Cities without a Big Five Team: No. 8 Colorado Springs, Colorado

Résumé: Colorado Springs’ “City of Champions” effort aimed at attracting sports tourism and new residents to a revitalized downtown is built around venue projects. The decade-old effort has produced four venues so far, enabling Colorado Springs to attract a variety of events, such as last year’s International Jump Rope Union World Championship. That event drew more than 1,500 athletes from 24 countries and more than 7,000 spectators to the 3-year-old Ed Robson Arena.

The state provided an initial $120 million to kick-start City of Champions in 2013. The jewel so far is the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum, which opened in 2020, fitting because the U.S. Olympic movement has long been a focus for the city, which sits at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The Colorado Springs Sports Corporation was founded in 1979 to help the U.S. Olympic Committee move to Colorado from New York. USA Shooting, Pentathlon, Weightlifting, and Climbing held national championships in the city last year.

Military life is as almost central to Colorado Springs as the outdoors; the city is home to five military installations, including the Air Force Academy, which hosted an NHL Stadium Series game in 2020 at Falcon Stadium. Sports Business Journal assembled some of the sports industry’s top leaders in Colorado Springs in 2022 when its Thought Leaders retreat was held at The Broadmoor.  

Development: Falcon Stadium is being renovated; the $91 million U.S. Olympic/Paralympic Museum recently opened; and the $42 million Weidner Field, home of the USL men’s club Switchbacks FC, and $52 million Ed Robson Arena on the campus of Colorado College opened in 2021.

Funding for the sports commission: The nonprofit CSSC’s funding comes from grants, private foundations, national governing bodies and sport organizations, major sponsors, media partners, and membership sales.

Stay and play: Pikes Peak is must-see, but drive to the top of the 14,115-foot peak. Don’t run, like the participants in the Pikes Peak Marathon do each September as part of the longest continually held marathon in the U.S. (69 years). — B.M.