West Michigan Sports Commission Reports Economic Figures for 2025, Plans For 2026

The West Michigan Sports Commission last week unveiled its economic impact report for 2025 and announced plans for the opening of the expanded Meijer Sports Complex this spring.

According to the commission, youth and amateur sports tourism generated an estimated $83.5 million for the region in 2025, thanks to 105 events that attracted just over 300,000 visitors and filled more than 50,000 hotel rooms.

That economic impact is down 8.1% from 2024, when it brought in $90.8 million, but 52% higher than the 2019 figure of $54.9 million. The number of athletes and visitors increased to its highest level in five years despite the fact that nine events were canceled in 2025 due to low participation numbers.

The Meijer State Games of Michigan — an Olympic-style, multi-sport event featuring athletes of all ages and abilities that has both a Winter and Summer version — attracted 8,328 athletes and generated $2.9 million in estimated economic impact, the latter a 17.1% increase from 2024 and a 43% jump from 2019.

“We continue to see positive trends of sports tourism helping drive West Michigan’s economy,” said Mike Guswiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission.

A major step for the region will be the opening of the expanded Meijer Sports Complex, which cost $13.5 million. Aquinas College’s women’s softball team will use the complex starting in March, and the grand opening is set for May. The facility can now accommodate more than 200 additional teams, which is forecast to bring an additional $1 million in visitor spending. The complex will now feature a new championship softball field; 20 pickleball courts including one that will host the PPA Challenger Series Pickleball Tournament in September; and 300 more parking spaces.

This July the WMSC will host the second year of The Hartford Games, the largest and longest-running national event for athletes with disabilities. That is one of more than 100 events the organization is expected to host this year, including the Meijer State Winter Games next month and the Summer Games in late June.

Next year will also be significant, as Amway Stadium, home of an MLS NextPro franchise, is scheduled to open in 2027. The WMSC is working with Legends Global on a booking policy for the 8,500-seat stadium, which will be estimated to host more than 50 events each year in addition to the soccer schedule.

“This is an exciting time in West Michigan as we continue to strategize on how to build out our sports infrastructure to make the region even more competitive for hosting youth and amateur sporting events,” said Guswiler, who was named the executive of the year by Sports ETA last February. “National rights holders and tournament directors are going to put Grand Rapids at the top of thir bid lists when they see the expanded Meijer Sports Complex and new Amway Stadium, and we want to keep building facilities like these so our region is a top contender across all sports.”

The WMSC was founded in 2007 and has since booked more than 1,400 sporting events that have brought more than 2.7 million people to the region, filled 632,601 hotel room nights and generated more than $822 million in estimated economic impact.