“If you build it, they will come,” says the famous line from a favorite sports movie, Field of Dreams.

In Lansing, John Young, Michael Price and the Greater Lansing Sports Authority have set about building a powerhouse team dedicated to attracting and facilitating sporting events in our area, and people are indeed coming—athletes and spectators, participants and supporters, young and old.

Operating under the auspices of the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau (GLCVB), the Greater Lansing Sports Authority (GLSA) has been on the playbooks since fall of 2005, when the idea of such an endeavor was first proposed. According to Michael Price, manager of Sports Development, “We started by spending nearly a year investigating just what we needed to do to make it happen. Our research focused on how similar organizations worked and how to adopt their best practices as our own.”

John Young, manager of Events and Sponsorships, says, “We traveled to cities with similar demographics and circumstances, like Lexington, Ky., a city of about the same size as Lansing and the home of the University of Kentucky, as well as to South Bend, Ind., where the University of Notre Dame is located. We looked at Atlanta and Detroit, much larger cities but ones which had set up well-run and highly successful programs.

“We went to a couple of national conventions and talked with professionals from sports authorities throughout the country as to how they had set up their organizations and the processes we would need to go through to be successful. We also did tons of research online, looking at bylaws and policies and procedures from other organizations.”

Price adds, “We are part of the GLCVB and have their full support, but we have our own goals and activities, and function fairly autonomously.”

The goals the GLSA has set for itself are ambitious and include the following:

•    Solicit, attract and support outside sporting events that will use the community’s existing public and private facilities

•    Support existing events and clubs and help them grow

•    Create events that stimulate local interest

•    Work with local municipalities and businesses to increase the inventory of facilities and improve existing facilities

•    Connect sports tournament directors and planners with the local business community

•    Publicize events

•    Facilitate tournament logistics and events management

•    Recruit volunteers

•    Assist with marketing and sponsorships for participating groups

•    Provide entertainment options

•    Prepare personalized visitor guides

•    Assist with program planning and registration

•    Assist with website development for participants’ events

Having Michigan State University in Lansing’s backyard is a definite advantage. Young says, “Besides having the ability to use some of MSU’s sports facilities, being in a university community means we have a much more diverse population and a wide-ranging menu of sports that people are interested in and knowledgeable about.”

Price adds, “MSU is recognized as a powerhouse where sports are concerned, and it helps us attract athletes who want to hold their events here. Everybody knows Sparty! Players like coming to this community both because it is the home of MSU and because of our identity as the capital city.”  

Young continues, “We are fortunate in the cooperation we have received from the university. MSU has offered free youth clinics as well as autograph sessions with Spartan athletes.”

The GLSA has also tied events to the Lansing Lugnuts and Oldsmobile Park and, of course, uses facilities available through the local parks and recreation departments.

While the two work together on just about everything, Price is the one who researches, identifies and solicits and bids on sports events. Once secured, the project is handed off to Young, who gives them, as he says, “whatever they need.” This might include assisting in finding sponsorships, accommodations, restaurants and appropriate local attractions. He also works with the venue to make sure everything runs smoothly and helps recruit volunteers if necessary. However, the job functions are hardly set in stone. Young says, “What makes us successful is the team aspect of what we are doing. We understand one another’s job, and we are here to support one another.”

And that teamwork is paying off. Since GLSA was officially launched, the organization has exceeded expectations. According to Price, “In 2006, we hosted 29 events; in 2007, 61, and in 2008, there were 72. We’re on track to best those numbers this year.”

There’s a long list of events on the record books. Existing events that have tapped into their expertise include Twistars Invitational, a gymnastics competition, and the Capital Area Soccer Classic, which has grown from 104 teams to 300. Local events created include the Capital City River Run Half Marathon and 5K with over 2,000 runners each year; Capital City Showdown, which has grown from 70 teams in 2007 to 100 in 2009; and the Hawk Island Triathlon, drawing 250 participants in 2007 and 708 in 2008.

Outside events undertaken include the upcoming USBC Men’s State Bowling Tournament which drew upwards of 14,000 bowlers to Lansing; Triple Crown Baseball Tournament, which has grown from 39 teams to nearly 100; and the Senior Softball Eastern National Championships in both 2006 and 2007. This is only a brief sampling of all the events hosted since 2006.

Price says, “You have to remember that for every player that comes to the city, we also have coaches and other staff as well as the players’ families. This has a direct economic impact on the community; some of the events are for the weekend, but others can last up to a week.”

And 2009 continues to be a busy year with even more activity. Upcoming events include the GLIAC-GLVC Crossover Volleyball Tournament in October; GLIAC Girls Tennis Championships, also in October; and PBA Senior Tour Dick Weber Open in August. The schedule for 2010 is already in the works with the USA Hockey Girls and Women’s National Championships and the U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate Nationals on the horizon.

Young and Price bring a wealth of experience to their respective positions and both cite the great spirit of cooperation that makes their efforts successful. MSU, Lansing Community College, the various municipalities, the GLCVB, local retail and hospitality businesses, as well as volunteers from throughout the community, all work together to field a winning team.