Fields of Honor

A well-maintained field can play host to a multitude of sports and activities. It also can accommodate hundreds, possibly thousands, of spectators and family members. And, when combined with other similar fields, it can be the venue where hundreds of athletes, of any age, can show off their talents and abilities.
 

From soccer, football and lacrosse, to rugby, ultimate, quadball and more, these locations offer fields that can host anything you may need.
 

Auburn-Opelika, Alabama

Auburn-Opelika, Alabama is home to several high-quality facilities used year-round for youth, adult and collegiate events. The Wire Road Soccer Complex features 10 full-size, lighted fields (seven grass, three turf) and a small-sided field for youth.
 

In late 2023, a 56,000-square-foot indoor facility was added with a 160- by 350-foot multi-purpose court. With plenty of parking, playgrounds and built-in amenities, Wire Road is built for big tournaments and smooth operations.
 

The 72,000-square-foot Opelika Sportsplex is home to five natural grass fields and a championship field, and includes pools, fitness areas, concessions and restrooms. Auburn’s newest facility is the Lake Wilmore Community Center, which features courts, pools, fitness rooms and meeting space. Last fall, Lake Wilmore added four lighted synthetic turf fields.
 

The Auburn Soccer Invitational by Snap Soccer, at the Wire Road complex in August, regularly brings in more than 100 teams (boys and girls) and 1,500 players. The Rumble on Rails soccer event at the Opelika Sportsplex last December had more than 135 teams and is expected to continue to grow to more than 150 teams. Turf Wars Kickball by MARS, an adult kickball event held in May, had 50 teams, 600 players and 1,000 spectators.
 

“Field sports continue to grow here, not just in participation, but in how the community rallies around the events,” says Anthony Terling, Sports Development Director for Auburn-Opelika Tourism. “It’s not unusual for a weekend tournament to feel like a city-wide celebration.”
 

Champaign-Urbana, Illinois

The Rantoul Family Sports Complex in Champaign-Urbana offers eight multi-purpose rectangular turf fields. The complex, which hosts many tournaments and events for all ages, has an indoor tournament headquarters, splash playground, concession stand, LED lighting, P.A. system and scoreboards, along with about 1,000 parking spaces.
 

The Champaign Park District operates Dodds Soccer Complex, with 11 grass fields that can be divided and striped for various sports, along with a concession stand and indoor restrooms. The University of Illinois Campus Recreation department maintains two sets of fields. The Complex Fields offer up four football fields, three soccer fields, two lacrosse fields and two rugby fields. The Center Playfields offers four lighted turf fields.
 

Experience Champaign-Urbana can offer monetary and in-kind bid incentives, as well as making connections to local amenities such as hotels and restaurants and offering marketing assistance for tournament organizers. “Our goal is to provide a welcoming environment for the organizers and attendees and help them experience the highlights of our community when they’re not on the field,” says Mark Brown, Director of Event Services & Film.
 

Downtown Champaign and downtown Urbana offer a robust array of restaurants, bars and stores, and the area has many family-friendly parks and walking trails. Weekend programming includes Friday Night Live, an outdoor music offering for area business patrons. Additionally, the University of Illinois Campustown maintains a wide range of local and international cuisine options as well as bars and stores.
 

Columbia County, Florida

Columbia County is about an hour west of Jacksonville, tucked just below the Georgia state line, offering natural springs and nature parks, as well as hiking and biking trails, in addition to a great downtown life on Main Street, with shops and nice places to eat and relax. Sports-wise, the area has much to offer athletes of all ages.
 

The Southside Sports Complex in Lake City, which is maintained by the county, has five fields (four with lights) and a two-story concessions stand. The south Columbia Sports Park in Fort White offers two fields, but with the ability to utilize more space for even more fields. The county has other fields, with stadiums, available at Columbia High School and Fort White High School.
 

The county also has property at Lake Jeffrey that can accommodate four flat fields, with plans to develop a new regional sports complex that eventually will have 16 fields, a learning center for the Fish & Wildlife Commission and other amenities. “It’s going to be a great park,” says Christopher Coleman, Sports and Small Group Sales Rep for the Columbia County Sports Commission. “It’s going to open up a lot of doors for Columbia County.”
 

The Sports Commission helps tournament owners connect with local businesses. It also arranges to have county workers present at facilities to make sure everything runs smoothly. And there are sponsorship opportunities that the Sports Commission can help to facilitate.
 

Iron Peak Sports & Events, New Jersey

“We’re able to accommodate any kind of group and any kind of sport at Iron Peak Sports,” says Todd Reddington, Manager of Sports Events and Rentals. “We help to make organizations grow their brands and grow their events. Think big and we’ll make it happen.”
 

Located in central New Jersey, a little more than an hour away from both New York City and Philadelphia, Iron Peak offers three outdoor turf fields, all with lines for soccer and lacrosse, along with one indoor turf field in a temperature-controlled dome. But all fields can be customized for specific events, including small-sided soccer, lacrosse, flag football, field hockey, etc., with the appropriate-sized goals for each sport. Each field also has spectator seating. The facility hosts many EDP and iSE soccer tournaments, along with Trilogy Lacrosse, Apex Field Hockey events and others. Many events bring more than 500 players to the venue.
 

Concession stands offer an array of food, and Iron Peak recently opened a full bar and restaurant. When not competing, visitors can find a variety of on-site entertainment options, including an arcade, duck pin bowling, rock climbing walls, area ropes courses and golf simulators. “We try to make this a great experience for those who will be at our facility,” Reddington says.
 

Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Florida

The Paradise Coast Sports Complex (PCSC) in Naples, Florida has eight full-size rectangular fields that can be changed out for soccer, football, lacrosse and more, each offering team bench seating along with spectator seating. The complex also has a 3,500-seat stadium that features eight suites, two party suites and two party decks, along with a 40-foot video screen.
 

PCSC hosts the annual Southwest Florida Shootout for college lacrosse, the FHSAA State Lacrosse Championships, the Collier County Public Schools high school soccer championships and numerous championship events throughout the year.
 

“In 2025, we also are very proud to be the home venue for FC Naples professional soccer team, which plays in the USL 1 Division of U.S. Soccer,” says J.P. Terrasi, Marketing Manager for PCSC. “In 2025, we’ll host 20 games including league play, Jägermeister Cup games and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup games.”
 

In December, the venue hosts the American Youth Football National Championships, with more than 200 teams competing in various age groups, and which draws more than 3,000 participants and 6,000 spectators each day for six days. It also hosts the three-day Weston Cup, one of the largest youth soccer tournaments in the country with about 300 teams, drawing more than 13,000 participants and 30,000 spectators.
 

“Our PCSC staff works closely with tournament owners and operators to ensure the best possible experience for their teams,” Terrasi says.
 

Round Rock, Texas

The state-of-the-art Round Rock Multipurpose Complex boasts 10 top-tier, lighted multi-purpose fields (five natural grass and five synthetic turf), including a natural grass championship field and a synthetic turf championship field, both with elevated spectator seating. With flexible field configurations, the complex has plenty of parking, a centrally located restroom and concession hub. Families enjoy open green spaces and playgrounds.
 

Past events at the Multipurpose Complex include the Quadball (formerly known as Quidditch) National Championships, USA Ultimate Division I College Championships, Big 12 Soccer Championship and MCLA Lacrosse Championships. In 2024, the complex was the host site for the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Championships and the USAA Club Rugby XVs National Championships.
 

In coming months and years, the complex is set to host a lineup of significant events, including the MCLA/WCLO Lacrosse Championships, Junior Olympics Flag Football, Austin Ultimate Challenge, MLQ Quadball Championship and the STYSA Soccer Championships.
 

“We offer dedicated support to event organizers to ensure a smooth and successful experience,” says CVB Director Nancy Yawn. “Our team provides a variety of complimentary services, including support with itinerary planning, lodging arrangements and overall event coordination. We also offer assistance with marketing and connections to local vendors and resources.”
 

Growth is on the horizon, with a major expansion expected to be completed by spring 2027 that will add six more fields and collegiate-level press boxes to the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex.
 

Santa Clarita, California

Central Park stretches across 130 acres in the heart of Santa Clarita and features 14 multi-purpose fields (all with lights), concession stand, picnic areas, a child-play area, dog park, more than 1,120 parking spaces and a host of other amenities.
 

The facility has played host to a multitude of tournaments, including Flag Football World Championship Tour–Battle California, USA Ultimate, Western States Police and Fire Games, U.S. Quadball and Legends FC Santa Clarita Invitational, among others, with participants and spectators numbering in the thousands.
 

The College of the Canyons has the 7,500-seat Cougar Stadium, which offers a synthetic turf field used for a variety of sports including football and soccer. The Master’s University offers Lou Herwaldt Stadium, which has the synthetic turf Reese Field that plays host to a variety of soccer tournaments.
 

Visit Santa Clarita offers a range of services to event organizers, including marketing and promotional support through social media channels and a bi-weekly e-newsletter. The CVB also can provide visitor guides, promotional giveaways and even create custom landing pages on its website with concierge-style info like local dining, entertainment and lodging options. For larger events, financial support may be available.
 

“Our year-round sunshine and mild temperatures attract thousands of players and fans to major athletic events at venues all around town,” says Evan Thomason of the Visit Santa Clara Economic Development team.
 

South Bend Mishawaka, Indiana

“Field sports are an incredibly popular reason for visiting ‘The Bend,’” says Evan Manges, Sports Development Manager for Visit South Bend Mishawaka. “Soccer, lacrosse, rugby and more have found their way to our destination in recent years. Whatever type of tournament you’re looking to host, it’s likely we have a facility to match your needs.”
 

Among venues available is the Indiana Invaders Sports Complex, with 13 fields, including two stadium fields with bleachers, scoreboard, press box and lights. The Sports Complex has 2,100 parking spots, open areas for large events and vendors, a fully integrated irrigation system and more. Newton Park has five fields (four with bleachers, scoreboards press boxes and lights), full-service concession stands and restroom buildings. And the Junior Irish Soccer Complex offers 12 fields, with plenty of parking.
 

The Junior Irish Memorial Day Invitational is a three-day event that brings up to 250 teams from many Midwest states and about 10,000 attendees. The U.S. Lax Rip the Duck event recently brough 129 lacrosse teams to the Indiana Invaders Sports Complex, along with about 6,700 attendees. Visit South Bend Mishawaka helps out event owners with marketing support, press releases, social media, visitors guides, maps, brochures and more.
 

“Located in the heart of the Great Lakes region, South Bend and Mishawaka feature world-class facilities, top-flight attractions and an abundance of hotel rooms to accommodate a variety of events,” Manges adds. SDM