NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Norfolk is continuing to explore an entrance into the sports tourism market, and so far the advice they’ve received is to put the plan on ice.
And that is to be taken literally.
In a presentation to Norfolk City Council at their fall retreat Monday, Sean Washington, Norfolk’s economic development director, said preliminary results of a market feasibility analysis found that if the former Military Circle Mall site is to be used for sport tourism, a “tournament-caliber ice complex” would be the way to go.
“When you think about ice, you think of particular things here, largely speaking, figure skating, if you think of that from a national and Olympic standpoint, and you can think of that from an ice hockey standpoint as well,” Washington said. “If there is a hole that is identified, that is the data that actually exists that supports why this can be successful here at the Military Circle Mall site.”
Norfolk’s Economic Development Authority, which owns the majority of the Military Circle Mall property and officially closed the mall last year, hired Victus Advisors to complete the study after previous plans for the site fell through.
Along with Gensler Architects, they are hoping to help the city make the sprawling property profitable again.
“Sports tourism” has been pushed by several council members. It’s been defined by Victus as regional or national travel for the purpose of observing or participating in a sporting event.
It’s has been something many local governments have been trying to cash in on. In 2023, sports-related travel spending reached $52.2 billion, according to the Sports Events and Tourism Association.
Victus also advised Virginia Beach and the communities of the Historic Triangle on their sports centers. There is also the Hampton Aquatic Center and Boo Williams Sportsplex within an hour’s drive.
“They are really doing a deep analysis around what categories in the sports realm can actually work at this particular site in our city that not overly saturated in the rest of our Hampton Roads market,” Washington said.
The report should be done by the middle of December and will include everything from possible partnerships, costs and return on investment.
Both Mayor Kenny Alexander and Councilman Tommy Smigiel say they believe in sports tourism’s potential.
“We can create such a great tourism area from Northampton [Boulevard] all the way down to Military Circle to really capitalize the money coming into this area,” Smigiel said.
Gensler’s plans also call for housing, a hotel, retail and open space on the 70+-acre site.
