Discover Kalamazoo Sports
About Discover Kalamazoo Sports
Discover Kalamazoo Sports provides the utmost attention to each of its sports clients, with a positive, honest, and empowering team of ambassadors. From lodging to event promotion, Discover Kalamazoo Sports truly offers its expertise from soup to nuts in the sports event process. Madysen Stoneman, Sports Event Development Manager at Discover Kalamazoo Sports, gave us her fun insider’s look into Kalamazoo as a bustling destination.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to share the local impact of sports tourism in the Kalamazoo region by providing inspiration that encourages visitors and residents to discover Kalamazoo sports.
Featured Facilities
Kalamazoo has built a reputation over the years for its ability to host a wide range of local, regional, and national sports events, with venues of all sizes to fit your needs. Whether they be large, intimate, or somewhere in between – Kalamazoo has a venue for you.
Wings Event Center
As the largest multi-purpose facility in Kalamazoo, Wings Event Center has hosted major events over the years including the USA Curling National Championships, Michigan High School Athletic Association Team Wrestling Finals, and the American Cornhole Organization Kalamazoo Major. Next April, the venue is scheduled to host the 2022 USA Hockey Youth Tier II 14U National Championships. Home to the Kalamazoo Wings ECHL hockey team, Kalamazoo Roller Derby and the Kalamazoo Curling Club, the Wings Event Center houses three NHL-sized rinks all under one roof, which can be used for both ice and dry events. The main arena is equipped to seat 5,113 spectators, and for flexibility during your event, the center featured an additional 10,000 square-feet of meeting/breakout space.
Stowe Stadium
Home to Kalamazoo College Men’s & Women’s Tennis Teams, Stowe Stadium has been repeatedly labeled by tennis enthusiasts as one of the most iconic venues in the country. For the past 78 years, Stowe Stadium has been the host of the USTA Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships. Additionally, the venue is used for high school state championships, and the NCAA Division III Men’s & Women’s Tennis Championships. The facility features stadium seating for 3,500 spectators, 11 lighted tennis courts, and a media tower.
River Oaks County Park
This scenic park is named for the 100+ year old oak trees that stretch along the shore of Morrow Lake for 330 acres. Complete with 20 multipurpose fields perfect for soccer or lacrosse, River Oaks County Park is one of Southwest Michigan’s premier facilities for youth leagues, adult leagues, and regional tournaments. The park also features softball fields, beach volleyball, a splash park, hiking trails, picnic shelters, and in 2017 served as the host to the U.S. Quidditch Great Lakes Regional Championships.
Spring Valley Park
At 186-acres, Spring Valley Park is one of the best places to admire wildlife and the natural beauty of the area. Walkers and runners will love the 3.2 miles of paved trails, and disc golf enthusiasts rave about its 24-hole disc golf course. Most recently, Spring Valley Park hosted the 2021 Michigan Disc Golf Hall of Fame Classic. Spring Valley isn’t the only high level disc golf course that Kalamazoo has to offer. In 2008, Kalamazoo hosted the PDGA Professional & Amateur Disc Golf World Championships, and in 2015, hosted the PDGA Amateur World Championships at other courses within the region, including Cold Brook County Park. Check out these other 6 Disc Golf Courses To Play Today In Greater Kalamazoo.
Things to Do
From breweries to museums and stunning golf resorts, Kalamazoo has distinct attractions for every visitor. Nestled between lakes, rivers, and home to endless bike trails, Kalamazoo’s lush natural surroundings are a part of life here. Take Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort, for example. The club is Southwest Michigan’s oldest and largest golf resort, featuring 90 holes among five championship courses, 64 fairway villas, two practice facilities, nine practice greens and banquet and meeting facilities for up to 300 guests.
Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort’s Stoatin Brae was also named the 2021 Michigan Golf Course of the Year and 2021 National Golf Course of the Year. Check it out to be wowed by its magnitude and beauty.
After your games end, take the family over to the Air Zoo, a world-class, Smithsonian-affiliated aerospace and science museum with over 100 rare and unique aircraft and spacecraft, inspiring interactive exhibits, full-motion flight simulators, and indoor amusement park rides. Or, for an impressive look into iconic, classic cars over the years, head to The Gilmore Car Museum, North America’s LARGEST auto museum, with vehicles from the 1890s to Classics of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s.
The food and drink scene in Kalamazoo is unmatched. Top on your list should be Bell’s Brewery and Eccentric Café, Michigan’s oldest brewery and one of the oldest craft brewers east of Colorado. The brewery offers distinctive beers including Oberon, whose release corresponds with the start of Major League Baseball season, and Two Hearted, which has been voted #1 Beer in America the past 4 years. Next door, the Eccentric Café is the brewery’s lively pub with live music and some distinct brews only offered on site.
Major Events
When it comes to sports event planning, Kalamazoo is ‘big league’ all the way. Discover Kalamazoo has, for good reason, earned a reputation as the perfect host for sports events of all sizes, attracting players from coast to coast and winning rave reviews from attendees.
2021 National Solo Dance Finals
US Figure Skating successfully hosted their National Solo Dance Finals from September 15-18, 2021, in Kalamazoo. Solo dance allows skaters to ice dance on their own without a partner and is open to skaters of all ages and levels, from preliminary to gold and international. The Solo Dance Series ran from March to August and culminated in the finals in September at Wings Event Center.
2022 Midwest & Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships
Also at Wings Event Center, US Figure Skating will host the 2022 Midwest & Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships from January 25 – 29. The championships attract 175 teams across 8 divisions hoping to qualify for the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. The Midwest and Pacific Coast Championships are two out of three annual sectional championships in the country. The event has been held at the Wings Event Center before, and as a testament to its success, will return in January to beautiful Kalamazoo.
2022 Michigan High School Athletic Association Team Wrestling Finals
From February 25 – 26, Wings Event Center is set to host the 2022 MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals. The team tournament will feature regional, district, and final brackets for high school divisions 1-4.
2022 USA Hockey Youth Tier II 14U National Championships
Since 1938, USA Hockey has been holding National Championships and naming champion teams across the United States. In 2022, six cities will host various divisions ranging from youth, girl’s, women’s, sled, high school and adult. From March 30 – April 4, Kalamazoo will host the USA Hockey Youth Tier II 14U National Championships, where several teams will compete for the title of the nation’s top hockey team in their division.
Like their one-of-a-kind name, Kalamazoo has been home to quite a few unique, unconventional sports events over the years. Check out these 10 Sports Events That You Didn’t Know Were Hosted In Kalamazoo, MI.
Travel Tips
Located in the heart of the Great Lakes region, Kalamazoo is the midway point between Chicago and Detroit, making it a simple destination from many nearby cities. Looking to fly instead of drive? The Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is serviced by American, Delta and United Airlines. All jets service to major hub cities of Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis. The historic downtown transportation center has trains to and from major destinations. Be sure to download the “On the Go” app on Amtrak.com for easy scheduling.
Options for accommodations are only continuing to grow in bustling Kalamazoo, currently boasting 3,500+ hotel rooms available per night. Popular options for large tournaments include the Radisson Plaza Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton, and Delta by Marriott.
Testimonials
“The Discover Kalamazoo team has always made us feel as if we are on our home turf — or in our case ice – and this extends beyond the field of play. We have always been very pleased with the professional support provided with everything from securing venues to lodging, local transportation, event receptions and promotion of our events. While our regular competition venue is outside of the downtown area, we have also enjoyed using a downtown hotel as our headquarters, and this has given our competitors, fans, volunteers and support staff great opportunities to enjoy the diverse and ever-increasing attractions of the city. It’s no secret that sports fans tend to enjoy a cold brew now and then, and the craft beer offerings in Kalamazoo can’t be beat. This is the third time Kalamazoo has hosted our premier national championship, and the experience has been better each time. By helping to drive sellout crowds for our 2019 championship, the Kalamazoo team really kicked things up a notch and we are eager to return again soon.”
– USA Curling
“U.S. Figure Skating was pleased to return to Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan for the 2019 Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships. Kalamazoo is a staple in the synchronized skating community and Discover Kalamazoo has enhanced the experience for our competitors, coaches, and families. From beginning to end of the event process, the Discover Kalamazoo team has been an invaluable resource and support system. Their staff is responsive, kind, and work diligently to uphold the high standard we at U.S. Figure Skating expect for all of our events.”
– U.S. Figure Skating
“We couldn’t be any happier with Wings Event Center and Discover Kalamazoo. They have gone above and beyond expectations and are always willing to help with any detail. It is a great feeling to know that you and your event are wanted and supported in the community. Wings Event Center and Discover Kalamazoo rolled out the welcome mat and have made us feel at home ever since.”
– Michigan High School Athletic Association
Reach out to the team at Discover Kalamazoo Sports to book your next event today! For more information, head to their Playeasy profile here.
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