The Colorado Springs sports sector experienced some ups and downs throughout 2025, but by and large, it was healthy, according to a panel of four local experts discussing the first annual sports economy report. The local landscape, however, is missing a key piece of infrastructure that would make the region a landmark destination for sports tournaments and events. The Colorado Springs Sports Corp., a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting amateur sports locally, seeks to remedy that shortcoming while supercharging the city’s sports economy. The Pikes Peak Sports Economy Report was created by the Colorado Springs Sports Corp., University of Colorado Colorado Springs College of Business and the Southern Colorado Business Forum and Digest to analyze one aspect of the city’s economy. The Colorado Springs sports economy is worth approximately $202 million and employs just over 1,400 people, according to the report released Wednesday. Officials said the figure may actually be higher because the data reported back to the Sports Corp. did not include every entity surveyed. Some just didn’t respond to the survey, forcing the Sports Corp. to make estimates. The estimates were conservative, said Tommy Aicher, a dean and professor of sport management at UCCS, because they did not want to overestimate economic impacts. When adjusted, a conservative estimate for total economic impact from the sports economy jumps to $259 million and approximately 1,826 jobs. An optimistic estimate shows the sports economy has a $282 million impact, supporting 1,988 jobs. The sports reach of the region is broad, said Chief Program Officer for the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation Nick Kiger. “We have a sports camp program that brings kids from all 50 states and various parts around the world,” he said. “We view ourselves as a national brand.” The full sports corps report may be viewed online. Colorado Springs has several world-class venues, but they are spread throughout the city, panelists said. What organizers look for and want is a centralized location for their sporting events. Colorado Springs is at a disadvantage compared to other areas, said Megan Leatham, the president and CEO of Colorado Springs Sports Corp. “From a sports tourism standpoint, the biggest gap we have in Colorado Springs is a true multi-use, indoor/outdoor sports complex,” she said.  “There’s not a market our size across the nation that does not have an indoor/outdoor sports complex.” The Sports Corp. is aiming to fix the situation by developing a 130-acre sports complex in the Banning Lewis Ranch area. The complex could open in 2029, according to an early and loose timeline, she said, adding that the demand exists. Longtime residents of Colorado Springs may recall a similar effort. Roughly a decade ago, there were plans to build a sports complex in what is now the Victory Ridge shopping area on the city’s far north side. It hit multiple snags and delays and, as of 2023, the project was spiked, according to past coverage by the Gazette.  The Banning Lewis Ranch facility pitched by the Sports Corp. is the result of working closely with Olympic national governing bodies and local sports groups to understand the specific needs they’d want fulfilled by the new spot, Leatham said. And in identifying the land, Leatham said they’ve worked closely with Norwood Development which owns a significant portion of of the 24,000-acre property in east Colorado Springs. A screen grab from Google Maps of the Banning Lewis Ranch area. The new sports complex may be built near the intersection of Banning Lewis Parkway and Woodmen Road. The price tag? Leatham said it may cost “more than $100 million.” “Estimates of this show that the venue would bring in an additional 1.1 million people to our community annually,” she said. “A project of this magnitude requires everyone, so we’re calling this a P4 partnership: People, philanthropic, public and private. All need to work together to make this happen.” That price tag may be easier to swallow because of the ongoing economic impact of the complex. The Sports Economy Report estimates that each dollar spent on sporting events puts $1.83 back into the community. And each dollar spent on wages at the new facility generates $1.58. Also, there are jobs to consider. For every one job directly tied to the sports industry, there are roughly 2.38 adjacent jobs created, the report said. If the sports complex employs 100 people, this means 238 additional jobs may be created because of it. But the key, according to Joe Craig, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Economics at UCCS, is keeping the facilities in use year-round. If it sits empty, or unused, it’s a liability. Many of Denver’s premiere sports venues already do a good job of this, he said. Ball Arena, home to the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets, is also home turf for the Colorado Mammoth and has a robust concert series. Empower Field at Mile High also features a concert series and hosts other events aside from the Denver Broncos. “You need to think really intelligently about how you can have them full all the time. You see a lot of colleges now are having concerts over the summer,” he said. “But these are monetizable things that are sitting empty.” ...read more read less