Hospitality, venues drive thriving sports tourism industry
By Katie Kwiatkowski, Tourism Events Supervisor
People around the country recognize College Station as a special place filled with friendly, hospitable people and top-notch sports facilities. Those factors are the cornerstones as we attract well-attended, high-caliber events that substantially impact on our local economy.
College Station has become such a desired destination for sports tournaments that we see many events return year after year. In 2019, events we hosted attracted about 27,000 participants and recorded an overall attendance of more than 67,000.
We’ll host multiple events in the spring, including football, soccer, and softball. The frequent rain we experience each spring makes us appreciate the four synthetic multi-purpose fields at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex. Thanks to that worthy investment, we can accommodate sizable events even when bad weather rolls in.
Summertime is always our busiest sports tourism season. This year, we’ll host our most prominent football events in June with the Texas State Championships and Southwest Regional Showcase, Adidas Texas State 7v7 Championships, and PrimeTime Sports 7v7 Tournament of Champions. Softball and soccer tournaments will follow as we move into July and August.
In the fall, we’ll host bocce, softball, and soccer tournaments — most of which are recurring events — before we wrap up the year with the 10th Annual BCS Marathon.
Here’s a look at our complete list of tourism events for 2020:
2020 Sports Tourism Schedule
| Jan. 18-19 | Brazos Valley Elite Sports Group |
| Jan. 25-26 | Brazos Valley Cavalry Tournament |
| Jan. 31 – Feb. 2 | Soccer Youth All-American Series |
| Feb. 9 | ODP Pool Training |
| Feb. 15-16 | Premier Soccer Spring Cup |
| Feb. 20-22 | NFCA Texas Leadoff Classic |
| Feb. 29 – March 1 | Aggie Classic – NTFCA |
| March 14-15 | USSSA “What’s Your Legacy?” (Aggieland Classic) |
| March 26-29 | SPA Salute to Veterans NIT Tournament |
| April 25-26 | 5 Tool Spring Battle Tournament |
| May 1-3 | USSSA Budweiser Invitational |
| May 16-17 | US Club Cup |
| May 23-25 | STYSA State Cup |
| June 6-7 | Texas Youth 7v7 State Championships |
| June 12-14/19-21 | Texas State Championships and Southwest Regional Showcase |
| June 25-27 | Adidas State 7v7 Championships |
| June 27-28 | Primetime Sports 7v7 Tournament of Champions |
| July 9-12 | Aggieland Classic SSUSA |
| Aug. 29-30 | Aggieland Friendship Cup |
| Sept. 25-27 | College Station Senior Games |
| Oct. 1-3 | Special Olympics Fall Classic |
| Oct. 16-18 | USSSA Budweiser Invitational |
| Dec. 5-6 | Southampton Cup – Texas |
| Dec. 11-13 | ODP: South Texas Regional Tournament |
| Dec. 12-13 | BCS Marathon |
With your valuable support, we can continue to attract significant events such as these to our growing community to fill our hotels, restaurants, and retail shops. When that happens, our entire community benefits.
About the Blogger
Tourism Events Supervisor Katie Kwiatkowski joined the Parks and Recreation Department last summer. She previously served as sports services manager at BCS Sports + Events. A native of Brenham, Katie earned a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness from Texas A&M in 2016.
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Jingle Bell Fun Run celebrates 30th year on Dec. 8
By Gene Ballew, Athletics & Tourism Manager
The Jingle Bell Fun Run is a fun run in its truest sense. The two-mile race isn’t timed and is intended to be a fun way to kick off the annual B-CS Christmas Parade.
Sunday, Dec. 8 marks the 30th anniversary of the Jingle Bell Fun Run and is an ideal opportunity to mark “competing in a fun run” off your bucket list. The event starts at 2:15 p.m., followed by the parade at 3 p.m.
The run starts at the corner of University Drive and South College Avenue and ends at the corner of Texas and Elm Avenue. We’ll have a shuttle waiting for you at the end of the route and, knowing how much dogs enjoy a brisk jaunt, they’re welcome, too.
To commemorate the run’s anniversary, we’ll feature more swag to complement your jingle bells and t-shirt so you can run (or walk) down Texas Avenue in style. The entry fee is only $15 and includes a shirt if you register by Nov. 17. The fee is $20 during the Nov. 18-24 late registration period, but you aren’t guaranteed a shirt.
Packet pick-up is 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Dec. 4 and from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Beachy Central Park Office at 1000 Krenek Tap Road. For more information, contact us at 979-764-3486 or parks@cstx.gov.
Join us as we celebrate 30 years of the fabulous Jingle Bell Fun Run. See you at the finish line!
About the Blogger
Gene Ballew has been with the Parks and Recreation Department for 12 years and is in his second year as the athletics and tourism manager. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management from Texas A&M in 2008.
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Games of Texas benefit BCS by a cool $8.1 million
By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator
The final numbers are in for the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s Summer Games of Texas. The Olympic-like festival attracted 8,461 athletes from across the state to compete in a dozen events from July 25-29.
Only 130 participants were from College Station, which means the rest – along with about 20,000 of their coaches, family members, and friends – were visitors who dropped an estimated $8.1 million into the local economy by filling local restaurants and hotels.
- Photos: 2019 TAAF Games of Texas
Participants by Sport
| Event | Participants | Venue |
| Archery | 49 | Texas A&M Physical Education Building |
| Boxing | 114 | Hilton College Station & Conference Center |
| Flag Football | 276 | Veterans Park & Athletic Complex |
| Judo | 57 | Texas A&M Physical Education Building |
| Golf | 65 | The City Course at Phillips Event Center |
| Lifeguard Competition | 60 | Adamson Lagoon |
| Pickleball | 92 | Lincoln Recreation Center |
| Skateboarding | 21 | Williamson Skate Park |
| Swimming | 2,638 | Texas A&M Student Recreation Center |
| Track & Field | 4,459 | College Station High School |
| Ultimate Frisbee | 440 | Bryan Regional Athletic Complex |
| Tennis | 190 | Bryan High School, Texas A&M Mitchell TennisCenter, Texas A&M Omar Instructional Tennis Center, Phillips Event Center |
| Total Participants | 8,461 |
Here are some interesting tidbits reported by the Bryan and College Station Parks and Recreation Departments, which partnered with Texas A&M to manage the event:
- Athletes set 53 Games of Texas records — 42 in swimming and 11 in track and field.
- Participants and volunteers consumed 38,304 bottles of water and used 27,160 pounds of ice.
- Local sponsors donated 1,185 meals for participants and volunteers.
- 162 volunteers assisted, including 44 from the Texas Army National Guard.
- 331 tennis matches were played over three days.
- 37 boxing bouts were conducted, four involving girls.
- The lowest golf 18-hole single round score was a 74 by 17-year-old Ethan Galvan from McAllen. Ethan also had the lowest 36-hole tournament score of 74-82=156.
College Station played host for the seventh time after hosting previous events in 1988, 1994, 2000, 2014, 2015, and 2018. The Games of Texas will move to Corpus Christi for the next two years and to Brownsville in 2022-23.
Local GOT Participation by Year
2019: 8,461
2018: 7,621
2015: 7,750
2014: 8,438
On behalf of the Cities of College Station and Bryan, we extend a special thank you to our volunteers, TAAF liaisons, commissioners and Texas Army National Guard Warriors. The overwhelming success of the event is a direct reflection of your dedication. We sincerely appreciate your gift of time, energy, and enthusiastic support.
About the Blogger
Kelli Nesbitt (@kneztalk) has served the Parks & Recreation Department for 15 years, the last eight as marketing coordinator. A native of Bryan, Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in health & kinesiology from Sam Houston State.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
400 athletes reach for gold at CS Senior Games
UPDATE (2/21): Due to expected poor weather conditions, the cycling event has been canceled.
By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator
Some senior athletes come out for the camaraderie, while others come to socialize and catch up with old friends. Others just come to experience the thrill of victory.
More than 400 athletes between the ages of 49-89 will go for the gold in the College Station Senior Games from Friday through Sunday at venues across our community. Participants include 345 visitors from outside B-CS and 117 women. About 240 volunteers — mostly Texas A&M students — will help manage the event. (more…)
Senior Games give older athletes a fun way to compete
By Gabriela Salazar, Tourism Events Supervisor
Each year, the College Station Senior Games attracts competitors 50 and older from across Texas and as far away as Los Angeles. We had 410 athletes compete in 2018, including 339 from outside of Bryan-College Station.
We are thrilled so many visitors want to compete in College Station, but we also encourage local seniors to seize the hometown advantage. You don’t have to be an Olympic-caliber athlete, although the Games have featured former Olympians such as Jim Gerhardt, who competed in the triple jump in the 1952 Olympics.
The 2019 Senior Games are set for Feb. 22-24 and offer multiple events for athletes of all skill levels. The $30 participation fee includes a shirt and access to a social gathering, with additional fees charged for each event. The registration deadline is Feb. 11. (more…)
Games of Texas drops $7.7 million into community
By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator
Whenever you play host to a large-scale event that attracts thousands of visitors, you expect it to have a substantial impact on the local economy.
From July 26-30, 7,621 athletes from across the state competed in 11 sports in the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s Summer Games of Texas. The Olympic-like festival had only 225 local participants, which means the rest – along with about 19,000 of their coaches, family members, and friends – were visitors staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and shopping in our stores.
The estimated economic impact of all that activity? A cool $7.7 million.
Despite hot weather conditions, the games’ spirit and atmosphere thrived, thanks to hundreds of volunteers and the wholehearted support of our community. We heard scores of positive comments, with many participants saying this was the best Games of Texas to date.
Photos: 2018 TAAF Games of Texas
Here’s the breakdown of participants by sport:
| Sport | Participants | Venue |
| Archery | 52 | Texas A&M Physical Education Building |
| Judo | 81 | Texas A&M Physical Education Building |
| Golf | 58 | The City Course at Phillips Event Center |
| Lifeguard Competition | 60 | Bryan Aquatic Center |
| Pickleball | 77 | Lincoln Recreation Center |
| Sand Volleyball | 40 | Texas A&M Student Recreation Center |
| Skateboarding | 19 | Williamson Skate Park |
| Soccer | 304 | Veterans Park & Athletic Complex |
| Swimming | 2,472 | Texas A&M Student Recreation Center |
| Tennis | 152 | Texas A&M Mitchell Tennis Center |
| Track & Field | 4,306 | College Station High School |
| Total Participation | 7,621 |
Here are some interesting tidbits reported by the Bryan and College Station Parks and Recreation Departments, which partnered with Texas A&M to manage the event:
- Athletes set 72 Games of Texas records.
- Participants and volunteers consumed 22,000 bottles of water and used 32,120 pounds of ice.
- Local sponsors donated 1,165 meals for participants and volunteers.
- 328 volunteers assisted, including 93 from the Texas Army National Guard.
- 390 gold medals were awarded in track & field and swimming.
- 271 tennis matches were played over two days.
If you missed out on the fun, don’t fret. The Games of Texas will return to Bryan-College Station July 25-29, 2019.
On behalf of the Cities of Bryan and College Station, we extend a special thank you to our volunteers, TAAF liaisons, commissioners and Texas Army National Guard Warriors. The overwhelming success of the event is a direct reflection of your dedication. We sincerely appreciate your gift of time, energy, and enthusiastic support.
About the Blogger
Kelli Nesbitt (@kneztalk) has served the Parks & Recreation Department for 14 years, the last seven as marketing coordinator. A native of Bryan, Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in health & kinesiology from Sam Houston State.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
