Fox Cities Champion Center Announces Naming Rights Partner

Fox Cities Sports Development, a subsidiary of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, is pleased to announce a partnership with Community First Credit Union for naming rights of the Fox Cities Champion Center. The facility will now be known as Community First Champion Center Fox Cities.

“Community First Credit Union’s commitment to our community is legendary and this partnership demonstrates their on-going support of investing in local projects that have a positive impact on our quality of life,” said Pam Seidl, President of Fox Cities Sports Development and Executive Director of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Community First Champion Center Fox Cities will be one of the best indoor sports facilities in the Midwest and will be a destination for sports events that drive positive economic impact in the Fox Cities.”

Scheduled to open in Fall 2019, the Champion Center will be a combination of ice and hard-court surfaces and will feature a year-round ice rink with seating for up to 1,000, a fieldhouse with four basketball courts or eight volleyball courts, and a seasonal arena that can be an ice rink or four basketball or four volleyball courts.

“A facility like this is an incredible benefit to our local athletes as well as a magnet drawing visitors to our community,” said Cathie Tierney, President and CEO of Community First Credit Union. “Supporting the goals of the young athletes who will train and compete here is important to the vibrancy of the place we call home.”

A study commissioned by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau demonstrated that the facility will bring an estimated economic impact of up to $8.9 million in the first year. With a ‘tourism first’ mission, the facility will focus on attracting sports teams from outside the Fox Cities, providing them with the opportunity to participate in tournaments and events. Local user groups will also have access to the space as the facility will complement other existing venues in the area to help fulfill unmet local needs.

The facility will be funded with room tax dollars collected by 10 Fox Cities municipalities. Including the Town of Grand Chute, the other municipalities are the City of Appleton, Village of Fox Crossing, City of Kaukauna, Village of Kimberly, Village of Little Chute, City of Menasha, City of Neenah, Town of Neenah and the Village of Sherwood.

The Fox Cities Champion Center is operated by the not-for-profit Fox Cities Sports Development, Inc., a subsidiary of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. Sports Facilities Management (SFM) and Appleton Ice, Inc. will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility.