Key Takeaways
- Pratt organizers estimate each tournament weekend at the new Point Pavilion will bring roughly $300,000 into local hotels, restaurants and shops.
- Construction relies on a $2.6 million state grant, $2 million in hotel guest taxes and private gifts, with no property or sales tax dollars involved.
- Mid-America Youth Basketball is weighing five to 10 weekend events at the 109,000-square-foot building, which also has four Division I tennis programs committed.
The City of Pratt, Kansas, breaks ground Wednesday, Oct. 28, on the Point Pavilion, a 109,000-square-foot indoor sports complex the city expects to cost up to $14.4 million, according to The Hutch Post. The facility is designed to host youth and collegiate tournaments, and project organizers estimate a single tournament weekend can generate about $300,000 in local economic activity. The ceremony is set for 4:30 p.m. east of the Bill Keller Family Sports Complex at 2211 E. Sixth St.
How Pratt Is Funding the Point Pavilion
The project carries an estimated cost of $12.2 million to $14.4 million, and city officials are pursuing the full $14.4 million build, per the report.
According to project information, construction funding comes from three sources:
- A $2.6 million grant from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
- $2 million in hotel guest tax revenue
- Private donations
The city says no property or sales tax revenue will go toward construction. Using hotel guest taxes ties a portion of the funding directly to the visitor traffic the facility is meant to attract.
What the Indoor Sports Complex Will Include
The building is configured for multiple sports that typically compete for the same floor space. Planned features, per the project details, include:
- Nearly 10,000 square feet of dedicated wrestling space, enough for four college-size mats
- Six championship-quality tennis courts that convert into five college basketball courts
- A 90-by-200-foot indoor turf area
- Four locker rooms, five restrooms, a training room and three coaches’ offices
- More than 2,000 square feet of suite space overlooking the track
The pavilion will also house Pratt Recreation’s offices and Visit Pratt, the city’s visitor information operation. That puts programming and tourism promotion under the same roof as the venue they will be booking.
Outdoor plans call for four pickleball courts, a basketball court, turf pitch-and-putt golf, a gathering area and walking trails linking to the city’s Green Trails system. The city also plans about 100 new permanent parking spaces, with overflow parking for larger events.
Which Events Are Already Lined Up?
Pratt has early interest from both youth and college organizers. Mid-America Youth Basketball has expressed interest in bringing five to 10 weekend tournaments to the facility, according to the report. Pratt Community College hopes to host men’s and women’s basketball jamborees.
On the collegiate tennis side, four NCAA Division I programs have committed to competing at the pavilion, including Army, which is expected to play in the inaugural event. The city is also in discussions with the National Junior College Athletic Association about establishing a national indoor tennis tournament in Pratt.
Other targets named in the project information include Kansas State High School Activities Association postseason track meets, Region VI junior college track competitions, wrestling tournaments and summer sports camps. Beyond athletics, the space is expected to host trade shows and community gatherings.
The Point Pavilion is meant to complement the existing Blythe Family Fitness Center rather than replace it. Blythe will keep volleyball and gymnastics, while the new building focuses on practices, competitions and larger events.
Five to 10 Basketball Weekends at $300,000 Apiece
The economic case rests on simple math. If Mid-America Youth Basketball brings the five to 10 weekends it has floated, and each delivers the roughly $300,000 organizers estimate, basketball alone could account for $1.5 million to $3 million in annual local spending. That range does not yet count tennis, track, wrestling or camps.
None of those tournament dates are confirmed. Mid-America Youth Basketball’s interest is just that, and the NJCAA tennis tournament remains in discussion. The firmest commitment on the calendar so far is a Division I tennis event with Army in the field, scheduled for a building that starts construction this week.
Source / Adapted From: The Hutch Post, October 27, 2026, https://hutchpost.com/posts/75ce095f-9e35-452b-8b00-e7d1fb12ab70
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How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
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Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
