As part of the Rockford Park District’s Master Planning process, a comprehensive study examined 10 years of operational, visitation and economic data from three of the park district’s premier sports facilities. The findings demonstrate that the vision behind these world-class venues has become a reality, transforming Winnebago County’s economic landscape.
The Rockford Park District owns, operates, maintains, promotes, markets and recruits tournaments for the three primary sports facilities, Mercyhealth Sportscore One, Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, and Sports Factory, which were the main focus of the Reclaiming First initiative.
Reclaiming First was a comprehensive plan initially developed in 2010 to retain tournaments, regain ones that were lost and grow into sports and markets the region had never served.
According to a press release, the 10-year study of the Reclaiming First project found that the Rockford Park District's three primary sports facilities, which were a part of the Reclaiming First initiative, welcomed more than 1.48 million visitors in 2025. When the Reclaiming First concept was developed in 2010, moderate expectations of economic output of visitors traveling 60 or more miles to these sports facilities were estimated to generate $8.8 million annually.
However, those projections appear to have been on the low end of what was actually achieved.
Rockford Park District’s three primary sports facilities have surpassed that initial forecast by 60%, averaging $14.1 million annually between late 2018 and early 2025, not including months of COVID-affected activity.
That totals $89.5 million in regional economic output generated by sports tourism activity at Rockford Park District sports facilities.
"This report demonstrates that these sports facilities are vital economic impact stimulators for the region," said Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners president Martesha Brown. “The Rockford Park District plays a significant and intentional role in strengthening the regional economy through recreation, tourism, and quality of life. High-impact sports facilities throughout the park system position the region as a competitive destination for sports tourism, tournaments, festivals, and events, attracting thousands of athletes, coaches, families, and visitors to our community each year. Events at the Rockford Park District sports facilities generate meaningful economic activity for local hotels, restaurants, retailers, transportation providers, and small businesses throughout the region. We are proud that these sports facilities are serving both our residents and the broader community in such meaningful ways. The Reclaiming First initiative was a success, however communities across the Midwest are actively competing to take away business that is so vital to the economic growth of our region. We must come together as a region to defend it.”
The study also highlighted the national standing of two of the Rockford Park District's premier facilities. Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ranked No. 9 among 913 flat field facilities nationwide, while the Sports Factory ranked No. 9 among 613 hard court facilities across the country.
Tournament volume also grew by 98% and team participation grew by 34%. These numbers all impact the sports tourism dollars which flow directly into the local economy through hotel stays, restaurant visits, retail purchases, transportation services, and other visitor spending throughout Winnebago County.
