Chicago Southland Is Popular Home of Top Sports Event Facilities

CVB Shows Why Chicago Southland Is Popular Home of Top Sports Event Facilities

Leading sports organizers are increasingly realizing there are more Chicagoland sports facilities just outside of city limits. This gives sports planners more opportunities to enjoy the close proximity of Chicago in a serene, suburban location. Chicago Southland consists of Chicago's 63 south and southwest suburbs which are just minutes from downtown Chicago.

Each year, the number of families building vacations around their child’s sporting event increases. Sports travel produces over 20 million visitors annually who spend more than $10.47 billion, according to National Association of Sports Commissions.

Top Seven Sports Event Facilities in Chicago Southland

SeatGeek Stadium: Formerly known as Toyota Park, SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview is home to the Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Chicago Red Stars. You will also find a variety of sports competitions; past events have included Rugby challenges, the Spartan Stadium Race, and the USASA National Cup Finals. This gorgeous stadium features a full-size, 75x120 yard, natural grass field and holds up to 20,000 attendees. There’s also a 90,000 square-foot dome and plentiful parking onsite.  

Southland Center: The Southland Center in Lynwood continues to hold its title as the hub of sports tournaments.
They have hosted several games, such as the Prime Time Sports Basketball Tournament, American Cornhole Organization Chicago Southland Major, and the American Tae-Kwon-Do Association Class “A” Tournament. Recent facility renovations include 10 brand new portable basketball courts (14 volleyball courts) available from April-October. With this addition, the Southland Center is officially named as the largest indoor continual wood portable court space in North America.

Matteson Community Center: With over 73,000 square feet of multi-purpose rooms, sports planners and teams immerse themselves in two indoor basketball courts with wooden bleachers along the wall, as well as baseball fields. The Matteson Community Center has hosted a plethora of events year-round, such as the Baylor Youth Basketball Nike Showdown, Hoop It Up, and MultiGP Drone Racing North Central Regional Final.

Memorial Park Fields: Midlothian’s Memorial Park Fields is the ideal location for sports planners upcoming softball and baseball tournaments, featuring five lighted and skinned infield softball diamonds resembling a wheel, and one baseball field. Memorial Park Fields has hosted multiple worldwide competitions, such as the Game Day USA Deep Dish Classic, JP Sports World Wiffle Ball Championship, USSSA and Triple Crown Sports.

Chicago Gaelic Park: Featuring 65-acres of cultural community space and seating up to 2,000 guests, Gaelic Park is a Chicago Southland go-to sports event facility. The field has held many sporting events, such as the Chicagoland Lacrosse Getaway Festival, the 2009/2010 USUSA Midwest Regional Cup Finals, and the NXL Chicago Open Paintball Event. Teams are also welcome to host events in the park’s banquet hall and theater.

Roma Sports Club: Chicago Southland is home to one of Illinois’ ‘sports complex gems’, the Roma Sports Club. With plenty of turf space and modern sports facilities,
sports planners have plenty of opportunities for soccer, baseball, basketball, football, futsal, and volleyball tournaments.

Tinley Park Convention Center: Conveniently located less than an hour from city limits, this multi-purpose venue provides 70,000 square feet of space. They have held multiple major events, such as the USA Juda and the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series US Pro & Collegiate Championships. The attached Holiday Inn allows convenience for out of town guests.

Location and accessibility are two main features causing leading sports organizers to consider the Southland region. The Chicago Southland is an ideal sporting event location with convenient proximity to downtown Chicago, access to several interstates, and minutes from Midway and O’Hare International Airports, making getting to and from the event a breeze. Interstates 55,57,80,94, 294 and 355 serve the Chicago Southland, making Chicago Southland’s Sports Facilities easily accessible, no matter what direction visitors are coming from. In fact, the Chicago Southland is accessible from eight states in under a five-hour drive.

Sports and tourism play a major role in bringing the 63 Chicago Southland communities together. The interaction of the two results in a better quality of life. The Visit Chicago Southland recognizes this and prides itself on working with sports events from beginning to end. When asked to describe what it was like working with Visit Chicago Southland, Jake Mason at USA Dodgeball said, "Working with the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau has been absolutely amazing. They helped us with everything we needed from our hotels to our shuttles to our after-party spot, which is most important.

For more information on any of these locations, or to book your next sports tournament, download CSCVB’s free Sports Venue Guide or contact their Sports Events expert, Joel Koester directly here:

VisitChicagoSouthland.com/SportsContact

About Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination management and marketing organization for Chicago’s 63 south and southwest suburbs. The Visit Chicago Southland markets the Chicago Southland region as a destination for meetings, conventions, group tour, sports events and leisure.

For teams and other organizations looking for ideal sports facilities in Chicago Southland for their next event, game, or tournament, check out the Chicago Southland website at www.PlayChicagoSouthland.com.

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