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If you had to associate the Spokane Regional Sports Commission with a modern-day athlete, the most appropriate comparison would probably be Bobby Jones.
Not the legendary golfer from Georgia who won the Grand Slam in 1930, but the defensive-minded forward who played pro basketball from 1974 to 1986 with the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers. A selfless workhorse, Jones contributed to winning teams throughout his career, but never received the recognition of his more marketable teammates.
He simply did his job, won games and went home.
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The Spokane Regional Sports Commission has played an integral part in bringing a variety of high-profile athletic events to the Inland Northwest. In February, Plantes Ferry Park hosted the U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Championships featuring top distance runners from across the nation.
Photo by: Craig Howard |
Jones and other unheralded athletes would appreciate the work ethic and humble approach of the staff and volunteers who call the Sports Commission home. While the events promoted by the organization throughout the years – from the Coeur d’Alene Iron Man to the Washington state 2B basketball tournament – have become part of the annual sports terrain in the Inland Northwest, the group itself remains mostly behind the scenes.
“They do a tremendous job,” said Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard. “I think a lot of people just take for granted that we get these events. They don’t realize the amount of work that it takes.”
That work involves everything from putting together bids on events like the 2010 American Legion Baseball World Series – which Spokane will host next August at Avista Stadium – to collaborating with local businesses to make sure a community will be prepared for the convergence of participants and spectators.
“Our goal is to create an environment where sports can succeed,” said Eric Sawyer, SRSC executive director. “When the community works together, it is successful.”
The origins of the SRSC go back to the early 1960s when a subcommittee of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce called the Greater Spokane Sports Association was organized to honor local athletes. That effort would later develop into the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame, a entity currently facilitated by the SRSC that includes area legends like John Stockton, Mark Rypien and Ryne Sandberg.
In the late 1980s, the organization began to spin off the chamber, drawing upon outside funding sources and focusing on the promotion of sports as a way to boost economic development.
“I think people began to see how sports were part of bringing in tourism,” Sawyer said.
Now a 501-(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the SRSC draws from a multifaceted budget that includes funds from the Tourism Promotion Area, comprised of a flat fee on hotel charges in Spokane County, a 1-percent tax on rental vehicles and a lodging tax collected by Spokane County, the city of Spokane Valley, Spokane and Cheney. Net revenues from fund-raising events also add to the cause.
The investment appears to be paying dividends. Since 1988, the SRSC has helped bring in dozens of events with an estimated economic impact of around $150 million. This summer alone, the organization will help coordinate a schedule that includes the National Veterans Wheelchair Games at venues throughout Spokane (July 13-18); the Washington State Criterium Cycling Championships for Masters in Cheney (June 27) and the Mens American Softball Association Senior Slowpitch West National Championships at Franklin Park Sept. 4-7.
Suzanne Boyce, one of half-a-dozen full-time employees with SRSC, said the mission of the organization is less about being acknowledged than making sure things run smoothly.
“People might recognize the event, but not see us as a part of it,” Boyce said.
“If the event is successful, then we’ve done our job.”
Sawyer said the NCAA Womens Volleyball Final Four in 1997 represented an important step in establishing Spokane as a market that could effectively host high-profile tournaments. Other notable events followed including the Far West Soccer Championships, the NCAA mens and womens basketball tournament and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Sawyer said the Inland Northwest continues to gain visibility each time it brings in athletes and fans from out of town.
“You don’t have to be a sports fan to understand the long-term value to our region,” Sawyer said.
Governed by a 15-member board, the SRSC has continued its support of local athletes by sponsoring the Inland Northwest Sports Luncheon, facilitating the Inland Northwest Hall of Fame and coordinating the Athletic Achievement Grant Program which provides funds for local athletes and teams to offset travel costs to tournaments and competitions outside Spokane.
It is the organization’s emphasis on promoting Spokane as a premier event site, however, that remains the SRSC’s claim to fame – however modest. Jim Quinlan, national program coordinator for American Legion Baseball, who was in town this week to scout out the area for next year’s World Series, said the SRSC played a critical part in the tournament being awarded to Spokane.
“They really are an outstanding group,” Quinlan said. “They make our job easier. It gives me the time to create sponsorships and improve the program.
I’m just glad we can bring the World Series to such a first-class community.”
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By
Craig Howard
