|
|
| Issue: # 023 |
March 2, 2009 |
|
|
|
|
Wenatchee Valley Sports Council News
 Greetings!
Why does it seem the shortest month of the year is always packed with the most work?! Such was the case for February with your Wenatchee Valley Sports Council.
On the negative side, we didn't get the bid for state volleyball from WIAA. It's not for a lack of effort, instead, the need for more hotels in the valley. The good news (read below) is that this issue is being addressed.
Planning for our first major fundraiser for the Wenatchee Valley Sports Foundation is underway. The Wenatchee Valley Sips & Suds Wine and Ale Festival is set for August 14th and 15th at Town Toyota Center. Keep watching for more information and take a moment to fill out our survey. Putting a cap on 2008, our annual report had some pretty interesting facts and figures about sports tourism in the Wenatchee Valley. I hope you take time to read more about it (see below)
Happy Trails
Eric Granstrom - Wenatchee Valley Sports Council |
|
Fans are Wild for Hockey in Wenatchee  The North American Hockey League's newest team is enjoying Wild success during it's inaugural season in Wenatchee, both on the ice and off. The Wenatchee Wild league the league in attendance (2,548 average) and just completed a two-game sweep of division-leading Fairbanks over the weekend. The 5-2 finale was in front of a record 4,277 fans at Town Toyota Center.
With 12-games remaining in the regular season, the Wild have already clinched an NAHL playoff spot and will host the best-of-five, first-round series against the West Division's third-place finisher. Wenatchee trails Fairbanks by 11-points, so it's still within the realm of possibility for the Wild to take over 1st place.
The team's success couldn't be better news for Global Entertainment or the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center Public Facilities District. Global manages the $52.8-million building for the PFD, which opened it's doors in early October. The Wild's Paul Baxter has said he's, "never worked with a better bunch of people and building than we have here in Wenatchee. We've been in four or five different cities, and this Wenatchee crew is tops."
The Wild are on the road for eight games in Alaska before returning to Town Toyota Center March 18th to face the Alaska Avalanche in four games to wind up the regular season. Playoff dates are April 3rd, 4th, and 10th-12th. Tickets should go on sale to the general public within the next two weeks. |
 Comfort Suites Slated for Olds Station Developers Steven and Tanya Tramp have announced construction will begin soon on a new 84-room hotel at Olds Station next to the Cordell-Neher Building. According to the Tramps, the $8.9-million project will be completed by next year at this time with an opening by early spring.
The Comfort Suites at the Park will be a 3-story structure and offer "something unique to Wenatchee," according to the Tramps. This will be "Wenatchee's first and only all suite hotel with guest suites providing separate sleeping and living areas, as well as upgraded finishes." According to the Tramp's press release, the hotel will include 31 king suites; 41 double-queen suites; 7 accessible suites; and 5 Jacuzzi suites.  The Google Earth image shows the location of the hotel, and its proximity to the Confluence Technology Center, Chateau faire le Pont Winery, K-Mart Plaza and Confluence State Park.
When added to the Spring Hill Suites currently under construction at Wenatchee Avenue and Maple Street, the Wenatchee Valley hotel inventory will increase by 16% in the next year. Follow that up with a planned hotel in East Wenatchee near Costco and within two years, the valley will have added another 285 rooms. This will definitely help on crunch weekends such as Memorial Day with the Sterling Invitational Fastpitch Tournament and in October with the Apple Soccer Cup. |
What Impact of Town Toyota Center?
Now that 2008 is in the books, it's given the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council a chance to look back on the numbers a little more. One big question is whether the Town Toyota Center (opened in October '08) is having an impact on sports tourism in the Wenatchee Valley. The answer is yes.
Through just 16 events, the TTC helped add over $127,000 in direct spending by sports tourists between October 5th and December 31st. And that's measure just hockey, indoor soccer and the high school basketball showcase. If one looked further, a person would most assuredly find others traveling into the Wenatchee Valley, staying the night in a local hotel, eating in our restaurants and shopping in our stores for other events held at Town Toyota Center.
Granted, the loss of its indoor soccer team after only four games at Town Toyota Center will make it tougher for the management company (Global Entertainment) to meet first-year expectations, but we believe they're up to the challenge. Those who have worked with building management have reported incredibly successful stories with a "bend-over-backward" attitude by Wenatchee's Global Entertainment staff and employees.
As ribbon-cutting for Town Toyota Center neared, the Sports Council predicted a $10-million economic impact in its first full year of operation, so it will be interesting to see how close it comes. Enjoying record-setting crowds for Wenatchee Wild hockey helps as well as being a host for the upcoming playoffs. And, there's still plenty of speculation in the valley about an indoor football team calling Town Toyota Center home in 2010. Stay tuned! |
 Teams Honored for Sportsmanship The Chelan County Basketball Officials Association awarded sportsmanship scholarships to two area-schools toward the end of the 2008-2009 basketball season. Honored were the Waterville Boys and Wenatchee Girls basketball teams.
According to the Association's Jacob Burkhart, each team was awarded a $250 check for outstanding sportsmanship exhibited during the season. |
Apple Blossom Thunder Silenced by Economy If you thought the Wenatchee Valley was insulated from the nation's economic woes, think again. Looks like budget crunches have dissuaded organizers of the Entiat hydroplane race to return this year.
According to Shawn Warren, Commodore of the Tacoma Inboard Racing Association, "we just couldn't come up with the sponsorship this year to make it happen." In a phone interview from the San Juan Islands, Warren said having to cancel this year's Apple Blossom weekend race was very disappointing. "We had such a great time last year...and even delayed Saturday's racing so we could be in the Apple Blossom Grand Parade! It's truly a shame we had to cancel this year's stop in Entiat."
Warren said it costs about $10,000 to put a race on in Entiat. He said, "one-third of that is for a crane to lift the boats into the water and another third is for APBA costs (such as insurance, permits and rescue apparatus)." "I was working with Julie Porter out of Manson and Bruce Dunkin in Entiat to help find sponsorships locally, but we just couldn't get it done before a deadline to produce flyers and advertise the season's races," said Warren.
There is no fee for the public to view the races and race organizers do not pay any employees. "We get mostly volunteers," said Warren. He continued, "we're a non-profit organization and after last year's event, we had $140 left over. We don't do it to make money. We do it for the love of the sport." Warren said he and his club would work hard to make a triumphant return to Entiat in 2010.
(photo provided by Monte Dodge) |
 R U Going to the Olympics? Who knows what benefits you may enjoy for letting E3NCW know you're going already going to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver less than a year from now?! Email today! |
 Sports Foundation Elects Officers All told, the organization was down $565 at year's end after paying bills for non-profit status filing, website and logo creation, and purchasing trophies and plaques for for the NCW Scholarship Shootout and Coaches of Inspiration Awards.
The Foundation is currently working on it's first, major fundraiser in August. The Wenatchee Valley Sips & Suds Wine & Ale Festival will be held at Town Toyota Center August 14th from 5-11pm and August 15th from 5pm-Midnight. It will feature local wineries and NCW ales, food from local restaurants and local music. Stay tuned for more information about Sips & Suds soon! |
 Loop Trail Connection Closed According to the City of Wenatchee, Westway Construction will be working on the bridge Monday through Friday, but will re-open on the weekends.
"Bridge Closed" signs have gone up at Walla Walla, Orondo, 9th and 19th along the trail to let trail-users know of the closure.
The work is part of the construction needed to repair the bridge and do away with restrictions while the irrigation pipe is charged. The bridge closures are not expected to impact this month's Apple Capital Loop Fun Run on the 21st or Wenatchee Valley Duathlon on the 28th.
(photo provided by Mark Peters) |
|
March Sports Calendar
6-8 - Special Olympics Winter Games - 1,500 Athletes competing in basketball, alpine & nordic skiing, snowboarding, figure and speed skating. WELCOME ATHLETES AND FANS!!! 13-15 - 21st Annual Steve Talbot Wenatchee AAU girls basketball tournament (55 teams) 18, 20-21 - Alaska Avalanche vs. Wenatchee Wild at Town Toyota Center, 7:05pm 21 - NCW Mule Deer Foundation Banquet at Eagle's Lodge in Wenatchee. Tickets are $60/single, $85/couple (includes 2 dinners & 1 membership). Call Dennis Mengelos at 433-1620
21 - 15th Annual Apple Capital Loop Fun Run. Fundraiser for Eastmont Junior High School. Registration for full or partial loop run, walk or ride begins at 8am at Walla Walla Point Park. 22 - Alaska Avalanche vs. Wenatchee Wild at Town Toyota Center, 5:05pm 27-29 - Umpires Jamboree men's softball at Walla Walla Point Park
27-29 - BPA Kickoff boys baseball at Hydro Park
28 - Central Washington Longbeards annual Heritage Banquet. Tickets are $50/single, $70/couple (includes 2 dinners & 1 membership). Call James Bowen at 663-2329 for info. |
 Visitors Guides Now Available For your complimentary copy, stop by our Visitors Center at 25 N. Wenatchee Avenue next to the Owl Soda Fountain or at our Visitors Center at the Apple Commission Office at Olds Station. You can also request a copy via email at info@wenatcheevalley.org.
| |
|
|
Thank you for being part of the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council on-line community. If you'd like more information about the Sports Council, go to our website!
Sincerely,
Eric Granstrom
Wenatchee Valley Sports Council |
|
|
|
|
|
