PROPOSAL FOR A
DURHAM SPORTS COMMISSION
WHAT IS A SPORTS COMMISSION?
Sports commissions are organizations that
support the creation and hosting of amateur
sporting events in their community. They
are charged with both attracting and
servicing professional, collegiate, amateur
and youth sporting events and activities.
SPORTS COMMISSION TASK FORCE
Participants
Representing
Steve Schewel and Tom Bonfield
City of Durham
Mike Schoenfeld
Duke University
Wendy Jacobs and Wendell Davis
Durham County
Bill LeFevre and Shelly Green
Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tommy Hunt
Durham Stadium Authority
George Habel and Casey Steinbacher
Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
Ingrid Wicker
North Carolina Central University
Omar Beasley
Recreation Advisory Board
Umar Muhammad
Usports Consulting
WHAT WOULD A SPORTS COMMISSION DO?
• Define an overall strategy for sports tourism
including measurable goals and expected
outcomes.
• Meet with local universities, teams, coaches
and other sports interests to assess current
needs, capacity and interest in hosting events
in Durham. Identify potential sporting events
based on the availability and capacity of
facilities and services.
WHAT WOULD A SPORTS COMMISSION DO?
• Develop a comprehensive sports tourism
service strategy to stimulate interest and
desire in attending sports tourism events as
well as providing a liaison between events,
organizers and fans and the facilities and
services that they utilize.
WHAT WOULD A SPORTS COMMISSION DO?
• Develop and implement tactics to attract
sports events to Durham. This includes
bidding on regional and/or national events as
well as supporting and encouraging locallyproduced events that will generate visitation
from outside Durham.
WHAT WOULD A SPORTS COMMISSION DO?
• Develop guidelines for providing incentives,
sponsorships or underwriting to sports
tourism events.
• Complete an inventory of all facilities and
venues available in Durham County with
current utilization levels, an analysis of the
potential of those facilities to host sports
events.
WHAT WOULD A SPORTS COMMISSION DO?
• Develop a long-term strategy, following an
assessment of unmet needs, for the expansion
of existing sports facilities for increased use by
residents as well as for use in sports tourism
events.
HOW WOULD THIS BENEFIT DURHAM?
• It is estimated that a Durham Sports
Commission, under this model, would
generate through its bookings, about $2.6
million in local sales and occupancy tax
revenues in its first 3-years.
But the benefits are more than economic.
HOW WOULD THIS BENEFIT DURHAM?
• Sports tournaments and events often provide
positive media exposure to host destinations.
Utilizing existing DCVB public relations staff,
Durham could reap additional positive
awareness through sports tourism events.
HOW WOULD THIS BENEFIT DURHAM?
• The creation of new sports tourism events will
help local leagues and teams raise funds by
hosting tournaments and events. It also
allows these teams and their families to save
money that would have spent traveling to
other communities and gives them a home
team advantage.
HOW WOULD THIS BENEFIT DURHAM?
• With additional visitors coming, there will be a
need for additional facilities, whether those
are sports facilities, hotels, restaurants or
other services. Residents get the benefit of
using these new facilities. Also, as the
demand grows, the tax base expands which
also benefits local residents.
HOW WOULD THIS BENEFIT DURHAM?
• A sports commission will afford students
opportunities for training in the field of sports
tourism, particularly through internships.
HOW WOULD THIS BENEFIT DURHAM?
• A vibrant community with multiple sports
tourism events provides a solid foundation for
identifying and attracting talent, a key
economic development strategy.
PROPOSED STRUCTURE
• 501 (c) (3) tax exempt charitable organization
• Independent stand-alone organization with its
own bylaws and 9-member board of directors
appointed as follows:
– 3 seats by the County
– 3 seats by the City
– 3 seats by the Greater Durham Chamber of
Commerce
PROPOSED STRUCTURE
• 3 year agreement for DCVB to operate the
Sports Commission including:
– Hiring (paying the salary) of an Executive Director
– Hiring (paying) a sports services coordinator
– Providing salaries, benefits, office space,
technology and equipment, as well as sales,
marketing and promotion to attract and create
sports events
PROPOSED STRUCTURE
– The City and County would be asked to provide
funds that will be dedicated solely to
sponsorships, bid fees and other types of
underwriting.
– The private sector will be asked to provide funding
through sponsorships for sports events.
– Foundation support will be sought for special
projects.
PROPOSED FUNDING
• 3-year commitment by DCVB, the City of Durham
and Durham County to fund the DSC.
• Funding is tied to a specific percentage of the
increase (growth) in occupancy tax revenues.
• No net loss of existing occupancy tax funds will
be realized by DCVB or local government. The
money invested in the DSC will be used to attract
more visitors, who will generate additional sales
and occupancy taxes.
BUDGETS FOR BID FEES AND SPONSORSHIPS
Q&A