From soccer, football and lacrosse, to rugby, Ultimate, quadball and more, rectangular sports fields can host nearly anything event owners need, while accommodating hundreds, possibly thousands, of spectators and family members.
Just as importantly, when combined with other similar venues in the same destinations, these multi-field facilities present excellent hosting options, allowing hundreds of athletes, of any age, to show off their talents and abilities.
The following locations are giving tournament owners and operators what they need to make their events top-notch.
Cabarrus County, North Carolina
Cabarrus County is home to seven locations with turf fields, all within minutes of each other and close to lodging, dining and entertainment.
The 238-acre Frank Liske Park is a former working farm that was leased to the county for development. The park features an 11-field youth soccer complex (with two lighted fields), which is operated in cooperation with Charlotte Soccer Academy and the City of Concord Parks and Recreation Department. There also is an 18-hole disc golf course and a nine-acre lake for fishing, paddle boating and other amenities.
The Harrisburg Park Turf Facility, just completed this past March, has turf covering 190,000 square feet, creating plenty of opportunities to host rectangle field events. The ADA-accessible park also features a 2,200-square-foot amphitheater, nine-hole disc golf course, mountain bike trails, splash pad and more.
The Jay M. Robinson Turf Field is a game-day-ready stadium field (lined for football and soccer and tic-marked for lacrosse) equipped with lights and featuring T°Cool® evaporative cooling technology.
The West Cabarrus High School Complex has a stadium field and two practice fields, while Central Cabarrus High School features a lighted stadium turf field lined for football and soccer. The Cox Mill stadium turf field also has lights, features T°Cool® and is lined for football and soccer and is tic-marked for lacrosse.
Off the field, there is plenty to do for visitors and families, including visits to the legendary Charlotte Motor Speedway, Great Wolf Lodge and mega outlet center Concord Mills.
“While NASCAR may define our roots, the energy across our turf fields defines our future,” says John Poole, senior vice president of sales and services for Cabarrus County CVB. “From flag football to quadball, we work alongside planners and partners to host world-class events that inspire athletes and strengthen community connections.”
Elgin, Illinois
The 191-acre Elgin Sports Complex offers 10 natural grass fields and three new turf fields and has played host to many large events, including, this past May, Soccer Management Company’s Patriot Invitational with 138 teams from six states.
“The rectangular fields at our sports complex are the bread and butter of sports tourism here in the Elgin area,” says Ryan Cortez, sales manager for Explore Elgin Area. “By having 13 fields at one complex, we are able to host a variety of large tournaments in one convenient location, only 45 minutes outside Chicago.” Some of the larger events coming to the complex will be the Victory Event Series Chicago Showdown (lacrosse) and Chicago Rush Fall Kick-Off (soccer).”
Explore Elgin Area helps event owners by developing promotions with local business partners for each event, providing visitor information to teams and guests and organizing hotel room blocks.
Off the field, the Elgin area offers a variety of things to do including an indoor trampoline park, America Ninja Warrior-style obstacles courses, indoor rock climbing, kayaking down the Fox River, biking along the award winning Fox River Bike Trail or visiting Santa’s Village Amusement & Water Park. Those age 21 and up can enjoy the Grand Victoria Riverboat Casino.
Emerald Acres, Illinois
Emerald Acres Sports Connection in Mattoon, Illinois is a premier indoor and outdoor sports destination designed to support a wide range of athletic events across all age groups — from youth and amateur to collegiate and adult competition.
The outdoor complex, which just opened in June (with full project completion slated for October), features a fully flexible synthetic turf system and up to 10 multi-purpose rectangular turf fields designed to accommodate tournament play, league play and training for sports such as soccer, lacrosse, rugby and flag football.
Amenities include onsite concessions, spectator viewing areas, green spaces and a dog park. The 140,000-square-foot indoor complex operates year-round and supports tournaments and events in a climate-controlled environment. In addition to eight basketball/16 volleyball courts, the indoor facility has an onsite medical clinic, four team/flex rooms, four locker rooms and an arcade entertainment center.
“Together, the indoor and outdoor complexes allow Emerald Acres to host multi-sport, multi-day events with a focus on athlete experience and spectator convenience,” says Tyler Yoder, the general manager of the Emerald Acres Sports Connection.
Emerald Acres partners closely with the local Tourism & Arts Department to support tournament organizers and rights holders through tourism incentive programs, coordinated marketing support, regional promotion and visitor outreach, event hosting assistance and community engagement.
“At Emerald Acres, we’re building more than just fields — we’re creating a premier sports tourism destination where athletes, families and communities come together,” says Yoder. “Backed by the expertise and support of The Sports Facilities Companies, our team is committed to delivering first-class experiences.”
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix offers a wide array of large-scale municipal sports complexes and community parks designed to accommodate rectangular field sports for youth, adult, collegiate and amateur athletes. One of the city’s premier venues is the Reach 11 Sports Complex, a 1,500-acre district park featuring 17 lighted natural grass fields and one synthetic turf field.
At Reach 11, the East Complex features 10 lighted soccer fields, along with a building that includes restrooms and the main staff office. Field 1 serves as the complex’s stadium field and provides ample spectator capacity with permanent bleacher seating. The West Complex has eight lighted soccer fields and a building equipped with restrooms, concessions and a tournament office.
In addition to Reach 11, Phoenix has numerous athletic parks and sports complexes throughout the city, offering a combination of natural grass and multi-purpose fields capable of hosting local, regional and national sporting events.
Some of the larger soccer events held in recent years include the Max Shacknai Invitational, which brought 570 teams to three complexes, including Reach 11; the Elite Club National League Tournament that had more than 550 teams; and the SC Del Sol’s Presidents Day Tournament with more than 400 teams between two complexes.
“From local leagues to major tournaments, Phoenix parks provide the perfect stage for sports of all kinds,” says Martin Whitfield, director of Phoenix Parks and Recreation. “Our sports complexes are maintained to the highest standards and designed to host events of every scale.”
“Phoenix is an ideal destination for field sports,” adds Joel Koester, executive director of sports and events for Visit Phoenix, “offering exceptional fall, winter and spring weather along with premier grass-growing conditions that create outstanding playing surfaces.”
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita has established itself as a premier destination for sporting events. The city is home to the semi-pro Santa Clarita Blue Heat Soccer Club and has welcomed a diverse range of events including the Legends FC SCV Soccer Tournament, Triumph Foundation Wheelchair Sports Festival, American Cancer Society Relay for Life and a youth cricket tournament, along with the USL Women’s Soccer Championship.
Stretching across 130 acres in the heart of Santa Clarita is Central Park, which features 14 multi-purpose fields (all with lights), concession stand, picnic areas, a children’s play area, dog park, more than 1,120 parking spaces and other user-friendly features.
The park has played host to many tournaments, including Flag Football World Championship Tour–Battle California, USA Ultimate, Western States Police and Fire Games, US Quadball and Legends FC Santa Clarita Invitational, with participants and spectators numbering in the thousands.
In addition, the College of the Canyons has the 7,500-seat Cougar Stadium, which offers a synthetic turf field.
The Master’s University has Lou Herwaldt Stadium, with the synthetic turf Reese Field that plays host to a variety of soccer tournaments. The Santa Clarita Sports Complex also offers a multi-purpose field.
Visit Santa Clarita offers a range of services to event organizers, including marketing and promotional support. The CVB also can provide visitor guides and promotional giveaways and can create custom web pages with information on local dining, entertainment and lodging. For larger events, financial support may be available.
“What sets Santa Clarita apart is our combination of high-quality facilities, year-round playing weather and a collaborative approach to event hosting,” says Economic Development Manager Tyler Pledger.
“We work closely with tournament directors, local sports organizations, hospitality partners and our communities to create a seamless experience.”
Springfield, Illinois
SCHEELS Sports Park offers eight outdoor synthetic turf regulation-size soccer fields, all lighted (which can also be configured as 16 youth fields) and one indoor full soccer field in the Springfield Clinic Sports Dome, which is the largest air structure in the world. SCHEELS also offers full concessions, training areas, restrooms, streaming services and 3,000 seats for fans, comprised of movable bleachers.
The University of Illinois–Springfield has two areas that offer a total of 20 multi-purpose natural grass sports fields, which can also be configured for smaller, youth-size fields: the SASA Soccer Complex, with 10 full-size fields, and the east side of campus with another 10 fields. Each area has access to concessions and restrooms.
The Springfield Area Soccer Association has an annual 100-plus team tournament that previously was held at the SASA complex, but this year moved to SCHEELS Sports Park.
“Field sports are poised to take off here in Springfield now that we have a world class facility,” says Visit Springfield Sales Manager Terry Truman. “Visit Springfield’s connections to venues and incentives as well as our years of experience in the industry will help give guests an unmatched experience.”
Visit Springfield provides many services including help with financial incentives, hotel sourcing, help with volunteers and concierge service on site to improve the participant and family experience. The CVB also provides digital and print marketing material to help promote events.
Tri-Cities, Washington
The 45-acre Pasco Sporting Complex is one of the largest soccer facilities in the Tri-Cities area, with 15 full-size fields, including a tournament field with grass seating that can accommodate up to 2,000 spectators. Amenities include concession stands, restrooms and picnic areas.
The Bombing Range Sports Complex is a 25-acre multi-sport facility in West Richland with six full-size soccer fields, a football field with seating areas for spectators, along with concession stands, restrooms, picnic areas, playground equipment and two clubhouse facilities.
Also, Columbia Park in Kennewick offers 400 acres of open grass space that is regularly converted into multi-purpose athletic fields. Amenities throughout the park include restrooms, picnic shelters, playgrounds, walking trails, concession areas during events and abundant parking.
The scenic riverfront setting, shaded areas and flexible field space make Columbia Park a popular destination for large regional tournaments.
Other facilities offering up to four multi-purpose, full-size fields include the A Street Soccer Complex and Pasco’s Road 36 Soccer Complex.
Off the field, visitors can check out the new Pasco Aquatic Center, featuring water slides, splash zones and a lazy river. There are 10 golf courses in the area and 67 miles of scenic riverfront trails. The area is known as the “Heart of Washington Wine Country,” and adult visitors can enjoy some of the more than 200 wineries all within 50 miles of the Tri-Cities.
“With more than 300 days of sunshine, scenic riverfront amenities and the infrastructure to host numerous and diverse events,” says Natalie Klassen, sports development manager for Visit Tri-Cities, “Tri-Cities delivers more than a tournament destination — it delivers an experience for the whole family.” SDM
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