Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (RACVB) noted that the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has selected Rock Valley College (RVC) to be the host for the 2018 NJCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament happening November 8-11, 2018. The quarterfinals and all championship games will be played on the new turf fields at MercyRockford Sportscore 2. This tournament is expected to draw 750 total visitors that will generate $130,500 in economic impact to the region.
“As our community’s college, we are always looking for ways to partner with other organizations for the good of the community,” said Rock Valley College Athletic Director Misty Opat. “We’re excited to be working with the RACVB to bring national championship college soccer to Rockford and we hope to work together with them to bring more exciting sporting events to the city in the future.”
The NJCAA Championship Events Committee met in March to determine the locations of future national championships and recently informed RVC of its selection. The bidding process was between RVC and Tompkins Cortland Community College located in New York. RVC and RACVB officials collaborated to submit the bid and make this a reality for RVC and the City of Rockford. This will be the first time RVC has hosted a NJCAA tournament.
In 2015, local sports facilities welcomed nearly 4.4 million residents and visitors, which significantly increased from the year prior. Collectively, with participants, coaches and fans, the sports tourism industry continues to generate an estimated $16.5 million in visitor spending to the region annually.
“It has been a banner year for RACVB, and our entire community, as we’ve earned great results from the tournaments hosted in our region and the many upcoming wins recently announced. We have a great alliance with our partners locally and nationally that helps take these tournaments and event experiences to even greater heights,” said John Groh, president/CEO of the RACVB. “Our commitment to building a sustainable sports tourism market has proven that great ideas can come to fruition with determination, focus and a willingness to dream big.”
RACVB exists to drive quality of life and economic growth for the citizens of Rockford and Winnebago County through tourism marketing and destination development. gorockford.com
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