The Phoenix City Council approved a deal Wednesday to create the Phoenix Sports and Events Commission.
The city will spend $240,000 over three years to help Visit Phoenix establish and manage the commission. Visit Phoenix, a nonprofit that promotes tourism and books conventions, will commit $250,000 on an annual basis, and provide office space and legal and administrative support.
The commission will focus on attracting sports and major events throughout the city with the goal of securing at least two major events in three years.
A 2023 report commissioned by the Sports Events and Tourism Association said more than 200 million people traveled to youth and adult amateur sports tournaments and found the sports-events industry has a direct economic impact of more than $50 billion.
Earlier this month, Mike Hopper, a sports consultant with Bloomberg Associates, told the council’s economic development subcommittee that Phoenix was the largest U.S. city without a commission focused on events and having one would make the door clear to event planners and the responsibility clear to the city.
“Who is responsible for bringing these events into the city who's responsible for ensuring that they deliver the economic and social impacts,” he said.
According to a city council report, “The commission would proactively attract a diverse roster of sports and major events that would deliver meaningful economic and social outcomes to Phoenix’s residents, businesses and organizations.”
