There really is no place quite like Colorado Springs, and Megan Leatham, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Sports Corp., knows why. She says, “Colorado Springs has become one of the most popular destinations for sporting events. We have a beautiful backdrop in Pikes Peak. We have great tourist activities. But, most importantly, we are Olympic City USA. The city is home to 25 of the national Olympic governing bodies. If you want to feel the pulse of sport, Colorado Springs is the place to be.”
Hotels: Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor waterpark will please many youth athletes. For historic ambience, consider The Broadmoor, which has been a part of the Colorado Springs landscape for more than a century. The DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs is within walking distance of The Broadmoor World Arena. The aviation-themed Hotel Polaris sits just outside the United States Air Force Academy.
Venues: The Broadmoor World Arena hosts full-arena sports ranging from ice hockey to rodeo, while the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center harbors a velodrome, shooting range, and aquatic center for diverse events. Sky View Sports Complex encompasses six artificial turf baseball/fast-pitch softball fields with two equipped for athletes in wheelchairs. “An incredibly unique venue is Pikes Peak [itself],” says Leatham. “There are quite a few sports tourism-related events that take place on the mountain—talk about being creative with the venues that you have!”
Activities: Leatham notes, “How often can you finish up with a sporting event, have a couple-hour break, and tour the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, as well as the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum? If you are an athlete, you can feel the Olympic movement here.” Also near the city is Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center,
with red rocks suitable for hiking and exploring.
