Badger State Games Move To Fox Cities
Games Were Held In Madison
Updated: 7:17 am CDT May 1, 2008
MADISON, Wis. -- After 24 years in Madison, the Badger State Games are relocating to the Fox Cities.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe events are modeled after the Olympics. There are roughly 10,000 participants in the amateur athletic competition in sports ranging from archery to gymnastics, rowing, swimming and more. Anyone can participate regardless of age or ability, WISC-TV reported.The Wisconsin Sports Development Corp. announced Wednesday that it was moving it to the Fox Cities and that the games have committed to remain there for the next three years."Appleton is booming and it's a great time to give them a chance to participate," said Ron Vincent, CEO of Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation.The Badger State Games are big business as Madison-area local hotels, restaurants, retail stores and more will miss the rush of people. Bowling Green in Middleton has hosted the softball tournament and other events in past years."We run a great facility and they have concessions and we worked great hand and hand, but it will affect us," said Terry Knight, general manager of Bowling Green.The Madison-area tourism group said it talked to the games' owner about what was needed for the games to stay in Madison but that the price was too high. The Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau officials said that they simply didn't have the resources to compete for the games -- but that it hopes to in the near future.GMCVB executive director Deb Archer said they hope to set up a sports authority within the next 18 months.Archer told said that serious talks have been going on with local political leaders on how to set up and fund a sports authority fund like the one tapped to lure the Badger State Games from Madison to the Fox Cities.Madison is losing the Badger State Games to the Fox Cities in large part because the Fox Cities' own sports authority fund granted the owners a $180,000 grant over the next three years for the games. The Wisconsin Sports Development Corp. announced it was moving it to the Fox Cities to remain true to its mission to be statewide geographically, but a key part of its move was the grant, WISC-TV reported.The Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau said the annual economic impact of the Badger State Games on the Fox Cities is conservatively estimated at $900,000.Archer said that with sports authority funding, more big-money "destination" events could be drawn into the Madison area. She said that, right now, only 20 percent of the room tax goes to the bureau for convention and tourism promotion but that the national average is 38 percent.Getting a bigger share of the room tax is the goal of the GMCVB so that a sports authority could be funded, perhaps also triggering capital investments that enhance or build new sporting facilities. Archer said talks about the issue are ongoing with the city and the county.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe events are modeled after the Olympics. There are roughly 10,000 participants in the amateur athletic competition in sports ranging from archery to gymnastics, rowing, swimming and more. Anyone can participate regardless of age or ability, WISC-TV reported.The Wisconsin Sports Development Corp. announced Wednesday that it was moving it to the Fox Cities and that the games have committed to remain there for the next three years."Appleton is booming and it's a great time to give them a chance to participate," said Ron Vincent, CEO of Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation.The Badger State Games are big business as Madison-area local hotels, restaurants, retail stores and more will miss the rush of people. Bowling Green in Middleton has hosted the softball tournament and other events in past years."We run a great facility and they have concessions and we worked great hand and hand, but it will affect us," said Terry Knight, general manager of Bowling Green.The Madison-area tourism group said it talked to the games' owner about what was needed for the games to stay in Madison but that the price was too high. The Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau officials said that they simply didn't have the resources to compete for the games -- but that it hopes to in the near future.GMCVB executive director Deb Archer said they hope to set up a sports authority within the next 18 months.Archer told said that serious talks have been going on with local political leaders on how to set up and fund a sports authority fund like the one tapped to lure the Badger State Games from Madison to the Fox Cities.Madison is losing the Badger State Games to the Fox Cities in large part because the Fox Cities' own sports authority fund granted the owners a $180,000 grant over the next three years for the games. The Wisconsin Sports Development Corp. announced it was moving it to the Fox Cities to remain true to its mission to be statewide geographically, but a key part of its move was the grant, WISC-TV reported.The Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau said the annual economic impact of the Badger State Games on the Fox Cities is conservatively estimated at $900,000.Archer said that with sports authority funding, more big-money "destination" events could be drawn into the Madison area. She said that, right now, only 20 percent of the room tax goes to the bureau for convention and tourism promotion but that the national average is 38 percent.Getting a bigger share of the room tax is the goal of the GMCVB so that a sports authority could be funded, perhaps also triggering capital investments that enhance or build new sporting facilities. Archer said talks about the issue are ongoing with the city and the county.Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
