State Spotlight:
Ohio

Ohio has earned its place as a go-to destination for sporting events. Its convenient location, extensive collection of championship-ready venues, and experienced host communities create the ideal environment for events of every size. From major metropolitan markets to thriving regional hubs, the Buckeye State delivers everything needed—from the hospitality and attractions to the operational expertise—that help tournaments and championships succeed on and off the field. “Sports are part of Ohio’s identity,” says Lydia Mihlaik, director of Ohio Department of Development. “From youth leagues that build teamwork and confidence to professional franchises and nationally recognized championships that generate significant economic impact, sports strengthen our communities and bring people together. Ohio’s rich sporting heritage, outstanding venues, and welcoming communities make our state an exceptional destination for athletes, fans, and events from around the world.”

Akron's Firestone Stadium has two fields and seats 4,756 fans. Courtesy Visit Akron/Summit

Ohio has earned its place as a go-to destination for sporting events. Its convenient location, extensive collection of championship-ready venues, and experienced host communities create the ideal environment for events of every size. From major metropolitan markets to thriving regional hubs, the Buckeye State delivers everything needed—from the hospitality and attractions to the operational expertise—that help tournaments and championships succeed on and off the field. “Sports are part of Ohio’s identity,” says Lydia Mihlaik, director of Ohio Department of Development. “From youth leagues that build teamwork and confidence to professional franchises and nationally recognized championships that generate significant economic impact, sports strengthen our communities and bring people together. Ohio’s rich sporting heritage, outstanding venues, and welcoming communities make our state an exceptional destination for athletes, fans, and events from around the world.”

Successful sporting events take more than a great venue; they take the right destination and the right team. The Sports Alliance of Greater Akron (SAGA) offers both. Akron and Summit County combine championship-caliber facilities, quality accommodations and convenient access to major Midwest markets with an experienced team ready to support planners from start to finish. Beyond the competition, athletes, families and fans will find plenty to explore, from outdoor recreation and family-friendly attractions to local dining, entertainment and more. From youth tournaments and collegiate competitions to regional and national championships, SAGA has the resources and hospitality to make your next event a winning experience.

Shores & Islands Ohio delivers more than just great venues—it delivers events that work. With a central Midwest location, easy highway access, and far less congestion than big cities, teams and fans arrive relaxed and ready to compete. Our region offers versatile indoor and outdoor venues, affordable accommodations, and ample space for tournaments of all sizes. Event organizers may also qualify for an Event Support Grant of up to $5,000 to help offset costs. Add in Lake Erie views, family-friendly attractions, and walkable downtowns, plus strong local connections and hands-on destination support, and you have a winning location on and off the field.

Akron

Akron and Summit County offer the best of both worlds: first-class sports facilities paired with memorable experiences for athletes, families and fans. Located in Northeast Ohio, it’s within a day’s drive of major Midwest markets including Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Detroit, making travel easy and affordable.

Hotel Rooms: 4,800 countywide
Hotel tax rate: 15.25 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Firestone Stadium has two fields and seats 4,756 after a recent multi-million-dollar renovation
  • InfoCision Stadium at the University of Akron is a 30,000-seat facility
  • Copley Road Soccer Complex offers nine fields
  • 7 17 Credit Union Park (Formerly Canal Stadium) is a 7,500-seat baseball stadium
  • Rubber City Sports at Goodyear Gym is a part of Goodyear Hall, a 292,000-square-foot project that includes a gym and is ideal for sports like volleyball, gymnastics, cheer and dance, futsal, and martial arts
Convention Center:

John S. Knight Center hosts a variety of sports, including cheerleading, roller derby, martial arts, karate, and more.

Contact:

Akron/Summit CVB, VisitAkron-Summit.org.

Bowling Green

Bowling Green is in northern Ohio. The city is home to multiple easy-to-access sports venues.

Hotel Rooms: 425
Major Facilities:
  • Carter Park features nine baseball diamonds
  • Perry Field House has four basketball/volleyball/tennis courts and a 200-meter eight-lane track
  • Student Recreation Center houses two indoor pools and four basketball/sports courts
  • Slater Family Ice Arena includes two rinks
  • Stroh Center is a 4,000-seat multipurpose venue
  • Doyt Perry Stadium is a 24,000-seat venue for football or soccer
Contact:

Bowling Green CVB, visitbgohio.org.

Butler County

Butler County is home to Spooky Nook Champion Mill, the largest indoor sports complex in North America. The area is conveniently located between Cincinnati and Dayton.

Hotel Rooms: 4,000
Hotel tax rate: ranges from 12.5 percent to 15.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Voice of America Athletic Complex boasts 25 grass multipurpose fields
  • Spooky Nook Champion Mill includes 28 basketball courts, 46 volleyball courts, one outdoor turf multipurpose field, a 65,000-square-foot fitness center, and a 200-meter track
  • The Pickle Lodge has 17 dedicated indoor pickleball courts and five anticipated outdoor courts
Contact:

Travel Butler County, TravelButlerCounty.com.

Canton

Located 60 miles south of Cleveland, Canton boasts a variety of top-notch sports facilities, including Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and C.T. Branin Natatorium.

Hotel Rooms: 2,166
Major Facilities:
  • Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium includes a turf field for football and soccer
  • Hall of Fame Village Center for Performance opened in 2022 and provides 100,000 square feet of multiuse space
  • C.T. Branin Natatorium is a premier swimming facility
Contact:

Visit Canton, VisitCanton.com.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati is a passionate sports town that supports sporting events of all shapes and sizes.

Hotel Rooms: 27,000 regionwide
Hotel tax rate: 13.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Blue Ash Sports Center is a 37-acre facility with 11 baseball fields and two soccer fields
  • Courts4Sports is a 53,000-square-foot facility with six basketball/volleyball courts
  • Joyce Park boasts 36 soccer fields
  • Miami Whitewater Forest Soccer Complex includes 16 fields for soccer, football, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and more
  • Warren County Sports Park features 12 full-size natural grass multipurpose fields, two lighted synthetic championship fields, and six baseball/softball fields
  • Voice of America Park has 23 natural grass multipurpose fields and two synthetic championship fields
Contact:

Visit Cincy, VisitCincy.com.

Clermont County

Clermont County offers a wide variety of sports facilities for youth and amateur sports in a unique destination.

Hotel Rooms: 1,250
Major Facilities:
  • Elite Athletics Sports Complex houses six basketball/volleyball courts
  • Nothin’ But Net Sports Complex includes five basketball/volleyball courts
  • Tealtown Ballpark has 17 baseball/softball fields
  • Olympic Fields boasts 13 multipurpose grass fields
  • East Fork State Park houses a 2,000-meter rowing course
  • Flash Baseball Complex offers 10 baseball fields
Contact:

Clermont County CVB, discoverclermont.com.

Cleveland

Greater Cleveland stands out as a premier sports destination due to its rare blend of dense, world-class athletic infrastructure packed tightly into a highly walkable downtown footprint.

Hotel Rooms: 24,000
Hotel tax rate: 17.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Progressive Field is a 34,800-seat ballpark
  • Rocket Arena is a 19,000-seat multipurpose arena
  • Huntington Bank Field is a 67,000-seat stadium
Convention Center:

The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland boasts 410,000 square feet of event space.

Contact:

Cleveland Sports, clevelandsports.org.

Clinton County

Situated along the Little Miami River, the county is close to Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati.

Hotel Rooms: 597
Major Facilities:
  • Wilmington College offers facilities for football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, softball, baseball, and wrestling
Contact:

Clinton County CVB, clintoncountyohio.com.

Columbus

Located within a one-hour flight or a day’s drive of half the U.S. population, Columbus is easy to reach. The city’s walkable footprint, world-class venues and seamless collaboration across public and private sectors make it an ideal destination for major events.

Hotel Rooms: 32,652
Hotel tax rate: 18 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Nationwide Arena is a 684,000-square-foot multipurpose arena
  • ScottsMiracle-Gro Field is a soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of 20,000
  • Schottenstein Center is a 770,000-square-foot multipurpose venue
  • Lou Berliner Sports Park boasts 31 baseball and softball diamonds
Convention Center:

The Greater Columbus Convention Center, which spans 1.8 million square feet, is located in the heart of downtown Columbus.

Contact:

Experience Columbus, experiencecolumbus.com.

Dayton

Located at the “Crossroads of America,” the intersection of I-75 and I-70, 60 percent of the U.S. population is within a one-day drive of Dayton, making it highly accessible for tournament and event participants and attendees.  Dayton has an excellent track record of hosting successful sporting events, from the NCAA First Four Tournament to the U.S. Air Force Marathon.

Hotel Rooms: 7,000
Hotel tax rate: ranges from 13.5 percent to 16.5 percent depending on location
Major Facilities:
  • University of Dayton Arena is a 13,407-seat multipurpose arena
  • James S. Trent Arena is a 4,400-seat multipurpose venue
  • Action Sports Center features eight baseball diamonds, five soccer fields, one football field, and one indoor soccer field
  • Day Air Ballpark is a 7,230-seat ballpark
  • Kettering Fields has seven softball diamonds, four baseball diamonds, and four fast-pitch diamonds
Convention Center:

Dayton Convention Center sits in downtown Dayton and offers 150,000 square feet of space.

Contact:

Dayton CVB, DaytonCVB.com.

Dublin

Dublin is located 15 minutes from Downtown Columbus with easy access to John Glenn International Airport and major highways. The City provides a safe suburban setting with free parking, over 125 miles of bike paths and 64 parks.

Hotel Rooms: 2,400
Hotel tax rate: 17.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Darree Park features 16 soccer fields and seven baseball fields
  • Avery Park has 15 soccer fields, five baseball fields, and four softball fields
  • Dublin Chiller houses two sheets of ice
  • SportsOhio consists of three indoor soccer fields, four indoor lacrosse/field hockey fields, and 15 outdoor soccer fields
Contact:

Dublin CVB, irishisanattitude.com.

Gahanna

Gahanna is 10 minutes from downtown Columbus and within close proximity of the John Glenn Columbus International Airport. The area offers more than 750 acres of parkland, outdoor fields, and multiuse paths.

Hotel Rooms: 387
Hotel tax rate: 17.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Headley Park features multiple soccer fields
  • Academy Park includes ball diamonds, basketball courts, and multiuse fields
  • McCorkle Park has multiuse fields
  • Hannah Park houses tennis courts, basketball courts, ball diamond, and multiuse fields
  • Gahanna Municipal Golf Course features a nine-hole golf course
Contact:

Gahanna CVB, visitgahanna.com.

Greene County

Greene County is located in southwest Ohio, just east of Dayton. The area’s facilities are second to none, from a 100-acre soccer complex to a 12,000-seat arena.

Hotel Rooms: 2000
Major Facilities:
  • Wright State University’s Ervin J. Nutter Center is a 12,000-seat multipurpose arena
  • John Ankeney Soccer Complex is a 100-acre soccer facility
  • Hobson Freedom Park is a 45-acre soccer complex
  • Athletes in Action Sport Complex has all synthetic turf fields
Contact:

Greene County CVB, greenecountyohio.org.

Licking County

Licking County is part of the Columbus metro area in the central part of the state. The county offers baseball diamonds, soccer fields, lacrosse fields, golf courses, and an ice arena.

Hotel Rooms: 1100
Major Facilities:
  • Don Edwards Park has four ball fields
  • Newark Area Soccer Association boasts 20 fields that can also accommodate lacrosse
  • Lou & Gib Ice Arena offers an ice rink
Contact:

Explore Licking County, explorelc.org.

Lima

Centrally located along I-75 and many major state routes and highways is Lima. The city has a variety of state-of-the-art facilities and lodging options.

Hotel Rooms: 1,451
Hotel tax rate: 14.6 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Lima Community Aquatic Park features eight 25-meter lanes
  • The 135-acre Allen County Fairgrounds houses a BMX course and various buildings
  • Lima Spartan Stadium is a 5,000-seat stadium that can host football, soccer, and track and field
  • University of Northwestern Ohio Racers Athletic Facilities accommodate baseball, softball, and tennis
Convention Center:

With 14,000 square feet of exhibition space, the Veterans Memorial Civic & Convention Center hosts mat sports, cheer and dance, wrestling, boxing, badminton, and more. It’s attached to the Wingate by Wyndham.

Contact:

Visit Greater Lima, visitgreaterlima.com.

Lorain County

Lorain County is in north-central Ohio on Lake Erie. It’s a popular spot for everything from fishing tournaments to mountain bike races.

Hotel Rooms: 1,755
Major Facilities:
  • Lost Nation Sports Park West is a multisport facility that can host a variety of sports including football, soccer, baseball, and softball
  • All Pro Freight Stadium is a lighted, multi-use baseball facility
  • Victory Park Ohio is a 67-acre park that features eight professional lighted baseball/softball fields, one lighted high school baseball field, one lighted Little League field, four outdoor sand volleyball courts, and nine outdoor international-size soccer fields
  • The 77-acre Oberlin Sports Complex features an aquatic center, baseball fields, and football/soccer fields
Contact:

Visit Lorain County, visitloraincounty.com.

Mansfield

Mansfield offers a variety of multipurpose spaces such as the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. With a central location in Ohio, the city is also easily accessible.

Hotel Rooms: 1,700
Hotel tax rate: 13 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course hosts motorsports, outdoor extreme events, cycling, running, and more
  • Arlin Field at Mansfield Senior High School has a 12,000-seat football stadium
Contact:

Destination Mansfield, DestinationMansfield.com.

Marion

Marion is located less than one hour north of Columbus. The city offers a variety of indoor and outdoor facilities for a variety of sports.

Hotel Rooms: 419
Hotel tax rate: 10.25 percent
Major Facilities:
  • River Valley consists of 14 fields for baseball and softball
  • Evers Arena is a multipurpose venue
  • Veterans Coliseum is a multipurpose venue
Contact:

Marion Area CVB, visitmarionohio.com.

Miami County

Located 20 minutes north of Dayton, Miami County is very accessible via I-75, I-70, and the Dayton International Airport. The county offers friendly, small-town hospitality with larger community amenities and fun, local attractions for youth and adults.

Hotel Rooms: 800
Major Facilities:
  • Hobart Arena is an indoor multisport venue that offers 77,000 square feet of space
  • Duke Park features seven soccer fields, two baseball fields, three softball fields, and eight miles of mountain bike trails
  • Kyle Park houses 10 soccer fields, 10 baseball diamonds, and two softball diamonds
Contact:

Miami County CVB, homegrowngreat.com.

Shores & Islands

Less than an hour’s drive from both Cleveland and Toledo and easily accessible via the Ohio Turnpike and other major state routes, Shores & Islands Ohio accommodates sports families with more than 8,000 sleeping rooms and over 615,000 square feet of event space.

Hotel Rooms: 8,000
Hotel tax rate: Ranges from 11.5 percent to 12.75 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Sports Force Park has nine multisport fields to accommodate soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and football
  • Cedar Point Sports Center includes 10 basketball courts that convert to 20 volleyball courts
  • Lake Erie provides natural venues for waterbased sports
Convention Center:

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions offers 210,000 square feet of function space and typically hosts cheer and dance, gymnastics, wrestling, karate, and esports.

Contact:

Shores & Islands, Sports.SHORESandISLANDS.com.

Toledo

Toledo is situated at the crossroads of I-75 and I-80/90, with two airports within a one-hour drive.

Hotel Rooms: 8,300
Hotel tax rate: 17.75 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Glass City Center features 75,000 square feet of versatile space for nearly every sport
  • Huntington Center is an 8,000-seat hockey arena
  • TOCA Toledo houses 70,000 square feet for soccer, flag football, softball, and baseball
  • Pacesetter Park features 25 soccer fields and eight baseball and softball diamonds
  • Tam-O-Shanter has two full-size ice rinks and a 36,000-square-foot fieldhouse
Contact:

Destination Toledo, VisitToledo.org.

Union County

Union County offers quality sporting venues, well-appointed lodging options, distinctive shopping, local dining, unique experiences, and small-town charm with easy accessibility to the Greater Columbus metropolitan region.

Hotel Rooms: 565
Hotel tax rate: 13.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Attaboyz Archery features an indoor archery range with a 20-m max shooting distance
  • Elysium Tennis has eight indoor courts and six outdoor courts, as well as 16 indoor pickleball courts
  • Integrity Athletics houses more than 40,000 square feet of space for gymnastics, tumbling, volleyball, and martial arts.
  • Union County Joint Recreational District Sports Complex has eight baseball/softball fields
Contact:

Union County CVB, unioncounty.org.

Warren County

Warren County is easily drivable, located within a one-day drive of 65 percent of the U.S. population. It also sits between two international airports: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and Dayton International Airport.

Hotel Rooms: 4,200
Hotel tax rate: 14 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Warren County Sports Park at Union Village is a turf and natural grass multipurpose facility
  • Lindner Family Tennis Center includes 17 courts and four stadiums
  • Lebanon Sports Complex features 32 multipurpose rectangular fields
  • Mason Sports Park consists of five diamonds and two multipurpose fields
  • Courts4Sports has six indoor basketball/volleyball courts
  • Corwin-Nixon Park houses four diamonds and eight rectangular fields
Contact:

Warren County CVB, OhiosLargestPlayground.com.