#7 Spokane, Wash.
▶ RÉSUMÉ: Spokane has put its money behind building facilities to attract events, funding and constructing The Podium, a $53 million multisport facility that opened in 2022. It was followed by One Spokane Stadium, which sits across the street from The Podium and will house two USL soccer clubs while also giving Spokane Public Schools a centrally located centerpiece stadium that also can host concerts. Spokane Sports CEO Ashley Blake said The Podium attracts national sports tourism opportunities, while the stadium’s focus is more local.
“We’re a midsized market, we don’t have significant presence of pro sports Blake said, “so bringing events to town takes center stage.”
In 2023, Spokane hosted USA governing body national championships for badminton, judo, team handball, volleyball and wrestling. The Podium, which has a world-class 200-meter hydraulic track, also is running a full season of meets, including college events and the USA Track & Field Indoor Nationals in 2022.
Spokane sits in an isolated part of the country — it’s the largest city between Seattle and Minneapolis, an expanse of roughly 1,700 miles — but Blake and her cohort actively work with the airport to try to win direct flights to the metro area of about 500,000 people to make it more accessible.
▶ DEVELOPMENT: The Podium powered by STCU opened in 2022, followed this year by One Spokane Stadium. Both sit across the street from 29-year-old Spokane Arena, which regularly hosts NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament rounds.
▶ FUNDING FOR THE SPORTS COMMISSION: Its roughly $3.5 million operating budget stems from tourism promotion and area, lodging and car rental taxes, as well as revenue they create (ticketing, merchandise, sales, streaming, sponsorship, etc.).
▶ STAY AND PLAY: Just steps from the city’s three main sports facilities, 100-acre Riverfront Park sits amid the Spokane River, offering attractions and walkable green spaces with views of several sets of waterfalls.