB. “We lost some events to other states, including the biggest youth soccer event in the nation which was scheduled to play here. We also saw other events cancel due to dwindling numbers of participating teams. So hosting 56 events last year and generating $26.3 million in economic impact was nothing short of a miracle. This year, we expect to host more than 100 events, generate about $70 million in economic impact and fill more than 80,000 room nights. We’re back on the right track, but we had to survive 2020 to be here today. That’s why this award is so meaningful to us.”

Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County, as more than 12 million visitors drive an economic impact of $1.3 billion and support more than 12,000 tourism-related jobs in the county in a typical year. Sports tourism remains one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors.

About the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau:
Warren County is Ohio’s Largest Playground®! With easy access from Interstates 71 and 75, visitors to Warren County can enjoy more activities within a 30-mile radius than anywhere else in Ohio. The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau is a professional destination marketing and management organization whose mission is to strengthen the community by advancing economic growth and vitality through tourism, overnight stays, and encouraging significant participation by visitors in the local tourism economy. Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County. In a typical year more than 12 million visitors drive an economic impact of $1.3 billion and 12,000+ tourism-related jobs. For additional information, visit OhiosLargestPlayground.com, call 513-204-1900 or visit the WCCVB on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram