windsor indoor sports facility feasibility study final report · a swot (strengths, weaknesses,...

Windsor Indoor Sports Facility Feasibility Study

FINAL REPORT

Submitted to:

Ray MensourThe Corporation of the City of Windsor400 City Hall Square, Suite 403Windsor, ON N9A 7K6

September 3, 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS ------------ Executive Summary Page 1

Chapter 1 SWOT Analysis Page 3

Chapter 2 Economic, Demographic, and Tourism Analysis Page 6

Chapter 3 Sports & Recreation Facility Industry Trends Page 14

Chapter 4 Local Sports Facility Supply and Demand Analysis Page 32

Chapter 5 Comparable & Competitive Sports Facility Analysis Page 44

Chapter 6 Sports Tournaments & Opportunity Analysis Page 55

Chapter 7 Hotel Market Analysis Page 64

Chapter 8 Budgets & Projections Page 69

Chapter 9 Recommendations Page 80

Appendix Notice to the Reader

WFCU Centre Indoor Sports Facility Expansion Feasibility Study Page 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND PROJECT PROFILE Hunden Strategic Partners (HSP) was retained by the Corporation of the City of Windsor (City) to determine the need and opportunity for an indoor sports and recreation facility. The proposed facility would be attached to the WFCU Centre and primarily serve turf-oriented uses with some consideration of non-turf uses. HSP was also requested to investigate the addition of an outdoor turf field with a seasonal dome. The primary aim of the facility is to increase local usage with the additional potential to host major events.

HSP met with or interviewed sport user groups from the local area, provincial-level organizations and national governing bodies to determine the local opportunity as well as the potential to host tournaments. The available facilities for most sports in Windsor (and most larger facilities across Ontario), as well as the current and likely future demand, were analyzed and profiled as part of the HSP study.

The WFCU Centre currently provides playing surfaces for a number of indoor year-round court and ice-related sports. Outdoor sports, however, are limited or prohibited from playing during cold months unless an indoor turf field is provided. Soccer, the largest relevant team sport by participation in Windsor, is challenged by the fact that there are a limited number of opportunities to utilize the existing indoor soccer fields at Central Park and Novelletto Rosati Sports and Recreation complex as they currently operate near maximum capacity. The lack of an indoor FIFA-sized field limits the season and opportunity for soccer and other outdoor sports.

Recommendations and Cost Estimates

Through the comprehensive analyses, HSP determined that there is an opportunity for an indoor FIFA-sized fieldhouse in Windsor. However, a partnership would be required to support capital costs and enter into a long-term lease. The projected capital cost of the expansion is $58.7 million, and the net operating income is at a projected loss of roughly $525 thousand per year.

Recommendation: HSP recommends that an indoor FIFA-sized turf field facility be developed if there is a partner willing to support capital costs and enter into a long-term lease. Additionally, an outdoor FIFA-sized turf field could be developed with a partner. This facility could host certain tournaments and other non-turf sports. The support amenities may include:

§ Elevated walking track § 1,500 spectator seats § Eight team changing/locker rooms (divisible) § Fitness, storage rooms § 800 parking stalls § Convert one ice pad in Windsor to a year-round non-ice surface (with 1,500 spectator seats)


Summary

HSP believes there is not enough market demand to support the development of the indoor multipurpose facility given the supply, unless there is a partnership. Both the FIFA-sized field and the converted ice rink will accommodate the needs of the local sports community.








Chapter 6 Sports Tournaments & Opportunity Analysis 5






SWOT ANALYSIS A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis was conducted to identify critical factors that will impact the Project’s overall performance and opportunity. The analysis also suggests implications for the sizing and quality of the project given the current environment. Strengths and weaknesses are current factors impacting the potential project as well as items inherent in the project or market, while opportunities and threats are potential and external factors impacting the success of the Project.

This section also provides recommendations on the size and quality of the Project based on HSP’s review of the market and other factors. In addition, HSP’s experience with similar projects and how they have performed played a role in our recommendations and projections.

Strengths § Demand for Year-Round Field Use. Several turf sports, especially soccer, are robust enough to

fill an indoor facility during the five months of colder weather when outdoor fields are not a ready option. By allowing such year-round activity, the community will be supporting a large cohort of youth and adult participants who can benefit themselves, their teams and their community via this opportunity.

§ Strong Local and Provincial Demand. Local and provincial organizations regularly search for high-quality venues, as well as venues with large enough capacities to host their local, regional and provincial tournaments. These groups are busy enough to rent an indoor facility throughout the season, during the week and weekends, for practices and games.

§ Tourism Reputation. Windsor has already established itself as a sports tourism destination for many outdoor and indoor sports. With the development of the proposed indoor sports facility, Windsor has the opportunity to increase and attract sports tourism events to the area.

Weaknesses § Seasonal Use. The usage and financials for an indoor facility suffer in the warmer months when

the facility will be in less demand.

Opportunities § Flexibility Despite Weather or Field Conditions. The facility would provide an overflow field

during warm months when existing outdoor fields are booked, as well as a backup field during stormy weather. In addition, if an outdoor field is resting or being overseeded, then the indoor facility can take pressure off of the need to use all outdoor fields during warm weather.

§ Development of Tournaments and Leagues. Developing partnerships with local teams or leagues, provincial organizations, national and international organizations will increase the ability to develop, manage and conduct several regional tournaments per year that will bring participants and spectators from around the province and potentially the United States.

§ Tournaments and Tourism. A new indoor facility in Windsor has the opportunity to be one of the highest-quality facilities in the region, with championship-caliber facilities and amenities. With additional investment, the surface could be converted for use by volleyball, badminton and other non-turf sports for tournaments.


§ Ability to Team with Potential City of Tecumseh Indoor Sports Facility. The proposed indoor sports facility in the City of Tecumseh suggests that the market is lacking quality indoor turf space. While the project could potentially compete with any development in Windsor, the ability to attract larger events to the area by utilizing both facilities, if both are developed, is present.

§ Recent Population Growth. Windsor has been experiencing growth over the past several years, after a decade of population stagnation. This is driven in part by immigration. This growing diversity of the population is driving the demand for certain sports, like soccer and cricket.

Threats § Competition from Potential City of Tecumseh Indoor Sports Facility. The City of Tecumseh

conducted a market and financial feasibility study on a potential indoor sports facility similar to the proposed Windsor facility. If built first, the development of an indoor sports facility in Tecumseh will likely accommodate much of the local demand and need for a similar facility in Windsor.

§ Existing Facilities. Windsor is already served by two indoor sports field facilities with Novelletto and Central Park. Many teams and organizations have established relationships with these current facilities. Adding an additional indoor facility has the possibility to drive rental rates down within the market, negatively affecting the supplier.











Chapter 9 Recommendations 0



ECONOMIC, DEMOGRAPHIC, AND TOURISM ANALYSIS Local market area characteristics such as population, demographics, a diversified economy, access, quality of the downtown area, and tourist attractions all influence the potential demand and appeal of a multipurpose youth sports facility.

This chapter profiles the Windsor, Ontario area, and includes an overview of the economic characteristics of the metropolitan market as well as a description of local attractions.

Regional Access

There are only two vehicular roadways that provide access between downtown Windsor and Detroit, Michigan; the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Passports are required for border crossings and wait times can vary depending on the day and time. However, construction on a new bridge should be complete by 2024.

§ Ambassador Bridge is an undivided four-lane, 2.5-kilometer long suspension bridge that links Interstate 75 in Michigan to Huron Church Road and the Mac Donald-Cartier Freeway via the Herb Gray Parkway. Crossing the bridge requires a $6.25 toll ($5.00 USD). The bridge is the busiest international gateway between the U.S. and Canada, carrying 8,000 trucks and 68,000 passenger cars per day. The Detroit side of the Ambassador Bridge is well-connected to the rest of the U.S. Interstate Highway system via I-75, 94 and 96.

§ Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is a two-lane tunnel under the Detroit River. The tunnel requires a toll of $4.75 ($4.50 USD) from Windsor to Detroit and $6.00 ($5.00 USD) from Detroit to Windsor. The tunnel carries about 13,000 cars daily.

Windsor sits at the edge of a 24-kilometer wide peninsula between Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. It is connected by land to the east via the Mac Donald Cartier Freeway (401) and along the shores via Highways 3 and 42, which are two-lane roadways.

Regional access to the northeast includes Toronto, which lies roughly 365 kilometers from Windsor, as well as London, which is the first major city along Highway 401, about 160 kilometers to the northeast.

Air Access

Two airports service the Windsor area: Windsor International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is located in Romulus, a suburb of Detroit, approximately 50 kilometers southwest of Windsor. The airport provides service to more than 130 destinations and is a hub for Delta and Spirit Airlines.

The Windsor International Airport (YQG) is located in the southeast region of Windsor. According to the Windsor Star, passengers decreased by approximately four percent from 331,478 in 2016 to approximately 317,000 in 2017.


The figure below shows the drive times from Windsor to the rest of Ontario.

Figure 2-1

Currently, many major events in Ontario are held in Toronto. There is, however, opportunity for Windsor to host large events that would be more accessible to the Southwest region of Ontario. Windsor’s position as the gateway from the United States to Canada through Detroit provides an additional advantage in attracting international visitors.

Population and Growth Rates

The following table shows population changes in Canada, Ontario, Windsor CMA, and Windsor.


Table 2-1

Population growth in Windsor has been growing at a slightly lower rate than Ontario and the rest of Canada but has remained positive over the last 25 years. A portion of this growth is attributable to immigration. The figure below provides some quick facts on these immigration trends.

Figure 2-2

This immigration has not only impacted the population growth rate, but it has influenced trends in the sports market. The growing diversity has influenced demand for certain types of sports, such as soccer and cricket, and the youth sports market has seen overall growth.

Unemployment

The following figure shows the unemployment rate in Canada, Ontario, and Windsor from 2000 through May 2017.

Population and Growth RatesPopulation Percent Change

1991 2001 2011 2016 2011-2016

Canada 27,296,859 30,007,094 33,476,688 35,151,728 5.0%Ontario 10,084,885 11,410,046 12,851,821 13,448,494 4.6%

Windsor CMA 262,075 307,877 319,246 329,144 3.1%City of Windsor 191,435 209,218 210,891 217,188 3.0%

City Pop. As % of Metro Area 73.0% 68.0% 66.1% 66.0% --

Source: Statistics Canada, Hunden Strategic Partners


Figure 2-3

The unemployment rate in Windsor had been higher than Ontario and the nation since 2004 with a high of 16 percent in June 2009. However, the rate in Windsor has been decreasing since July 2015 and dipped lower than the national and provincial rate in June 2016. This is a positive trend for the overall Windsor economy.

Windsor Colleges and Universities

The presence of colleges, universities and educational institutions can serve as a demand base for athletic complexes. Colleges and universities contribute to the sports supply, as well as potential users of local athletic facilities. The student populations utilize cultural and entertainment attractions and attend events, specifically those in downtown areas proximal to their respective university/college. The following table summarizes the Windsor area colleges and universities.

Table 2-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Source: Statatistics Canada, Hunden Strategic Partners

Unemployment Rates

Canada Ontario Windsor

Windsor Area Colleges & Universities

InstitutionDistance from

WFCU (km)Highest

Degree Offered EnrollmentCollège Boréal 4.2 Bachelors N/AUniversity of Windsor 13.9 Doctorate 16,000St. Clair College 19.8 Masters 10,539Total Enrollment 26,539

Source: Ontario Immigration, Hunden Strategic Partners


The Windsor area has three major institutions for higher education with a combined enrollment of more than 26,000 students. Collège Boréal, a French language college, has three competitive teams with an estimated 50 total competitive athletes. In addition, the college has many students that participate in various recreational sports. The University of Windsor is home to approximately 445 athletes on their competitive rosters, and thousands more that participate in intramurals. St. Clair College offer 14 varsity sports teams that account for between 400 – 500 athletes.

Attractions

Tourist attractions provide visitors activities while in town and, if compelling enough, provide Windsor a competitive advantage over other potential sports destinations. The table below summarizes the primary attractions in the Windsor market.

Table 2-3

Windsor has a variety of attractions, including: § Caesars Windsor - A resort casino that features 758 rooms, a 5,000-seat theater, and attracts

more than six million visitors annually. § Walkerville - A historic district in Windsor located southeast of Caesars that features unique shops

and restaurants. § Colasanti’s Tropical Garden - Opened in 1942, Colasanti’s has since grown into a 35-acre site

that has 15 temperature-controlled greenhouses, mini golf, arcade room, restaurants, and a zoo with petting farm.

Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre

The Windsor International Aquatic & Training Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that hosts swimming and diving competitions. The Olympic-size pool has movable flooring and bulkheads to allow for a variety of configurations.

AttractionsFacility Category

Caesars Windsor CasinoWalkerville Cultural DistrictArt Gallery of Windsor GalleryColasanti's Tropical Garden GardenFort Malden National Historic Site Historic SiteWillistead Manor Historic SitePoint Pelee National Park ParkOjibway Nature Centre ParkWindsor Sculpture Park ParkWFCU Centre Sports VenueWIATC / Adventure Bay Water Park

Source: Tourism WEPI


The bleachers hold up to 900 spectators for large competitions. The center also features an attached waterpark and several meeting rooms for parties and other events. The water park, Adventure Bay, includes a wave pool, surfing simulator and more. A medium-sized fitness area is attached as well. The following table shows the future scheduled events at the WIATC.

Table 2-4

There are several major events at the WIATC scheduled for the coming years. These events have the ability to attract thousands of participants, coaches and spectators.

Implications The local population can provide a local user base for a potential new facility. Additionally, Windsor has become a city with the ability to attract sporting tournaments and events. This coupled with the sport hosting resume of Windsor, which features major international, national and provincial events gives Windsor the opportunity to continue to attract events to a new facility attached to the WFCU Centre. HSP also consulted with Windsor’s Sports Tourism Officer, who indicated that the community has a strong desire to attract tournaments and events to the region. Additionally, the Municipal Accommodation Act is in place to support tourism initiatives such as this one.

City of Windsor Swimming Event List (WIATC)

Year Month Event Name Participant Information2018 January Long Course Meet 250 participants2018 February OFSAA Championship 2,000 participants2018 March Spring Invitational Meet 650 participants, 250 coaches and 5,000 spectators2018 April Eastern Nationals 650 participants, 250 coaches and 5,000 spectators2018 April Seal Swim Meet 400 participants2018 April 2018 Canadian Synchronized Swimming Championship 225 athletes, 100 coaches2018 May Amanda Reason Swim Meet 650 participants, 250 coaches and 5,000 spectators2018 July International Swim Meet 600 participants2020 April Eastern Nationals 650 participants, 250 coaches and 5,000 spectators

Source: City of Windsor


SPORTS AND RECREATION FACILITY INDUSTRY TRENDS The following section analyzes the governing bodies and participation trends within each sport at a national, provincial, and local level.

Sport Governing Bodies

In Canada, each sport governed at a national level through National Sport Organizations (NSOs) or National Sport Federations (NSFs). These governing bodies are responsible for providing the following:

§ Governing all aspects of a sport within Canada; § Managing their high-performance programs; § Selecting and managing their national teams; § Implementing national initiatives to develop and promote their sport; § Sanctioning national level competitions and tournaments; § Providing professional development for coaches and officials in their sports; § Proposing and supporting bids for international competitions in Canada.

Each NSO/NSF has member associations that govern the sport within designated areas. Generally, the member associations are the provinces within Canada. These member associations are called Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) and they report directly to the NSO/NSF. Each PSO consists of member or district organizations. Member or district organizations are made up of cities or counties within the PSO. Typically, Windsor would be part of the Ontario PSO.

The following discussion profiles each sport’s NSO/NSF, PSO, and local participation figures. The numbers presented in this section are specific for each NSO/NSF, PSO, or local organization/program. HSP’s focus is primarily on local participation, as any new facility will primarily accommodate local needs.

The following table shows 2015 - 2016 participation. If data was not available or not provided, it is marked as “n/a”. This does not imply that participation is non-existent, just that detailed data was not provided to HSP from the relevant body.


Table 3-1

Although the proposed indoor facility features a FIFA sized turf field, not every sport above is able to be programmed on a turf field. HSP believes the following sports have the potential to be programmed on the turf field:

§ Soccer § Lacrosse § Football § Ultimate Frisbee § Rugby § Cricket § Archery

Because the opportunity could exist to cover a turf field with a hardwood surface and consequently expand potential sport options, the cost of converting the field for hardwood sports is steep and would likely be reserved for tournament or special event use only. Traditional indoor sports that have the ability to be programmed for tournament use with the installation of a hardwood surface on top of the turf field include:

§ Basketball § Gymnastics § Volleyball

National / Provincial / Local Sports ParticipationNational Provincial Local

National Sport Organization 2016 2016 2015 / 2016Soccer Canada 818,940 326,959 7,768Hockey Canada 636,539 222,722 4,600Dance 625,500 N/A N/ACanada Basketball 354,000 150,000 500Gymnastics Canada 310,661 118,712 3,600Tennis Canada 161,000 65,000 1,500Lacrosse Canada 80,000 33,000 300Football Canada 65,000 N/A 500Volleyball Canada 51,552 11,191 1,400Swimming Canada 50,160 20,000 500Ultimate Canada (Ultimate Frisbee) 36,481 12,698 360Badminton Canada 30,000 N/A 200Rugby Canada 28,966 11,121 50Cricket Canada 20,000 16,000 150Pickleball Canada 20,000 6,000 500Field Hockey Canada 18,000 1,750 N/AArchery Canada 9,003 1,097 50

Source: Various Sources, Hunden Strategic Partners


§ Table Tennis § Badminton § Pickleball § Tennis

Windsor currently offers two relatively new facilities, the WFCU Centre and Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre. Windsor also offers an indoor tennis facility and numerous outdoor field complexes. While the existing facilities support traditional indoor sports and swimming/diving, there is not a public facility to accommodate winter/cold weather demand for turf-related sports. There are two privately-owned facilities that offer turf, Central Park and Novelletto, however, these fields are not full-size. As such, sports that require indoor fields during cold weather are the primary focus of the study.

HSP has provided a discussion below on each sport that can be programmed on the turf field or on an installed hardwood surface on top of the turf field.

Soccer

Soccer has the largest number of organized youth participants in Canada. The NSO that governs the sport of soccer in Canada is Soccer Canada. In 2016, Soccer Canada reported more than 818,000 registered players. The following table shows the youth and total participation for Soccer Canada from 2014 to 2016.

Figure 3-1

Total participation includes both indoor and outdoor registered players of all ages. Total participation and youth participation spiked in 2015, with slight decreases in 2016. Based on conversations with Soccer Canada, while soccer is primarily played outdoors, the presence of indoor soccer is growing within Canada and around the world.

670,349 691,643 671,488

824,181 824,454 818,940

0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000

2014 2015 2016

Soccer Canada Youth & Total Participation (2014 - 2016)

Youth Participation Total ParticipationSource: Soccer Canada


Soccer has a variety of forms. The fastest growing form of indoor soccer is Futsal. Futsal, played on a hard court (wood or artificial), is a fast-paced indoor sport played throughout the world. In the 1980s Futsal became the Federation Internationale de Football Association’s (FIFA) official form of indoor soccer and was recognized as a scaled down version of outdoor soccer that is played indoors. The sport is played with five players per side on a basketball-sized court with a smaller, low bounce ball. Futsal is also played with touchline boundaries and without walls. As the only the official form of indoor soccer approved by FIFA, it is played in six continents, over 100 countries and by approximately 12 million players. There is opportunity for futsal with the existing gym space at the WFCU Centre, as well as a converted ice pad with a gymnasium floor.

Soccer Canada has more than 103,000 indoor soccer players. The organization is divided into 13 provincial associations. Windsor falls under the Ontario Soccer PSO.

As the provincial governing body for the sport of soccer in Ontario, Ontario Soccer is the largest PSO within Soccer Canada. Ontario Soccer had nearly 327,000 registered players in 2016, of which more than 267,000 were registered youth players.

The following figure shows the youth and total participation for Ontario Soccer from 2014 to 2016.

Figure 3-2

Total participation for sports fluctuates each year as the popularity of the sports fluctuates. According to Ontario Soccer, participation in soccer, or any other Olympic sport, will fluctuate based on the success of the national teams’ performance at the Olympics. Generally, every four years, sports will see an increase in participation of their sport the following year after the Olympics, and then the sport will decrease or stabilize near the participation levels before the Olympic year.

Ontario Soccer is made up of 21 district associations. Essex County Soccer Association is the district association that covers Windsor. The Essex County Soccer Association, which dates back to 1904, oversees

271,741 286,450 267,324

65,593 42,030 59,635

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

2014 2015 2016

Ontario Soccer Participation (2014 - 2015)

Youth Participation Senior ParticipationSource: Ontario Soccer


the sport of soccer throughout the County of Essex. The Essex County Soccer Association is made up of 25 clubs and more than 7,700 registered players.

The following figure shows the senior, youth, and indoor participation for Essex County Soccer Association from 2014 and 2015.

Figure 3-3

Total participation for Essex County Soccer Association was provided by Ontario Soccer. According to Ontario Soccer, these are the registered players reported to Ontario Soccer by the Essex County Soccer Association. The number of registered players in Essex County Soccer Association experienced a decline in 2015 from 2014. However, over this period, indoor participation experienced an increase of more than 60 registered players. Conversations with soccer key stakeholders in the Windsor and Essex County area indicated that indoor soccer participation can only increase with the addition of indoor facilities. While there are programs in Windsor and Essex County that offer indoor soccer seasons, the majority of the programs are unable to find available indoor space to extend their seasons into the winter months.

Within Essex County Soccer Associations are multiple clubs that run clubs and leagues. Windsor Soccer Club is one of the largest soccer clubs in the Essex County Soccer Association. Throughout the year, Windsor Soccer Club’s league play and events reach more than 10,000 soccer participants throughout Windsor and Essex County, and approximately 80 percent of these participants are youth players. While the program reaches more than 10,000 soccer participants, the registered number of players reported to Essex County Soccer Association include only league registered players.

In addition to the more than 6,000 players in the Essex County Soccer Association, the University of Windsor men’s and women’s soccer programs has more than 50 players combined each year. HSP’s analysis suggests

1,382 1,384

6,706 6,384

540 607

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,000

2014 2015

Soccer Ontario - Essex County Soccer Association Participation (2014 - 2015)

Senior Participation Youth Participation Indoor Participation

Source: Ontario Soccer


that, with the popularity of soccer at a regional and national level and the presence of major local clubs, demand for indoor spaces for soccer is outpacing supply.

Dance

A 2014 SRG survey reported that there are more than 625,000 youth dancers throughout Canada. The study also indicated that 24 percent of girls (ages 3 to 17) in Canada are registered in organized dance and ballet. This is more than girls participating in all team sports combined (22 percent).

Dance in Windsor is made up of a variety of groups, with Nancy Pattison’s Dance, Dance World and Dance Barre being the largest and strongest programs. While the majority of the programs in Windsor offer their own facilities, a larger indoor space is required to program large dance events and major competitions. While a new indoor facility would likely not host dance on a consistent basis, there is opportunity to host major events moving forward.

Basketball

The NSO that governs and oversees the sport of basketball in Canada is Canada Basketball. Canada Basketball is recognized by the International Amateur Basketball Federation (FIBA). Canada Basketball is made up of 12 member associations (12 provinces), and Windsor falls under the Ontario Basketball member association (PSO). According to Canada Basketball, participation has increased as the Toronto Raptors have become more successful and relevant in the National Basketball League (NBA).

Ontario Basketball is the PSO of Canada Basketball. The not-for-profit association was incorporated in 1977, and is located at the Abilities Centre in Whitby, Ontario. Ontario Basketball represents the province of Ontario’s amateur basketball interests and reports to Canada Basketball. The membership is made up of athletes, coaches, officials, member clubs, camps, local basketball organizations, groups, leagues, and basketball supporters. Ontario Basketball works with various sport organizations to help promote and develop amateur basketball in the province.

Ontario Basketball programs the Ontario Basketball League (OBL), which includes 570 teams, 3,500 scheduled games, 6,000 participants, and 1,400 certified coaches. OBL has 35 host locations and two All-Star Showcases. In addition to the OBL, Ontario Basketball governed nearly 10,000 youth participants across the province in 2016. Ontario Basketball is comprised of eight regions in Ontario. Windsor is located in the West Region of the OBL. The West Region has 25 clubs in total, with three clubs located in Windsor. The three Windsor basketball clubs program league play, camps and training for more than 500 youth participants.

Other programs in Windsor that add to local participation include: § The Windsor Express, a professional team in the National Basketball League of Canada,

currently play their home games at the WFCU Centre. § The University of Windsor, which includes more than 30 athletes for both the men’s and

women’s basketball teams. § St. Clair College Basketball, a local college in Windsor which just hosted the national

championship.


HSP’s analysis indicates that a new indoor multipurpose facility will likely not host basketball programming on a consistent basis due to the existing supply of courts and the cost/hassle associated with converting the synthetic turf into hard-court surfaces. However, a converted ice rink floor will be able to accommodate the Windsor Express.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics Canada (GYMCAN) was established in 1969 and is the national governing body for the sport of Gymnastics in Canada. GYMCAN works with 12 Provincial Federations and 700 local clubs and has more than 310,000 individual members and 7,500 registered coaches. In GYMCAN, 65 percent of participants are female, and 35 percent are male.

The following figure shows the registered athletes in 2015 and 2016 for GYMCAN.

Figure 3-4

Similar to other Olympic sports, representatives at GYMCAN indicated that participation in the sport will experiences significant increase the year after the Olympics. The registered athletes are recorded and report from the 12 provincial federations of GYMCAN. Windsor falls under Gymnastics Ontario and is the largest provincial federation in GYMCAN.

Gymnastics Ontario is the governing body for Gymnastics in Ontario. They work with member clubs and set operating standards and practices including coaching certification, athlete preparation, safety and ethics within the sport. Additionally, Gymnastics Ontario is responsible for six different gymnastic disciplines. Gymnastics Ontario’s participation made up more than 38 percent of GYMCAN’s participation in 2016.

The following figure shows Gymnastics Ontario’s registered athletes for 2014 through 2016.

295,484310,661

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

2015 2016

GYMCAN Registered Athletes - 2015 and 2016

Source: GYMCAN


Figure 3-5

In 2015 and 2016, Gymnastics Ontario had 10,000 more registered athletes compared to 2014. Gymnastics Ontario’s participation includes more than 200 member clubs throughout the province. In Windsor, there are three Gymnastics Ontario member clubs that provide programs and events.

Those member clubs are: § Winstars Gymnastics is based in Central Park in Windsor. The club provides training for both

competitive and recreational youth athletes. There are a variety of age groups that participate in the sport. According to management of Winstars Gymnastics, the program had approximately 1,600 registered participants in 2016, which was an increase from approximately 1,500 in 2015.

§ Alpha Gymnastics Academy offers recreational and competitive gymnastics programs and teams.

§ Rose City Gymnastics Inc. offers recreational and competitive gymnastics programs and teams within Windsor. According to management, the program had approximately 2,000 registered participants in 2016, which was an increase from 2015 (1,800).

While gymnastics has experienced growth over the past three years in Canada, the Windsor market is well equipped with facilities to accommodate local programs. It would be difficult to incorporate the needs for a gymnastics program in the new facility due to specialized equipment and space requirements.

Tennis

Tennis Canada is the governing body that oversees 12 provincial unions. Tennis Canada has over 160,000 participants registered. The association sponsors a wide range of events and tournaments throughout the year. Although the registered number for participants in Canada is 160,000, a 2016

108,804119,205 118,712

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

2014 2015 2016

Gymnastics Ontario Registered Athletes (2014 - 2016)

Source: Gymnastics Ontario, GYMCAN


study by Charlton Insights indicated that over six million Canadians played tennis at least one time. This was an increase of 14 percent from the previous year.

Windsor is governed by the Ontario Tennis Association (OTA). Although there are several clubs in the Ontario region, Parkside Tennis Club is the only OTA club listed in Windsor. Parkside Tennis Club leases indoor and outdoor courts from the city. It is estimated that roughly 300 players visit the indoor facility during the week in the colder months. Capacity is at about 80 percent during the peak indoor winter season, but the vast majority of uses are for private lessons, as school seasons wait for warmer months to use outdoor courts. While 80 percent capacity is high, there is still available supply at Parkside Tennis Club during the peak months, suggesting that there is not an urgent need for additional tennis space.

Rugby

Rugby Canada is the governing body for Rugby in Canada and has representation in 11 provincial unions. Rugby Canada’s goal is to provide the opportunity for all Canadians to compete internationally and caters to all age levels including Under 17, Under 19, and Under 20. Rugby Canada has nearly 30,000 registered athletes throughout the nation.

The following figure shows the total number of registered athletes for 2015 and 2016 in Rugby Canada.

Figure 3-6

Windsor falls under Rugby Ontario. Of the nearly 30,000 registered athletes in Rugby Canada, Ontario (Rugby Ontario) made up nearly 40 percent in both 2015 and 2016. As the PSO, Rugby Ontario is the governing body for the sport of Rugby in Ontario and is represented by the Ontario Blues High Performance Program. Similar to Rugby Canada, Rugby Ontario’s goal is to increase participation levels for rugby within the province, involve

4,733 6,1

85

684

516

382 93

9

10,83

5

87

2,438

65

7695,0

15 6,031

696

525

366 1,0

12

11,12

1

167

2,751

45

1,237

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON PEI PQ RC SK

Rugby Canada Registerd Athletes by Provincial Union (2015 - 2016)

2015 2016Source: Rugby Canada


the community and administer sound and successful player development. In 2016, Rugby Ontario had more than 60 clubs and 11,000 registered athletes. Rugby Windsor Football Club is a men’s program in Windsor with 45 members. The club is hoping to expand to two men’s teams, one junior team and one women’s team. Due to the lack of local participation, a new complex will likely not host significant rugby programming.

Lacrosse

In the sport of lacrosse, field lacrosse is generally played outdoors, and box lacrosse is played indoors. Both field and box lacrosse have a presence throughout Canada. Located in Ottawa, Ontario, the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA or Lacrosse Canada) is the governing body for the sport of lacrosse in Canada. CLA oversees the four men’s and two women’s national teams as well as ten membership associations.

Box lacrosse has grown in popularity as an alternative to traditional field lacrosse. The game of box lacrosse, which originated in Canada, condenses the space required and eliminates any weather element as it is played indoors. Box lacrosse has become the more popular style in many areas in Canada, including Windsor. Traditionally, box lacrosse is played inside an ice hockey rink or gymnasium. Programs exist from the youth level all the way through collegiate and professional leagues. There are nearly 80,000 lacrosse participants (both field and box lacrosse) throughout 11 member associations in Canada. Windsor falls under the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA).

The Ontario Lacrosse Association governs more than ten leagues that cover box and field lacrosse with a variety of age groups. The Windsor Clippers Lacrosse team participates in the ”Junior B” league. The 25 members on the team range from 17-21 years old. The Windsor Warlocks Minor Lacrosse Association is an organization for athletes from ages 4 to 21 years of age, that also has participation locally in Windsor. Due to the local participation levels, and the lack of a sizeable, available indoor venue, a new multipurpose facility will likely host consistent lacrosse programming (training/practices/leagues) throughout the winter months.

Football

Football Canada is the national governing body for the sport of football in Canada. Football Canada was first established in 1884 as the then Canadian Rugby Football Union, but was later reorganized as Football Canada in 2004. This organization has representation in all ten provinces and is a full member of the International Federation of American Football.

The Ontario Football Alliance is the provincial sport association for the sport of football within Ontario with offices located in Guelph, Ontario. This group offers flag, non-contact, and tackle football programs for kids between the ages of 5 and 18.

Windsor Minor Football, which is a member club of Ontario Football Alliance, programs league play for youth recreational and competitive football. About 500 youth athletes participate within the organization. Participation has dropped by about 100 over the past three years due to injury concerns. Due to the existing competition levels in Windsor, as well as decreasing participation, a new multipurpose facility will likely not accommodate consistent football programming for league play.


Volleyball

Volleyball Canada is the national governing body for the sport of volleyball within Canada and governs indoor, beach, and paravolleyball competitions. Volleyball Canada also sponsors men’s and women’s beach, indoor, and sitting national teams. Volleyball Canada works closely with provincial and territorial associations to develop volleyball nationwide and has 13 participating associations throughout Canada. There are approximately 52,000 participants registered within the Volleyball Canada national organization.

The following figure shows the registered members by type for Volleyball Canada from 2014 to 2016.

Figure 3-7

Windsor falls under Volleyball Canada in the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) PSO. The OVA had nearly 11,200 registered members in 2016. The Association uses high schools, colleges, universities, and recreation centres to program league and tournament play.

Figure 3-8 shows the registered members by type for OVA in 2015 and 2016.

31,1

24

5,12

6

9,85

3 3,13

426,4

49

3,45

9

15,8

76

3,46

528,2

46

3,83

0

15,3

20

4,15

6

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

Indoor Beach Recreational Indoor Recreational Beach

Volleyball Canada Registered Members by Type (2014 - 2016)

2014 2015 2016Source: Volleyball Canada


Figure 3-8

The number of both indoor competitive and recreational indoor registered members increased in 2016. As with the majority of the sports in Canada, the OVA have the highest percentage of participation within Volleyball Canada. OVA is comprised of six regions throughout the province. Windsor falls under Region three, Southwestern Ontario. The South County Bandits have 14 girls’ teams from 11U to 18U. Sky Volleyball has five girls’ teams from 13U to 18U and four boys’ teams from 14U to 18U. These two volleyball programs are club members of OVA. Combined, the two major clubs in Windsor have more than 200 participants. Neither club has their own gym space, so they are unable to host major tournaments and events.

In addition, the Windsor Adult Volleyball League (WAVL) is an adult co-ed volleyball league that also has participation in Windsor. WAVL was created in 1976 and has more than 1,200 players on 177 teams. The league utilizes more than 90 percent of the gyms in the Windsor-Essex region. HSP’s analysis indicates that, similar to basketball, the existing supply of gymnasiums and the floor conversion costs will limit the amount of programming opportunity at a new multipurpose facility.

Ultimate Frisbee

Ultimate Canada was first established with the creation of the Toronto League in 1980 and is the national governing body for the sport of Ultimate Frisbee in Canada. Shortly after the creation of the Toronto League, the Vancouver and Ottawa Leagues were both created in 1986 and the first championship was held in 1987. There are more than 36,000 registered members throughout the nation.

Figure 3-9 shows the member registration for Ultimate Canada from 2014 to 2016.

7,218

2,612

980295

7,502

2,269

1,091329

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,000

Indoor Beach Recreational Indoor Recreational Beach

Ontario Volleyball Association Registered Members by Type (2015 - 2016)

2015 2016Source: Volleyball Canada, OVA


Figure 3-9

There are 12 member associations in Ultimate Canada, two of which govern and sanction events at the provincial level for Windsor. The two Ontario member associations are:

§ Ontario Disc Sports Association (ODSA), which was formed in 2005 and is a recognized as the Provincial Sports Organization by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. Their goal is to advance and grow all disc sports throughout Ontario.

§ Ontario Ultimate was officially founded in 2015 and its mission is to promote the growth and development of Ultimate Frisbee throughout the Province.

These two member organizations have nearly 12,700 registered participants throughout Ontario.

Figure 3-10 shows the registered members for both member associations from 2014 to 2016.

33,975 34,06236,481

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

2014 2015 2016

Ultimate Canada - Member Registration(2014 - 2016)

Source: Ultimate Canada


Figure 3-10

Windsor Ultimate is the local club in Windsor that offers programs and leagues. Nearly 400 participants play ultimate locally through Windsor Ultimate. Teams are co-ed and accommodate ages 16 and over. One indoor location teams use is the Libro Center in Amherstburg, about 40 minutes south of Windsor. Due to the seasonality of the sport and the limited participation in the local market, a new facility will likely not accommodate consistent ultimate Frisbee usage. There is opportunity for weekend events.

Badminton

Although Badminton is not considered to be one of the larger sports in Canada, participation numbers are strong, and players are seeking space to compete. Badminton Canada is the national governing body for the sport of Badminton in Canada. They have a number of competition levels, including juniors, seniors, and masters. There are between 30,000 and 40,000 participants nationally in Canada, according to Badminton Canada.

Badminton Canada works with 12 provincial member associations to organize and sanction league play and events throughout Canada. Windsor falls under Badminton Ontario (BON), which was formed in 1925. This group is affiliated with Badminton Canada and the Badminton World Federation. BON has more than 225 clubs that make up their member clubs throughout the province.

Badminton Windsor is the member club of BON that programs and organizes recreational badminton and competitive badminton leagues and tournaments. There are between 150 and 200 participants in Windsor, according to Badminton Windsor. Similar to basketball and volleyball, HSP does not believe that Badminton will be a consistent demand generator for a new complex.

Cricket

11,980 11,94912,698

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

2014 2015 2016

ODSA & Ultimate Ontario Member Registration (2014 - 2016)

Source: Ultimate Canada, ODSA, Ultimate Ontario


Cricket has a growing presence in Canada, specifically in Windsor, due to immigration from countries where cricket is popular. Cricket Canada is the national governing body for Cricket within Canada and a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee. This organization was established in 1892 and by represented in nine Provincial boards. Cricket Canada has nearly 20,000 registered cricket participants throughout Canada.

Windsor falls under Cricket Ontario, which is the provincial board (PSO) for Cricket Canada is Cricket Ontario. The Cricket Council of Ontario was incorporated in 1968 and is affiliated with Cricket Canada as well as the International Cricket Council. The Cricket Council of Ontario is the officially recognized governing body of Cricket within the Province of Ontario, which is the home to more than 80 percent of Cricket Canada participants, or 16,000 registered participants in Canada.

The Southwest Ontario Cricket League, which was founded in 1972, is made up of five teams, two of which consider Jackson Park to be their home field. There are roughly 150 competitors spread out over these five teams. The Southwest Ontario Cricket League is a member league of Cricket Ontario. Due to the lack of sizeable indoor facilities, and the growing presence locally, HSP believes that there is opportunity for a new multipurpose facility to accommodate limited cricket demand throughout the winter months.

Pickleball

Pickleball has grown throughout Canada and is becoming increasingly popular and accessible for a wide range of age groups. Pickleball Canada is the governing body for Pickleball in Canada and as more than 20,000 participants nationwide. The organization has 13 associated provincial organizations. Windsor falls under the Pickleball Association of Ontario. The Pickleball Association of Ontario (PAO) is a non-profit association that governs pickleball throughout the Province. There are approximately 6,000 participants in Ontario divided across several membership associations.

In Windsor, there are two affiliated clubs of PAO that provide recreational and competitive pickleball league and tournament play. The Windsor/Essex County Pickleball Association and Riverside Pickleball Club both call Riverside Sports Centre their home facility. In 2017, there were 2,200 participants, up from 1,900 in 2016. Additionally, the Life After Fifty program offers pickleball daily during the week at the WFCU Centre and 635 McEwan Ave. Due to the floor requirements and existing supply of local facilities, HSP’s analysis indicates that a new facility will likely not accommodate Pickleball use.

Archery

Archery is a sport that can use a variety of indoor spaces for competitions. Archery Canada is national governing body for the sport of archery in Canada. Archery Canada has nearly 8,000 participants spread out over 13 member associations.

Figure 3-11 shows the registered members for Archery Canada from 2014 to 2016.


Figure 3-11

Over the three-year period, the registered membership peaked in 2015 at 9,456. While 2016 experienced a decline in membership (9,003), 2016 was a slight increase over 2014 membership of 8,852. Unlike other sports in Canada, the Ontario PSO (which Windsor falls under) is not the largest PSO within the sport.

The Ontario Association of Archers (OAA) is intended to develop, promote, and expand archery participation within the province. This organization establishes a uniform set of rules and regulations of provincial championship events and competitions. There are more than 1,000 archers in the Ontario region. Events are most often held in gymnasiums and convention centers.

The following figure shows the number of registered members for OAA from 2014 to 2016.

8,8529,456 9,003

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,000

10,000

2014 2015 2016

Archery Canada Registered Members(2014 - 2016)

Source: Archery Canada


Figure 3-12

While the OAA is not the largest PSO in Archery Canada, it has experienced an increase in membership since 2014. While participation in Archery has been growing over the past few years, according to archery industry stakeholders. This is shown in the growth of participation in 2015. The OAA is made up more than 20 clubs throughout the province.

Archery Windsor is the affiliated member club of OAA that programs recreational and competitive archery in the Windsor area. According to Archery Windsor, there are between 40 and 50 archers in Windsor that participate in weekly indoor shoots. Only 20 archers can line up across the current facility due to its size. Due to the lack of an appropriate facility in the local market and the growing participation, HSP’s analysis indicated opportunity for a new facility to host limited archery events.

Implications

There are many sports nationally, provincially, and locally in Windsor that are experiencing growth in participation. While participation in a sport can fluctuate based on many factors, sports that would likely be users of an indoor turf field facility in Windsor have strong and/or growing participation. Any development of an indoor facility will provide indoor space for many programs to train, practice and program non-game events throughout the year.

The participation rates from the local sports programs in Windsor will influence the supply and demand of local sports facilities, which is discussed in Chapter 4.

1,0001,068 1,097

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

2014 2015 2016

OAA Registered Members (2014 - 2016)

Source: Archery Canada


LOCAL SPORTS FACILITY SUPPLY AND DEMAND ANALYSIS The City of Windsor engaged HSP to study the feasibility of developing an indoor sports facility with a FIFA sized multipurpose (rectangular) turf field. While the primary users of the new facility will be traditional turf sports programs (soccer, lacrosse, football, rugby, etc.), the City desires to explore the option of offering a flexible indoor sports facility that would cater to a variety of sports. As such, the City of Windsor also requested that HSP study the viability of converting the turf field to court surfaces to allow programming by court sports (tennis, basketball, volleyball, etc.).

Based on the existing supply of rinks and the current demand from use groups, HSP’s analysis indicates that there is a surplus of ice rinks within the City. Based on the surplus of ice rinks, HSP studied the viability of converting one of the ice rinks in Windsor to a non-ice sports surface. This chapter provides detailed information on the current local facility supply and demand in the City of Windsor. HSP conducted interviews with the Client as well as with representatives from local facilities and local sports programs to better understand the current sports scene, the potential demand for an indoor sports facility with a FIFA-sized field, and the potential demand for a converted ice rink.

Local Sports Supply

Currently, the City of Windsor has numerous multi-purpose fields in addition to baseball/softball diamonds and indoor facilities. These multi-purpose fields are most frequently used by traditional foot sports (soccer, lacrosse, etc.).

The map below demonstrates the local sports supply in Windsor, broken down by soccer, baseball or both. Indoor facilities are also indicated.


Figure 4-1

As demonstrated in the map above, Windsor offers a wide variety of outdoor sports facilities. While there are many outdoor field complexes, it should be noted that many have only a single field. Also demonstrated above is the lack of existing indoor sports facilities in the Windsor area.

Local Indoor Sports Facility Supply

HSP conducted an inventory of the local competitive supply facilities in Windsor.

The indoor rectangular fields in Windsor are shown in figure 4-1


Table 4-1

As shown, the market only offers two indoor facilities, which each can divide into two smaller fields. These facilities, and other large indoor facilities, are profiled below.

Central Park Athletics

Opened in 2012, Central Park Athletics is a privately-owned athletics facility that offers space and equipment to accommodate a wide range of sports. The 250,000-square foot facility offers two full size ice pads, one indoor soccer field, a gymnastics center and an indoor baseball training facility. The main playing field at Central Park is 70 meters by 60 meters (225 feet by 200 feet). Conversations with representatives at Central Park indicated that rental for a full field is $180 per hour during peak time. For the 7-on-7 and 9-on-9 size field, the rental rate is $135 per hour. This field can be divided in half to accommodate more than one user at a given time. While exact bookings are unknown, conversations with user groups indicated a strong demand for the fields at Central Park, with the supply existing of a maximum of two fields.

The following figure shows a rendering of the turf field at the complex.

Figure 4-2

Support amenities for the facility include parking for over 700 vehicles between three lots. Central Park also offers catering for large groups, as well as two dining options. “The Tortoise” serves as a casual sit-down restaurant, while “The Hare” features faster sandwich and snack options. For meetings and smaller group events, Central Park offers various sized meeting rooms and a board room for rent. Trade shows and larger events can be accommodated in the fieldhouse as well.

Windsor - Indoor Rectangular FieldsFull

FieldsMaximum #

of FieldsCentral Park Athletics 1 2Novelletto Rosati 1 2Total 2 4

Source: Hunden Strategic Partners


Novelletto Rosati Sports & Recreation Complex

The Novelletto Rosati Sports and Recreation Complex is a 3,000-square meter (32,000-square foot) facility is one of two indoor soccer facilities in Windsor. The large field can be divided for games, practices or other events. An additional gymnasium can accommodate training and futsal. Coaches offices and meeting rooms are also available. The facility is home to JFF Soccer, but the 1,900-square meter field (20,500-square feet) can be rented for $160 per hour by outside groups. The dimensions of the indoor field are 62 .5 meters by 30.5 meters (205 feet by 100 feet). While this field is not FIFA-sized, youth games and training can still be accommodated. The $160 rate applies to the full field during peak hours, and will fluctuate depending on seasonality and time of day.

The following figure shows the turf field.

Figure 4-3

The gymnasium at Novelletto Rosati can be rented hourly at $75. This space is roughly 30 meters by 15 meters (100 by 50 feet). For parties, a combination of field time and party room time is offered for $200 - $300. These events can accommodate up to 22 guests.

WFCU Centre

The WFCU Centre, the current home to the Windsor Spitfire and Windsor Express, features four ice pads, a sports gym, leisure gym, community hall and school for the A21 Academy. The main ice bowl is the home for the Windsor Spitfires and holds 6,500 seats. The three supporting ice pads can hold up to 250 spectators. The community hall is primarily used for weddings and banquets and has an attached kitchen and bar. The WFCU Centre features year-round programming that fills out sports gym, leisure gym and a recently added pool. For 2017, the WFCU Centre had budgeted revenues of nearly $3 million and budgeted expenses of about $4.6 million. While the study is to expand to the WFCU Center, the existing facility is a premiere indoor venue for hockey, basketball, and other indoor sports.

Parkside Tennis Club

The Parkside Tennis Club offers four indoor courts, three outdoor lighted sports deck surface courts and three outdoor clay courts. The facility offers court rentals, private lessons and clinics for all age groups. During peak time, court rentals are $38 per hour for indoor courts and $14 per hour for outdoor courts. An estimate 500 –


750 individuals visit Parkside Tennis Club throughout the year. Over half of these users are youth players, according to representatives at the facility. There are no memberships, and indoor courts are booked on an as-needed basis throughout the winter months.

Rectangular Field Utilization

The Client is interested in a new indoor sports facility in Windsor with a FIFA sized rectangular field. To determine whether or not there is a demand for the FIFA sized field, it is important to investigate utilization rates at the current rectangular fields in Windsor.

Current outdoor sports facilities in Windsor offer a variety of rectangular field sizes to accommodate sport needs. A full-sized field measures 75m x 110m. Field sizes below a full-size field are specifically based on age, skill level, and type of play on the field. For example, U6, U8, U10, and U12 soccer age groups all play on smaller field sizes than a full-sized field. An intermediate-sized field could range from 27m x 45m to 45m x 91m, and a mini-field size will have dimensions of 13m x 27m. An open green space field is just a plot of grassed land that is converted to soccer fields. However, this open space is not maintained daily for soccer use.

The following table shows the usage by field size for the rectangular fields in Windsor for 2016.

Table 4-2

The outdoor full-size lit fields in Windsor have the most hours booked of all available fields in the market. However, there is still available capacity in all of the fields.

The potential indoor facility would add an additional FIFA sized (full-sized) multipurpose field to the local supply, and would allow both user groups of diamond and multipurpose parks use of available space for practice and training. In addition, the proposed indoor facility will allow for multipurpose user groups to extend their league play and tournaments into the winter months and shoulder seasons.

Local Sports Demand and Opportunity for Indoor Facility Usage

Ultimately, HSP sought to determine the level of potential demand for an indoor sports facility featuring a soccer field as the primary component. Convertibility for other non-turf sports was also considered as part of the

Windsor - Rectangular Field Utilization (May - September)

Field Size # of Fields Total Hours UsedFull Size - Premier Lit 6 1,374Full Size - Premier Unlit 3 335Full Size - Maintained & Unlit 5 669Intermediate - Maintained & Unlit 8 1,215Mini - Maintained & Unlit 11 1,270Ultimate Frisbee - Small Park Practice Field 4 303Cricket Pitch - Maintained & Unlit 2 404Total 39 5,570

Source: City of Windsor Parks & Recreation


analysis. While desire for indoor field usage was considered, the ability to afford the rent that would likely need to be charged was also a consideration and discussed with potential user groups.

For the convertibility question, HSP’s analysis, which is discussed in more detail in Chapters 5 and 6, suggests that the time, labor and cost of converting a turf field to hard courts is not something that can be easily done on a consistent basis. Typically, conversion to hard surface is a summer or temporary measure utilized for major local events or tournaments during the warmer months, or off-season for typical indoor field usage. Conversion is both costly and time consuming.

Table 4-3 shows the potential opportunity for various indoor sports in regard to the proposed facility in Windsor based on conversations with each sport’s representatives in the area. While most groups would like to use an indoor facility for all manner of activities and events, for many the costs or other factors are prohibitive, so only certain marquee events would be hosted there.

Table 4-3

As is shown in the above table, soccer programs would use the facility for practice, camps, leagues and tournaments. However, some sports such as volleyball would only use the facility for tournaments, as it would cost time and money to convert the turf field. The most consistent user groups would be cricket, football and soccer, while Frisbee and baseball would also use it for practices from time to time. Nearly all groups would like to use an indoor facility for tournaments. League play is limited to box lacrosse, Frisbee and soccer. More detail on the various sports are discussed below.

Market Demand

The following section details feedback from interviews with key local stakeholders and user groups in each individual sport.

Soccer

There are a number of local organizations involved in indoor and outdoor soccer practices, games, leagues and tournaments, as discussed in Chapter 3. Indoor facilities for soccer in Windsor are scarce and include only two that are available for use: Central Park Athletics and Novelletto Rosati. These facilities currently serve the Windsor market but due to the limited availability and high demand, practice and play times are hard to come by. HSP interviewed several of the larger and more organized leagues to understand the current need and opportunity for a new indoor field facility.

Windsor Local Sports Opportunity Assessment

Arch

ery

Badm

inton

Base

ball

Box L

acros

seCr

icket

Danc

e

Footb

all

Frisb

ee

Gymn

astic

s

Pickle

ball

Rugb

y

Socc

er

Tenn

is

Volle

yball

Practice x x x x x

Camps / Showcases x x x x x x x

League Play x x x

Tournaments x x x x x x x x x

Source: Hunden Strategic Partners


HSP’s findings include the following regarding soccer in Windsor: § Essex County Soccer Association – Essex County Soccer Association (which was profiled in

Chapter 3) serves as the governing body for soccer in the county and oversees multiple clubs which includes Windsor Soccer Club. Essex Soccer has a competitive soccer league of 178 teams, 60% of participants in the U8 through U12 categories. Some of the fields used by the league include McHugh Soccer Complex and Mic Mac Park. They have leased Novelletto and Central Park in the past. Essex County Soccer indicated a rate of $360 at Central Park for a full field. The Essex Soccer season ends in September with nothing scheduled until the following year. Their peak season for indoor is through April, as city fields do not open until early May of each year. Essex Soccer does not currently utilize any indoor facilities in Windsor. In order to offer provincial or national championship tournaments, Essex Soccer must be able to provide five fields located in close proximity and at least one must be a turf field. Because Essex Soccer cannot accommodate these requirements, players often travel to London and the BMO Center (profiled in Chapter 5). Interviews with Essex Soccer representatives indicated that there is a strong interest in a full-size indoor turf facility for play and practice.

§ Windsor Soccer Club – The Windsor Soccer Club, the largest member of the Essex County Soccer Association, serves approximately 1,500 participants from age four to nineteen. The Youth League takes place in the fall and utilizes the outdoor Ford Test Track Facility almost exclusively for practice and play. When inclement weather occurs, the Soccer Club cancels or postpones play and there are no formal leagues or play scheduled during the winter months. Cancellations are rare, however there are currently very few indoor options if they occur. The Soccer Club does not currently rent space at any indoor facilities in or around Windsor. Interviews with Soccer Club representatives indicated that there is a strong interest in a winter league if there were a full-size indoor turf facility available. At the very least, Windsor Soccer Club would be interested in utilizing the indoor facility for training, practice and play during colder months so long as a facility is affordable and has availability. While representatives could not speak to specifics regarding their potential usage of a new facility, they did indicate that they currently practice five nights during the week and have games on weekends for nine hours. Representatives did indicate that they would like to grow their outdoor league into an indoor but have no current space options available.

§ Senior Recreational Soccer Club – The Senior Recreational Soccer Club serves approximately 500 players in twenty teams divided into two divisions: 30 and Over, and 45 and Over. Senior Club programming covers all of Windsor and Essex County and season runs from May to September. The Senior Club currently utilizes the outdoor fields at Ford Test Track and McHugh Soccer Complex. Interviews with Senior Club representatives indicated that the season is heavily restricted due to the City restrictions on fields during poor weather and a variety of other circumstances. Essentially, the City fields are closed from October to April. As such, the Senior Club does not currently rent space at any indoor facilities in or around Windsor. Interviews with Soccer Club representatives indicated that there is a strong interest in a winter league if there were a full-size indoor turf facility available. In total, the Club booked 42 hours of field time on City field in 2016.

§ Miscellaneous Soccer Clubs – Based on the soccer revenue information provided by the City of Windsor, the following soccer clubs also utilized fields within Windsor at some point during the year: Caboto Soccer Club, Windsor Wheels Soccer Club, Windsor Nationals Soccer Club, the


Windsor TFC, and Tecumseh Soccer Club. HSP was unable to solicit input from these clubs as they did not respond to outreach attempts.

Based on discussions, there is interest for an indoor turf facility for soccer, especially one that offered turf hours from 4:00pm to 11:00pm Monday through Friday and all-day Saturday and Sunday for seven months of the year. Use would be dependent upon cost and cost will vary dependent upon the type of use it is (tournament versus league play) and what size or portion of the field is being rented. HSP found that instead of pulling much demand from existing facilities, a new facility would allow the soccer programs with the opportunity to extend their season into the winter months when fields in Windsor are traditionally closed.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a major sport in the Windsor area. Box lacrosse, which is played indoors and differs slightly in size requirements from traditional field lacrosse, is the primary style of lacrosse played in Windsor. Unlike field lacrosse, box lacrosse can take place year-round.

Windsor is home to the Windsor Clippers (part of Greater Windsor Lacrosse), a Junior B Lacrosse program. The Clippers are a box lacrosse program that practices twice a week and plays their home games on Saturdays at Forest Glade Arena. The Windsor Clippers compete in a league of 25 teams and could be a major benefactor of a new facility or converted ice rink. The Clippers schedule is a twenty-game season and training camp begins in January. Their rental rate at Forest Glade Arena is approximately $80 per hour. Due to sharing the space with hockey and other ice activities, the team has scheduling challenges throughout the year. Interviews with Clippers representatives indicated that the team would utilize a new facility for weekly league games, off-season training, and a potential pre-season tournament. Representatives also indicated that seating for up to 1,000 spectators in a climate-controlled environment with an area dedicated to ticket sales would be ideal. The Windsor Clippers indicated that in order for the sport to grow, particularly for girls’ box lacrosse, dedicated space is needed. Conversations determined interest for indoor box lacrosse. HSP believes that local box lacrosse programs would be able to support their leagues and programs with such a converted ice rink in Windsor. Usage would be weekly for practice, training and games throughout the year and would allow a new facility for tournaments as well as the potential to create new tournaments.

Football

As with soccer, it is difficult for football programs in Windsor to find indoor turf for offseason training and practice. Windsor Minor Football currently consists of approximately 500 participants scattered across 14 teams in one league. Football requires goalposts which make indoor play very difficult. Teams currently use local community centers for their indoor training needs which obviously cannot accommodate actual play or full practice. Interviews with Windsor Minor Football representatives indicated that while the program cannot use an indoor facility for regulation games and practice due to the lack of goalposts, they could use the facility for offseason training. Representatives also indicated that non-contact 7-on-7 football leagues are gaining popularity in Windsor. This style of football does not use goalposts and could offer indoor leagues and tournaments in addition to practices and camps. Representatives indicated that a new indoor facility could increase 7-on-7 participation and that should a new facility be created the addition of storage space would be ideal. Windsor Minor Football could not give exact usage rates for a new facility but did indicate that they currently utilize various spaces such as community centers or gymnasiums for indoor training for regular football. Windsor Minor


Football pays $15,000 per season which gets them two fields on Sundays for games at the privately-owned Fogolar Furlan Fields in Windsor.

In total, HSP determined that due to a lack of goalposts, it is unlikely that football would play games and extend their league in a new indoor facility. HSP does not recommend the addition of goalposts ($12,000 to $18,000 each) in an indoor facility as the added revenue for hosting games would not outweigh the additional construction costs. However, the 7-on-7 participation as well as off season training, clinics and camps would be possible in a new facility. Utilization by football programs would be sparingly throughout the year and would not be considered a primary user of the facility.

Cricket

The Windsor Cavaliers are a cricket team that plays in the Southwestern Ontario Cricket League. The Cavaliers play from May through October and travel to various locations in Ontario. Cricket League games can last multiple days and require a regulation size of 150 meters by 60 meters. Because of the unusual requirements of the sport, it is difficult to find facilities that can accommodate cricket. Interviews with representatives from the Cavaliers indicated that they currently utilize Jackson Park for weekend home games, despite the fact that it is smaller than regulation size. Jackson Park costs $800 - $900 per year for this usage. Hourly rates at indoor facilities such as Central Park average $120 per hour. The Central Park facility is also smaller than a regulation field. As such, the idea of a FIFA sized field is intriguing to them. While rental rates are important, because cricket games can go so long that it would be more beneficial to have rental rates per game as opposed to per hour. The Cavaliers also indicated that about twenty teams in the Winsor area have started to play an indoor game of cricket with tennis balls which could be another potential user group for a new facility in Windsor.

HSP determined that while cricket would not be a primary user of the indoor facility, they would have utilization for drills/training/practice as clubs find appropriate.

Rugby

While rugby is a sport of note in Windsor, the needs of the Windsor Rugby Club are currently accommodated at Central Park Athletics. Currently only one men’s rugby program exists in Windsor but representatives with Windsor Rugby indicated that the club is hoping to expand to two men’s teams and one junior team. Currently, the club trains and plays at Central Park with practices held from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Due to the Central Park sponsorship, there is little opportunity for Rugby at a new facility in Windsor.

Archery

According to interviews with Windsor Archery, roughly 2,000 archers live in the Ontario region, and approximately 40-50 percent are youth. Windsor Archery holds weekly indoor shoots that are typically in local gymnasiums while some tournaments locally at convention centers. Most archery events are indoors, occur on weekends and last at least two days. Currently Windsor hosts several major archery events which include the first leg of the Ontario Triple Crown and the Ontario 3D Championship. Windsor has also hosted the Rose City International Tournament with 400 archers from Canada, US, and overseas. With quite a bit of down time during events, spectators and participants are prime to spend money and time in the surrounding area. Windsor Archery indicated that there is opportunity to hold weekly shoots and tournaments at a new indoor facility. Representatives indicated that while turf is excellent for archery, there are limited venues available to rent that offer the feature. Windsor Archery would utilize an indoor facility specifically only for tournament use. The


program currently plays at the Optimist Community Centre. There are only twenty ranges at the Optimist Community Centre which is too small for the majority of their program. Despite this fact, archery is easy enough to program at local high schools that there isn’t an excessive demand for the new facility.

While archery would not be a daily user for the new facility, the new facility could work with local programs to attract larger tournaments, events and competitions.

Badminton

Windsor Badminton estimates that there are currently between 150 and 200 badminton players in the Windsor area. Interviews with Windsor Badminton indicate that groups currently play at local gymnasiums and colleges in Windsor. An annual tournament is also held at St. Clair College. Members generally pay between $350 and $400 per year for a yearly membership which covers seven days per week for fifty-two weeks per year. Representatives indicated that it has been difficult to grow the program without a dedicated facility and they expressed a definite interest in any new indoor sports facility offerings in Windsor.

While Windsor Badminton would be interested in hosting tournaments at the new facility, they would not be a primary user.

Baseball

Baseball in Windsor is currently accommodated at the Riverside Sports Center and Central Park Athletics for indoor training. There is additional potential opportunity for camps and showcases, despite the existing facilities. An indoor facility could also accommodate weekday training during the offseason.

§ Riverside Minor Baseball – Riverside offers both travel and house league programs to approximately 600 participants and 125 coaches. House programs run May through August and travel programs run April to September. The program currently utilizes the Riverside Sports Center for all training related needs and interviews with representatives indicated that they do not see the need for additional space with their current situation.

§ Windsor Stars Baseball Club - The Club has between 70 and 90 participants and currently use Central Park for their indoor training. Representatives indicated that the group has paid roughly $300 per hour for cages which includes a small field, and $150 per hour for field times for camps and that they run everything else out of Mic Mac Park during the summer months. The club indicated an interest in a facility with additional drop-down batting cages but did not indicate what they envision their participation to be.

In addition to the groups HSP spoke with, there are several other organizations in Windsor that are currently using local fields. HSP determined that baseball programs would utilize batting cages on certain occasions, but that the current facilities in the Windsor market are generally meeting their needs.

Other Local Stakeholders HSP conducted interviews of additional local stakeholders to solicit their feedback regarding current usage and usage of a potential new facility. These interviews indicated the following:

§ City of Windsor Parks and Recreation - According to interviews with Parks and Recreation representatives, trends for soccer participation are growing which results in increased utilization


of parks and recreation fields. A new facility could allow for some relief on the current parks and recreation facilities.

§ Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island – Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island representatives indicated excitement over a new sports facility. Representatives felt that a new facility could open the door to sports that have not been as popular due to limited venue availability. Representatives also shared that there have been talks of adding an additional hotel to the east end of town, and an indoor sports facility would be a catalyst for this development.

§ A21 Academy - The A21 Academy is an academic program that operates inside the WFCU Centre. The Academy has more than 420 participants, ranging in age from fourth grade through high school. The Academy requires 300 hours in development and 150 hours of weight-training each year. Interviews with representatives indicated that Windsor has grown in attracting international athletes and that the Academy would utilize a new indoor soccer facility.

§ Town of Tecumseh Parks and Recreation - Hockey, soccer, and baseball have been the most active sports in the area. London is the closest indoor facility with a full-size field. The Town of Tecumseh has done a similar study for an indoor facility.

Implications

Through the local sports supply and demand analysis, HSP determined that while some options exist for indoor sports in Windsor, most of the few indoor facilities are privately owned and are operating at capacity. Through interviews with the Client, local sports facilities and local sports organizations/stakeholders, HSP has also gathered information about potential usage of a converted ice rink.

Local sport user groups indicated a need for additional field supply, especially an indoor field. Sports that were particularly interested in an indoor facility were traditionally outdoor sports programs that are interested in utilizing an indoor facility for practice, training, and non-game events, as well as extending their season into the winter months. Organizational leaders believe both things are vital to induce growth in their sports.

The proposed indoor FIFA sized multipurpose field would add to the supply of fields in Windsor, and would likely be utilized by many programs for practice, training, and league play throughout the year. While rental rates vary by sport, various local programs currently rent indoor facilities for league events. While it is important to understand the implications for rental rates by local programs, Chapter 5 better defines the trends for rental rates in the market. Should the proposed facility install a hardwood surface on top of the turf field, Windsor could attract larger provincial and/or national tournaments for traditional indoor court sports.

Of particular note is the conversion of an ice rink in the community. The proposed converted ice rink would likely be utilized by local lacrosse clubs for practices, league play, camps, and clinics. The demand for tournaments at the proposed converted ice rink will be discussed in Chapter 6 of this report.

Based on the fact that most of the sports that indicated the most interest in a new indoor facility were traditional outdoor sports programs that play on grass or turf – and have few alternatives during the colder months – HSP believes there will be demand for an indoor turf field. However, a partnership would be required to make such a project feasible.

Comparable and competitive provincial facilities will be highlighted in the next chapter.


COMPARABLE AND COMPETITIVE SPORTS FACILITY ANALYSIS This chapter is intended to provide the Client with a profile of the comparable and competitive sports facilities, and the implications they provide for any new indoor sports facility development in the City of Windsor. This chapter also identifies potential indoor sports facility developments within the Windsor area that could potentially impact an indoor sports development in Windsor. In addition to the comparable and competitive set and the proposed future developments, HSP has provided detail related to the inclusion of hard-court sports at an indoor sports field facility.

The discussion of the local participation rates and the supply and demand of local facilities conducted in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of this report has identified an existing lack of indoor sports field facilities, which indicates the need for an indoor sports field facility. The demand for traditional indoor court sports indicate that there is potential to program these types of events in a new indoor facility, in addition to field sports. The City of Windsor is interested in better understanding the opportunity to install hard court surfaces on top of the indoor turf field in an attempt to accommodate this potential demand. It is important to understand the cost and the time associated with such a conversion when attempting to determine to what degree indoor court sports could potentially be utilized at the facility.

In this section, HSP identified eight multipurpose turf field facilities that are comparable to the facility needs in Windsor. HSP reached out to the key operators of these facilities to request data and information regarding trends in rental rates, programming and facility features. In addition, HSP identified one comparable facility, Brampton Soccer Centre, that installs hardwood courts on top of a turf field for use by indoor court sports.

The following table shows the eight identified indoor soccer facilities in Ontario.

Table 5-1

As the data demonstrates, most facilities feature at least one full size field that can be divided into smaller fields. Rental rates averaged about $.85/hour per 100 square feet. Pine Glen Soccer Centre and Players Paradise drive up the average rates slightly.

Comparable and Competitive Indoor Facilities

Facility Location Opened Size (SF) Largest Field (SF)Peak Rate per

100 SFThe Hangar at Downsview Park Toronto 2006 485,000 69,300 $0.89Central Park Athletics Windsor 2012 250,000 45,000 $0.40The Field House at Hershey Sportzone Mississauga 2007 200,000 n/a n/aBMO Centre London 2004 160,000 n/a n/aBrampton Soccer Centre Brampton 2007 153,000 17,000 n/aThe Ontario Soccer Centre Vaughan 2003 130,000 69,300 $0.95Pine Glen Soccer Centre Oakville 2009 100,000 66,584 $1.33Players Paradise Stoney Creek 2010 90,000 72,000 $1.19Manulife Financial Sportsplex and Healthy Living Centre at RIM Park Waterloo 2001 41,335 32,604 $0.44Novelletto Rosati Sports & Recreation Complex Windsor 2002 32,000 20,500 $0.78Average -- 2006 164,134 49,036 $0.85

Source: City of Windsor, Hunden Strategic Partners


Figure 5-1 maps the major indoor soccer facilities in Ontario.

Figure 5-1

The majority of facilities are in the Northeast region of the Province near Toronto. The BMO Centre in London is the only indoor soccer venue in reasonable proximity to Windsor. There is opportunity for Windsor to help supply Southwest Ontario with quality indoor athletics space.

BMO Centre- London

Opened in 2004, with a total project cost of $8 million, the BMO Centre features an indoor turf playing surface that can be used as a full field, half field or divided into quarters. In addition to the indoor fields, the facility offers a walking track, meeting rooms, food services, and free parking. The Centre has more than 750,000 visitors annually. The following tables summarize rates for both winter and summer months at the BMO Centre.


Table 5-2

Table 5-3

Conversations with representatives from the BMO Centre indicated the following: § Soccer as a whole is growing exponentially. § The BMO Centre is adding two additional quarter size fields in November. § The facility lacks air conditioning, which hurts usage in the summer months. § The walking track is a major part of the facility. It is free on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and

track groups will pay $80 per hour on non-public days. § There are several tournaments held at the BMO Centre: Christmas Tournament (Two weeks in

December), Family Day Tournament (February) and March Madness Tournament (One week in March).

§ The Centre has several rooms available to rent for corporate meetings, community events and charity functions.

Brampton Soccer Centre - Brampton

The Brampton Soccer Centre opened in 2007 and had a total project cost of $26.9 million. The facility offers four separate indoor fields (200’ x 85’) with dressing rooms. The facility also includes a dance studio, three meeting rooms, a boardroom, youth lounge, a gymnasium and a kitchen. Outside of the facility there are basketball courts, playgrounds and a splash pad. The fields and meeting rooms operate from 8:00am to 11:00pm daily. Conversations with representatives from the Brampton Soccer Centre indicated the following:

§ Hardwood basketball courts are installed across the entire turf facility during the summer months.

Winter Rental Time Day Time Quarter Field Half Field Full Field Winter Peak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 3:30PM to 2AM $133 $221 $309Winter Peak (Weekend) Saturday & Sunday All Day $133 $221 $309Winter Non Peak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 9AM to 3:30PM $71 $133 $221Source: BMO Centre

BMO Centre Winter Rental Rates

Summer Rental Time Day Time Quarter Field Half Field Full Field Summer Peak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 3:30PM to 2AM $80 $150 $250Summer Peak (Weekend) Saturday & Sunday All Day $80 $150 $250Summer Non Peak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 9AM to 3:30PM $43 $80 $133Source: BMO Centre

BMO Centre Summer Rental Rates


§ Installation of the hardwood basketball courts is in-house, and is estimated to cost between $5,000 and $6,000 per installation. To keep rental fees for the hardwood courts at a reasonable level, management keeps the hardwood courts installed for the entire summer. Otherwise, the rental fees would include the installation costs and would eliminate daily program usage by local sports programs.

§ The process includes placing two layers of plywood over the turf then installing hardwood basketball courts on top. Staff indicated that the two layers of plywood has kept the turf fields from incurring any damage during utilization of the hardwood courts.

§ Management indicated that facilities that install hardwood courts on top of turf need dedicated storage space to accommodate the materials needed to cover a FIFA-size field (Over 7,000 square meters).

§ The four turf fields are rented by tournaments for $176/hour per field. A typical tournament running time ranges from 8 to 10 hours.

§ When the hardwood courts are installed on the turf field, the level of activity and tournaments increases significantly.

§ While soccer, lacrosse, and cricket tournaments are programmed at the facility, staff indicated that less than six tournaments are scheduled each year.

§ Management indicated that the largest expenses at the facility include maintenance and grooming of the turf field.

According to management, the facility staff includes: § Recreation Supervisor - oversees the entire facility. § Operation Caretaker - manages 4 full-time maintenance employees and 25 part-time staff. § Program Manager - manages programming at the facility.

Pine Glen Soccer Centre - Oakville

Opened in 2009, with a total project cost of $11 million, the Pine Glen Soccer Centre features a full-sized FIFA regulation turf field. The field can be divided into halves or quarters. A community room and meeting spaces are also available to be rented with or without the fields.

The following table summarizes the rates at the Pine Glen Soccer Centre.


Table 5-4

The Fieldhouse at Hershey Sportzone – Mississauga

The Field House at Hershey Sportzone opened in 2007 and is owned by the City of Mississauga. The facility offers a FIFA sized turf field that can be divided into halves or quarters. Additionally, there is a gymnastics centre, triple gymnasium, meeting space and a lounge. There are also two artificial turf fields outside, one of which is covered by a dome during the winter months. An exterior dressing room connects to the dome while it is in use.

Leagues, programs and camps are the largest revenue generators for the facility, followed by field rentals and drop-ins. An estimated 90 percent of field time is allocated to city-run leagues. The indoor field is typically only available for rent before 5:00pm during the peak months. Programming a variety of sports that have consistent demand for indoor space will help to keep indoor facilities booked throughout the year.

The Hangar - Toronto

Opened in 2006 and operated by Spectra, the 485,000-square-foot facility offers four turf fields (105’ x 160’), one full-size dome field that can be divided in halves or thirds, a ball hockey arena and two multi-sport courts. The facility also has an indoor lobby for events and parties. Additional amenities at The Hangar include dressing rooms and showers for athletes, and bleacher-style seating for spectators. There are three outdoor fields (including the domed field) and an 8-lane 400-meter track.

The following tables summarize rates for summer and fall/winter months.

Table 5-5

Pine Glen Soccer Centre (1/4 Field)Youth Adult

Fall/Winter Peak Time $195 $230Fall/Winter Non Peak Time $85 $85Summer Peak Time $85 $110Summer Non Peak Time $50 $85

Source: Pine Glen Soccer Centre

The Hangar (1/3 Field) - Fall/Winter Rates (October 1st - April 30th)

Monday - Friday Saturday & Sunday7AM - 5PM 5PM - 6PM 6PM - 11PM 11PM - 12AM 7AM - 8AM 8AM - 10PM 10PM - 12AM

$85 $175 $205 $145 $175 $205 $175

Source: Downsview Bookings


Table 5-6

The rates above are the fees charged to rent to one third of the field. Summer rentals fluctuate much less than rates during peak months.

The Ontario Soccer Centre – Vaughan

The Ontario Soccer Centre opened in 2003 and had a total project cost of $12 million. The facility offers a full-size FIFA field that can be divided into thirds. The facility is also home to the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum, Sports Injury Rehabilitation Centre and food services. The fields operate daily from 7:00am to midnight.

The following tables show rates for the Ontario Soccer Centre. Over the summer, the facility charges a consistent rate, while the winter rates fluctuate with peak times.

Table 5-7

The Hangar (1/3 Field) - Summer Rates (May 1st - September 30th*)

Monday - Friday Saturday & Sunday8AM - 5PM 5PM - 6PM 6PM - 12AM 8AM - 10PM 10PM - 12AM

$85 $100 $120 $120 $100

*Dates shown for Hangar. Dome only open May & SeptemberSource: Downsview Bookings

Ontario Soccer Centre Rates - Fall/Winter (October 24, 2016 - April 23, 2017)Rental Time Day Time 1/3 Field 2/3 Field Full FieldEarly Morning Monday - Sunday 7:00am - 8:00am $120/hr $240/hr $320/hr

Daytime Monday - Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm $120/hr $240/hr $320/hrEvening Monday - Friday 6:00pm - 11:00pm $220/hr $440/hr $620/hrWeekend Saturday & Sunday 8:00am - 11:00pm $220/hr $440/hr $620/hrLate Night Monday - Sunday 11:00pm - 12:00am $120/hr $240/hr $320/hr

Source: Ontario Soccer Centre


Table 5-8

Players Paradise – Stoney Creek

Opened in 2010, Players Paradise is a full-size FIFA field that can be divided into fourths with a state-of-the-art mechanical mesh screen system. The facility offers 11 dressing rooms, a retail pro shop, juice bar, restaurant, fitness facility and sports lounge. The facility has the ability to be converted to accommodate trade shows and other non-sporting events. Players Paradise charges an hourly rate of $215 for a quarter of a field and $750 for a full field.

Youngs Sportsplex - Wellend

Opened in 2012, Youngs Sportsplex is a roughly 80,000-square foot indoor facility that offers a 60,000-square foot field. In addition to indoor soccer, indoor tennis courts and outdoor grass fields are available for rent. The facility is home to the Wellend Soccer Club. Rates during peak times are $450 for a full field and $150 for a third of the field.

The following tables summarize rates for Youngs Sportsplex.

Table 5-9

Ontario Soccer Centre Rates - Spring/Summer (April 24 - October 22, 2017)Rental Time Day Time 1/3 Field 2/3 Field Full FieldEarly Morning Monday - Sunday 7:00am - 8:00am $120/hr $240/hr $320/hr

Daytime Monday - Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm $120/hr $240/hr $320/hrEvening Monday - Friday 6:00pm - 11:00pm $120/hr $240/hr $320/hrWeekend Saturday & Sunday 8:00am - 11:00pm $120/hr $240/hr $320/hrLate Night Monday - Sunday 11:00pm - 12:00am $120/hr $240/hr $320/hr

Source: Ontario Soccer Centre

Summer Rental Time Day Time Half Field Full Field Peak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 6PM to 11PM $125 $250Peak (Weekend) Saturday & Sunday 8AM to 10PM $125 $250Non Peak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 8AM to 6PM $80 $150

Source: Youngs Sportsplex

Youngs Sportsplex Summer Field Rates


Table 5-10

Manulife Financial Sportsplex and Healthy Living Centre - Waterloo

Opened in 2001, the Manulife Financial Sportsplex offers one turf field which can be divided into three fields, and is part of a larger complex. In 2015, the City voted to replace the turf which had been in place since 2001. The field is 132 feet by 147 feet and hourly rental rates are roughly $145 for the full field and $50 for a third of the field. The facility also offers dressing rooms for the athletes.

Other Proposed Indoor Sports Facility Developments

This section is intended to describe two proposed indoor sports facility developments within the area. The City of Tecumseh and the University of Windsor both have potential developments. Each of these developments could impact any indoor sports facility development in the City of Windsor. HSP has provided an overview of these two proposed developments below.

Tecumseh Multi-Use Sportsplex (Proposed) – Tecumseh, Ontario

The proposed Multi-Use Sportsplex in Tecumseh is intended to feature an indoor field to accommodate soccer, as well as other sports groups. The study for the project, performed by Colliers International, consulted with various sports to determine memberships, pricing and space requirements.

The following table shows the projected rates for the sportsplex in Tecumseh.

Table 5-11

The proposed project in the City of Tecumseh can serve as both an opportunity and a threat for the any indoor multipurpose turf facility in Windsor. Many national and provincial events need several major facilities in close proximity for their events. This is an opportunity for the two facilities to partner on such occasions. Competition

Winter Rental Time Day Time Half Field Full FieldPeak (Weekday) Monday - Friday 6PM to 11PM $150 $450Peak (Weekend) Saturday & Sunday 8AM to 10PM $150 $450Non Peak (Weekend) Monday - Friday 6PM to 11PM $75 $225

Source: Youngs Sportsplex

Youngs Sportsplex Winter Field Rates

Tecumseh Proposed Field Pricing

SeasonFull Field (180x330)

Half Field (180x165)

Third Field (180x100)

Peak $350 $180 $130Shoulder $275 $150 $115Off-Peak $165 $90 $70

Source: Colliers International


between the facilities could have the drawback of creating bidding wars which could ultimately decrease revenues for the facilities.

Proposed Holy Names Turf Field

Holy Names Catholic School in Windsor-Essex has approved an outdoor turf field with a six-lane running track. While this field will add to the local supply of turf fields, there is no indoor component to this particular project. Additionally, school representatives indicated that the field and facilities will serve students first and foremost.

Proposed St. Denis Centre Expansion (University of Windsor)

The University of Windsor plans to spend $73 million to expand the existing St. Denis Centre by 125,000 square feet. Of this budget, $18 million is allotted for soft costs. The current facility is used by 8,000 students each year, and this number is expected to double. There are roughly 350 student athletes, and nearly 6,000 are involved via intramurals. Included will be a 25 meter eight-lane pool, 16,000 square feet of fitness space, six multi-purpose rooms and three gyms. Two gyms will be in a bowl with seating for 2,500 spectators. Additionally, there will be wet and dry lockers, new team rooms, offices, social space and therapy space. Outside, there will be a second turf field added. Conversations with University representatives indicated the following:

§ The University has hosted several youth sports events in the past, ranging from PanAm Junior Championships to local high school football.

§ Some sports have had to rent space at Central Park and the Novelletto Rosati Complex due to limited resources on campus. The rentals are driven by price and proximity.

§ An agreement from years back is still honored that allows access to be available to the public. § Several sports including Hockey, Golf and Baseball currently leave campus for practices and

games.

Turf Provider Feedback

This section is intended to discuss turf field types and to delve into the opportunity to install hard court surfaces on top of a turf field. HSP reached out to turf providers to gather feedback useful for the proposed project in Windsor. It is important for the City of Windsor to understand the types of indoor sports fields, installation costs, resurfacing plans, and opportunities to install other hard-court surfaces on top the turf field.

Synthetic Turf International Canada

§ For indoor facilities, there has been a larger push for infill-free turf (no rubber pellets). The surface is not ideal for higher impact sports such as football but is preferred for soccer. There is better roll, no rug burns and little to no maintenance.

§ Infill-free fields can be moved more easily to accommodate other surfaces.

§ Most business plans should use a 10-year resurface plan. However, some fields can be used for 12-15 years depending on use.

§ Most companies will customize lines and colors for the turf at no additional charge.


§ Installation can range from $4 to $6 per square foot. AstroTurf Canada

§ Infill-free fields can cost almost $200,000 more than infill fields.

§ The standard field warranty is eight years. Rubber infill can be re-used to save tens of thousands of dollars.

§ It is possible to roll fields up for other sports, but it is complicated and costly.

§ Field protection systems can be laid over turf for events that require a different surface.

Implications

The majority of the comparable facilities identified in this chapter offer at least one full-size FIFA regulation field, and provide the City of Windsor a basis of comparison for rental fees, programming, and amenity trends. While the comparable facilities are all located in Ontario, there is a void of quality indoor turf field facilities in southwest Ontario. Any development of an indoor sports field facility in the City of Windsor would likely provide opportunity to fill the void in southwest Ontario. However, the proposed indoor sports facility project in the City of Tecumseh would increase supply, and if it were to be developed, has the potential to be competitive with any new development in Windsor.

While there is also demand for an indoor court sports facility in the City of Windsor, the cost to install hard-court surfaces on top of the turf field would limit the use by indoor court sports to primarily tournaments. However, the opportunity to install a hard-court surface on top of the turf field for a long duration of time, similar to the Brampton Soccer Centre situation, allow the facility to accommodate daily use from local indoor court sports.

Overall, the eight comparable and competitive facilities are primarily programmed by local sports groups for leagues, practices, and other programs. However, each facility has tournament use throughout the year as well. The comparable facilities in this chapter will provide insight for tournament opportunities for any indoor sports field facility development in the City of Windsor, which is detailed further in Chapter 6.


SPORTS TOURNAMENT AND OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS This chapter is intended to provide the City of Windsor with a better understanding of the potential tournament use by sport at a new indoor sports field facility and a converted ice rink. In addition to tournament use, HSP has provided an overview of the tournament facility needs by sport to allow the City of Windsor to better understand the tournament opportunity at a new facility.

Sports Tournament Analysis

This section identifies the sports that would likely have tournament implications for any indoor sports field facility in the City of Windsor, as well as a converted ice rink to a box lacrosse arena.

The City of Windsor has had success in hosting provincial and national sports, however, the new facility would potentially increase the opportunity to host tournaments for various sports as well. HSP spoke to over 20 sports for potential tournament use, though many of those types of sports indicated to HSP that their tournament opportunity would minimal or would be very sporadic at a facility in Windsor.

Based on conversations with sport organizations and the comparable and competitive facilities identified in Chapter 5, HSP believes a new indoor sports field facility development in the City of Windsor, and a converted ice rink would have the opportunity to attract tournaments for the following sports:

§ Soccer § Lacrosse

In addition, HSP believes that there is also tournament opportunity for non-turf sports, that would require the installation of a cover or hard-court surface on top of the turf field. Those sports include:

§ Archery § Badminton § Volleyball

HSP has provided a discussion on the tournament opportunity for these four identified sports at an indoor sports facility in Windsor below.

Soccer

The tournament schedule for soccer in Canada is dominated by outdoor tournaments, programmed primarily in the summer through early fall. According to Soccer Canada, all soccer tournaments are programmed at outdoor facilities, unless weather forces play inside. Consequently, during the colder months, local users for leagues and tournament play may schedule events and tournaments at indoor facilities. Generally, indoor tournaments are three-day tournaments that feature participation between 50 to 500 teams. The primary indoor soccer facilities for tournaments and events at a provincial level are the Soccer Centre in Vaughn, ON and Durham College in Oshawa, ON.

A sport similar to soccer is futsal. Unlike soccer, which is played for the majority of the year outdoor, futsal is only played in indoor facilities. As such, futsal has minimal opportunity to host tournaments and events year-


round. Tournaments generally are scheduled at college or university gymnasiums. The Third Annual Futsal Canadian Championship, which occurs over three days in April, was hosted at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Indoor soccer tournaments and futsal tournaments have slightly different requirements. Indoor soccer tournaments range from 3v3 to 11v11, which are the numbers of players per side, to small sided soccer, to futsal.

Each level of soccer requires a specific field size and goal size; the figure below demonstrates indoor soccer field dimensions by participation level.

Table 6-1

The requirements for futsal are slightly different from those listed for soccer in the table above. A futsal field length is required to measure 25m to 42m with a width of 16m to 25m and is generally played on hardwood basketball courts or synthetic court. Soccer Canada indicated to HSP that futsal requires spectator seating of 500 to 1,000.

Conversations with market participants indicated that a full-sized FIFA indoor soccer field is desired in Windsor, and would allow clubs to create indoor soccer leagues and tournaments during the colder months. The BMO Centre in London is the closest premier facility to Windsor, which limits supply for the entire Southwest region. Conversations also indicated that there is desire for a new facility to host a Canadian American soccer tournament.

Soccer Implications

A new indoor soccer facility in Windsor or a converted ice rink would likely fill a supply gap by drawing new futsal users and potentially indoor soccer users during the year, specifically in the colder months. The soccer programs in the region have, or would create, indoor tournaments that will benefit from the addition of a new

Indoor Soccer Field Dimensions by Participation Level

Age Group

U4-U6 (Female &

Male)

U6-U8(Femle) / U6-U9(Male) U8-U11(Female) / U9-U12(Male) U11-U15(Female) / U12-U16(Male)

U15-U19 (Female) / U16-U20

(Male)U18+(Female) / U19+(Male)

Small Sided Soccer*

Playing FormatParent &

Child3v3 4x4 5v5 6v6 7v7 8v8 8v8 9v9 11v11 11v11 FIFA Rules 3on3 6v6 9v9

Game Day Roster SizeParent &

ChildMax 6 Max 8 Max 10

Ideal 8 / Max 10

Ideal 9 / Max 12

Ideal 11 / Max 14

Ideal 11 / Max 14

Ideal 12 / Max 16

Ideal 16 / Max 18

Ideal 16 / Max 18

FIFA RulesTournament

RulesTournament

RulesTournament

Rules

Team Travel Time n/a 15-30 mins 20-120 min 20-120 30-120 min 30-120 minW/in

District45 mins

each way60min

Regional / Provincial /

National

Provincial / National /

International

Provincial / National /

International


National


National


National

Field Width n/a 18-22m 25-30m 25-30m 30-36m 30-36m 30-36m 42-55m 42-55mFIFA

RegulationFIFA

RegulationFiFA

Regulation28m (Max) 23-30m 42-55m

Field Length n/a 25-30m 30-36m 30-36m 40-55m 40-45m 40-45m 60-75m 60 -75mFIFA

RegulationFIFA

RegulationFIFA

Regulation37m (Max) 45-64m 64-75m

Goal Size n/a1.52m x 2.44m

1.52m x 2.44m

1.52m x 2.44m

1.83m x 4.88m

18.3m x 4.27

1.83m x 4.27m

1.83m x 5.49m

1.83m x 5.49m

2.44m x 7.32m

2.44m x 7.32m

FIFA Regulation

1.2 x 2.4m 2m x 3.5m 2m x 5.48m

*Boards or Walls should be no less than 1.2m high (Glass mounted on boards shall be considered part of the boards)

Source: Soccer Canada


facility. A new indoor facility with a FIFA sized field would provide a tournament quality facility to host regional indoor soccer tournaments, and national, provincial, and regional Futsal tournaments.

Lacrosse

The tournament schedule for lacrosse in Canada includes outdoor lacrosse and box lacrosse, which is the indoor version. While outdoor lacrosse tournaments are programmed from April to end of September, box lacrosse is programmed year-round. Generally, tournaments are three days and consist of between 500 to 1,000 athletes and coaches.

The Ontario Lacrosse Association hosts the Ontario Lacrosse Festival in August for 10 days. The festival is held at various indoor facilities in Whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville, Pickering, and Hampton.

The following table shows the Ontario Lacrosse Festival event data from 2013 through 2017.

Table 6-2

The festival averages more than 5,600 spectators per day. Facilities are primarily located within the Toronto regional area.

Box lacrosse is an indoor version of lacrosse and is played on a field that measures 54.9-61m in length and 24.4-27.45m in width. The field is enclosed by boards that measure 1.22-1.07m in height. The boards should be topped with wire, glass, or fencing with a maximum height of 1.83m on each side, and a maximum height of 3.64m on the ends (behind each goal). While lacrosse utilizes indoor turf fields, box lacrosse utilizes synthetic or hardwood courts. Box lacrosse is generally programmed in hockey rinks or basketball arenas; therefore, the spectator seating guidelines are to host events in facilities that have up to 2,000 seats.

Conversations with market participants indicated that there are typically several pre-season tournaments in Ontario. Windsor is restricted due to ice still being in the arenas.

Lacrosse Implications

Any facility in Windsor that includes a FIFA sized turf soccer field would provide local lacrosse programs additional supply for training, practices and league play throughout the year. Additionally, a new Windsor indoor

Ontario Lacrosse Festival Event Data (2013 - 2017)2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Teams 427 565 527 557 522Athletes 10,622 10,865 10,436 11,028 10,250Total Games 1,019 1,255 1,080 1,265 1,055National Championships 4 3 4 4 4Provincial Championships 33 34 38 40 40Lacrosse Disciplines Box Box Box Box BoxSouvenir Program Distribution 40,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000Spectators (estimated) 65,000 55,000 55,000 60,000 55,000Source: Ontario Lacrosse Festival


soccer facility or converted ice rink that has the ability to host box lacrosse league and tournament play would likely provide new and dedicated inventory to the area that would fill a supply gap. A new indoor facility with a regulation box lacrosse field and seating for up to 1,000 spectators would help accommodate the local groups, while providing a tournament quality facility to host national, provincial, and regional box lacrosse tournaments.

Archery

Archery in Canada includes indoor and outdoor traditional and 3D tournaments, which occur from October through April. The majority of tournaments are programmed at K-12 gymnasiums. In 2017, more than 1,000 archers took part in the Canadian Indoor Championships, and more than 200 archers in the Canadian Indoor 3D Championships.

The figure below shows the number of 2016 events by month for Archery Canada.

Figure 6-1

The majority of tournaments are programmed from January through March.

According to Archery Canada, the spectator to archer ratio is approximately 2.5. Turf is ideal for hosting archery tournaments as the facility needs to include a flat surface where tournament organizers can install anywhere from 50 to 150 targets depending on the size of the tournament. Archery Canada indicated that while tournaments and events can be programmed on any flat floor, they would prefer turf facilities. To host national, provincial, and regional archery tournaments, a facility should have seating for 500 to 750 spectators. However, the seating can be spread throughout the facility.

Conversations with market participants indicated that there are several rotating tournaments in Ontario that could be hosted at the proposed indoor facility in Windsor. This includes the 3D National Championship which had over 235 participants and Run Ontario Triple Crown.

22 22

15

42 6 8

23 23

16

52 6 8

0

5

10

15

20

25

Janu

ary

Febr

uary

Marc

h

April

May

June July

Augu

st

Sept

embe

r

Octo

ber

Nove

mbe

r

Dece

mbe

r

Archery Canada 2016 Number of Events & Event Days by Month

No. of Events No. of Event DaysSource: Archery Canada


Archery Implications

There are multiple rotating archery tournaments that likely would be able to be programmed at a new indoor sports facility, and a FIFA sized regulation turf soccer field would provide tournament organizers with the desired space to install more than 75 targets for tournaments.

Badminton

Badminton tournaments are three-day events that are programmed throughout the year at indoor facilities across the nation. While national tournaments are programmed at badminton-specific facilities, the majority of the tournaments are hosted by colleges and universities. In 2017, there were 16 national tournaments programmed by Badminton Canada that averaged more than 100 participants. Provincially, there were 20 tournaments programmed, with an average of 120 participants each.

The following figure shows the Badminton Canada number of national and provincial tournaments by month for 2017.

Figure 6-2

The months that the majority of badminton tournaments are programmed are ideal for the proposed indoor facility in Windsor.

According to Badminton Canada, national events require at least 10 badminton courts and seating capacity for 300 to 500 spectators. However, seating can be spread throughout the courts. For a facility to host international events, a minimum of 12 badminton courts is needed and seating for 1,500 spectators spread throughout the facility.

Conversations with market participants indicated that KW Badminton Club (Kitchener) is the closest premier facility, located more than 450 kilometers away. In addition, the University of Windsor currently hosts Ontario tournaments; however, the facility is not ideal for tournament use.

2 2 31 1 1

3 2 1

1

5 3

3

11

22 4

1012345678

Janu

ary

Febr

uary

Marc

h

April

May

June July

Augu

st

Sept

embe

r

Octo

ber

Nove

mbe

r

Dece

mbe

r

2017 National & Provincial Badminton Tournaments by Month

National ProvincialSource: Badminton Canada


Badminton Implications

Windsor is an ideal location for national and provincial tournaments, as well as international tournaments, due to its location. A lack of supply of ideal facilities provide opportunity for Windsor to capture demand. A Windsor facility that includes at least 10 tournament quality badminton courts would likely attract current and new badminton tournaments. In addition, a tournament quality facility could potentially attract international events due to its proximity to the border. Locally, the badminton programs would utilize the facility for league and tournament play throughout the year.

Volleyball

Volleyball tournaments are three-day events programmed throughout the year in Canada. Major events are typically programmed in large gymnasiums or expo centres. Volleyball Canada supports both men’s and women’s youth tournaments, all the way up to the national teams. National Championships from 14U through 17/18U each occur in different locations. Waterloo, Ottawa and Toronto were a few of the popular locations in Ontario to host events. Windsor currently has a girls’ volleyball event scheduled for three days in March (A OFSAA Championship). This event will attract 20 teams, which highlights Windsor’s capability of supporting a large volleyball event.

Volleyball Implications

Windsor would have an opportunity to host larger events, given the size of the fieldhouse expansion. National events typically occur in May, which could align with the proposed facility, as traditional outdoor sports no longer need covered turf. While there would be a conversion cost to install the proper flooring, the amenities at the proposed facility would be in line with other competitive venues. The Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) bid guidelines state that a minimum of 150,000 square feet (maximum of two facilities) is required to host an event. Combined with the existing ice pads and gymnasium square footage, the indoor sports field expansion would add enough space to allow the WFCU Centre to host these larger OVA events under one roof. In addition, existing office space at the WFCU Centre would be utilized for tournament officials.

Tournament Facility Needs

The following section analyzes the tournament facility needs for a new indoor athletic complex in Windsor or a converted ice rink to attract tournaments and events from each individual sport.

Each sport has general guidelines for spectator seating capacities for tournaments and events, as well as has specific requirements for floor types. The following figure shows the spectator seating guidelines and floor types by sport, at a national, provincial, or local level.


Table 6-3

While all sports listed in the table have the ability to be programmed at either the new indoor sports field facility or a converted ice rink, a few of the sports require larger and contiguous spaces, due to the number of participants per event, than what the proposed facilities in Windsor would offer.

The sports tournaments that have the opportunity to be hosted at the converted ice rink are futsal and box lacrosse. Both of these sports have specific floor dimensions and requirements for events.

Implications

Based on the tournament opportunity analysis, a new indoor sports facility in Windsor would likely host tournaments of provincial or regional size in the immediate future and could be utilized as a national host site for select sports. In order to attract provincial or national tournaments, facilities need to include additional high-

Tournament Opportunity - Spectator Seating & Floor Types

Sport NationalSpectator Seating

Provincial Local Floor TypeArchery 500 to 750 250 to 500 100 to 250 Turf or ConcreteBadminton 500 to 750 250 to 500 100 to 250 Hardwood or SyntheticBasketball 1,500 to 2,500 1,500 to 2,500 500 to 1,000 Hardwood CourtsBoccia 100 to 200 100 to 200 100 to 250 SyntheticBoxing -- -- -- Flat FloorCricket -- -- -- Turf or HardwoodFencing 1,000 - 1,500 500 to 1,000 250 to 500 Flat FloorField Hockey 500 to 750 250 to 500 100 to 250 Turf FieldFootball -- -- -- Turf FieldGoalball -- -- -- Hardwood or SyntheticGymnastics 1,500 to 2,500 1,500 to 2,500 750 to 1,500 Flat FloorJudo 250 to 500 250 to 500 100 to 250 Hardwood CourtsKarate 750 to 1,000 250 to 500 100 to 250 Flat FloorLacrosse 2,000 to 3,000 2,000 to 3,000 500 to 1,000 Turf Field or SyntheticRugby 1,000 to 2,000 1,000 to 2,000 500 to 1,000 Turf FieldSoccer 2,000 to 3,000 2,000 to 3,000 750 to 1,500 Turf Field or SyntheticTable Tennis 500 to 1,000 500 to 1,000 250 to 500 Flat FloorTaekwondo 1,000 to 1,500 1,000 to 1,500 500 to 1,000 Flat FloorVolleyball 2,000 to 3,000 2,000 to 3,000 750 to 1,500 Hardwood CourtsWeightlifting 250 to 500 250 to 500 100 to 250 Flat FloorWheelchair Basketball 250 to 500 250 to 500 100 to 250 Hardwood CourtsWheelchair Rugby 250 to 500 250 to 500 100 to 250 Hardwood CourtsWrestling 250 to 500 250 to 500 100 to 250 Flat FloorDance -- -- -- Flat FloorCheer 2,000 to 3,000 2,000 to 3,000 750 to 1,500 Flat FloorPickleball 750 to 1,000 750 to 1,000 250 to 500 SyntheticUltimate Frisbee 250 to 500 250 to 500 100 to 250 Turf Field

Source: Various Sources, Hunden Strategic Partners


quality amenities. The inclusion of these amenities, such as more locker rooms or additional seating, come at a cost and generally are specific for tournament use only.

The local sports programs have expressed interest in the proposed new indoor sports field facility or a converted ice rink to relocate current or develop new tournaments. Any development in Windsor should create and cultivate partnerships with one or more clubs/teams or provincial or national organizations.

The potential tournament organizers desire a quality hotel and support amenities package, which is identified in Chapter 7, to accommodate the tournament participation and spectators.


HOTEL MARKET ANALYSIS

The supply of quality hotel options located in close proximity to an athletic complex can be a deciding factor for tournament organizers when considering multiple destinations for an event. This section analyzes the current hotel market in Windsor.

Windsor Competitive Hotels

The table below summarizes the existing supply of competitive hotels in Windsor.

Table 7-1

The current supply of Windsor hotels offers a variety of price points and quality levels for tournament attendees. Other than Caesars Windsor, the market primarily consists of older, select-service properties. While no new hotel product has opened in more than fourteen years, Windsor hotels have experienced more than $60 million in investment over the last few years. This investment has updated aging properties in an attempt to increase appeal and attract guests.

The figure below shows the location of the Windsor competitive set hotels in relation to the WFCU Centre.

Name Rooms Chain Scale Open DateLexington Inn & Suites Windsor 49 Upper Midscale Jun-99Holiday Inn Windsor Downtown 144 Upper Midscale Jun-66Caesars Windsor 758 Independent Jul-98Comfort Suites Downtown Windsor 45 Upper Midscale Jun-00Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel 305 Upper Midscale Jan-84Hampton Inn & Suites Windsor 147 Upper Midscale Aug-03Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Windsor Ambassador Bridge 214 Upper Midscale Dec-91Comfort Inn Windsor 77 Upper Midscale Jun-84Comfort Inn & Suites Ambassador Bridge 125 Upper Midscale Sep-89

Average 207 -- Dec-90

Windsor Hotel Competitive Set


Figure 7-1

Currently, there are no lodging options within ten kilometers of the WFCU Centre. While adjacency is not critical, proximity to hotel options is a factor considered by tournament and event organizers when considering destinations for events. The primary node of hotels is located downtown, approximately 15 minutes from the WFCU Centre. Conversations with local market participants indicated that transportation to and from existing sporting events at the Centre has not presented issues historically.

Table 7-2 shows a heat chart for hotel occupancy from September 2016 through August 2017.


Table 7-2

As the figure shows, the market experiences peak occupancy (greater than 90 percent) on weekends in the summer months. From December through April, occupancy of the entire market remained below 70 percent in 2016-2017. The peak season for any indoor sports complex, due to demand generated by outdoor sports during times of inclement weather, occurs during the time of the year when hotels in Windsor have the greatest number of available hotel rooms. Analysis of the Windsor hotel performance suggests opportunity for attracting overnight tournaments and events.

HSP spoke with local lodging stakeholders and participants to better understand the market. Feedback included: § Caesars Windsor - Conversations with representatives from Caesars Windsor indicated that

occupancy at the casino has been growing annually and that the hotel is sold out almost every weekend. The property has been involved in past sport events such as the Memorial Cup for Hockey and the FINA World Swimming Championships. Distance from WFCU Centre has not been an issue, as transportation from the hotel core is not difficult. An additional hotel would add room support and allow Windsor to host larger events.

§ Sunray Hotel Group - Conversations with representatives from Sunray Hotel Group indicated that a new hotel development in closer proximity to the WFCU Centre would certainly benefit from sports tourism on the weekend, but feared that the weekday market could present issues. Representatives did also note that properties with pools and complimentary breakfasts typically fill up first during sporting events, and then overflow to other properties.

Implications

Analysis of the existing hotel situation in Windsor indicates that the market offers a collection of branded select-service hotel properties that offer the price point and amenities that are coveted by youth sports tournament

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday AvgSep - 16 45.8% 58.7% 71.7% 78.6% 69.2% 81.8% 93.3% 71.6%Oct - 16 56.4% 67.7% 86.6% 91.3% 82.1% 86.1% 95.3% 80.0%Nov - 16 38.6% 70.5% 77.0% 83.8% 78.6% 75.5% 90.0% 73.9%Dec - 16 63.1% 64.0% 69.8% 66.3% 63.0% 63.4% 76.1% 66.6%Jan - 17 37.1% 53.3% 62.7% 65.9% 54.4% 56.1% 60.6% 55.3%Feb - 17 32.3% 52.2% 65.6% 66.7% 54.8% 59.2% 67.3% 56.9%Mar - 17 38.3% 69.2% 74.5% 70.2% 67.8% 75.3% 74.0% 67.4%Apr - 17 43.0% 67.6% 73.7% 76.6% 68.7% 80.8% 81.9% 69.8%May - 17 56.8% 71.8% 87.9% 88.3% 73.2% 79.2% 84.4% 77.9%Jun - 17 40.2% 78.8% 84.6% 83.4% 70.6% 77.7% 86.8% 74.6%Jul - 17 44.0% 64.2% 76.0% 80.1% 80.2% 85.9% 90.2% 73.6%Aug - 17 57.7% 73.3% 84.6% 88.7% 77.2% 80.1% 93.6% 79.7%Average 46.0% 65.8% 76.4% 78.7% 69.9% 75.1% 83.0%

Sources: Smith Travel Research

Occupancy Percent by Day of Week by Month - September 2016 - August 2017


attendees. In addition, the hotel market lacks consistent demand generators throughout the winter, which coincides with peak season for indoor sporting events. While no hotel properties are located adjacent or walkable from WFCU Centre, the hotel situation is a positive indicator of future tournament opportunity in Windsor.


BUDGETS & PROJECTIONS This section details HSP’s budget and financial projections. The projections model assumes the indoor multipurpose facility primarily caters to soccer, and the facility has been programmed to not only accommodate, but also pursue local and regional events for each sport. It also assumes that tournaments and other sporting events will receive priority for weekend programming, while local programs and uses would utilize the facilities during weekdays and non-tournament weekends. For visitation assumptions, HSP counted each unique visit. For example, if an athlete had two practices and one game in a week, they will be counted three times.

Operating & Capital Budget

The following table shows the projected construction cost for the project.

Table 8-1

WFCU Centre Field House Expansion - Capital BudgetItem Area (sf) Rate ($/sf) Total NotesConstruction Costs

Building AdditionSoccer Field House 83,544 $300 $25,063,200Team Rooms 8,274 $325 $2,689,050Field House Storage 3,638 $250 $909,500Main Entrance Vestibule 1,500 $370 $555,000Parking Area Vestibule 1,800 $350 $630,000Fitness Room 3,638 $370 $1,346,060Referee Rooms 1,200 $300 $360,000Mechanical & Service 1,000 $250 $250,000Gross Up Area (10%) 10,459 $350 $3,660,790 10% of subtotal

Total Building Addition Cost 115,053 $35,463,600Renovation Works For walking track and repurposed ice pad

Elevated Track $2,400,000Exit Stairs / Elevator $175,000Wood Court Surface on Slab 8,800 $18 $158,400Elevated Seating $500,000 1,500 Seats

Total Renovation Works Cost $3,233,400Parking (804 Stalls) $4,582,800 $5,700/StallSite Servicing $150,000Landscaping $250,000Signage $50,000Soil Remediation $803,000Construction Contingency (8%) $3,562,624

Total Construction Costs $48,095,424Professional Fees

Consulting $4,453,280 10% of construction cost subtotalInternal Project Management $100,000Survey, Geotech, etc. $75,000Testing & Inspection $75,000Utility Fees $120,000

Total Professional Fees $4,823,280Fit Up Costs $1,781,312 4% of construction cost subtotalMiscellaneous

Permit Fees (Building) $2.20 $253,117Permit Fees (SPC) $10,000Project Contingency $2,556,870 5% of construction costs, professional fees and fit up costs

Total Miscellaneous Costs $2,819,987Estimated Project Cost $57,520,003 Excluding taxNon-Recoverable Tax (2%) $1,150,400Total Estimated Project Cost $58,670,403 Including tax

Source: MJMA, Perkins+Will, City of Windsor


The HSP team, including representatives from Perkins+Will and MJMA, estimate a total Project cost of $58.7 million, including a total building cost of $35.5 million. Several spaces, such as storage and service, could be increased as needed and drive up the overall project cost.

The following table details the costs for potential future add-on amenities to the Project.

Table 8-2

As shown in the table above, up to $5.1 million in amenities can be added to the facility. The additional parking option represents space furthest from the WFCU Centre main bowl. MJMA indicated that hard floor material to be placed over the for basketball and volleyball events would cost roughly $5 per square foot. Through conversations, HSP was also able to determine that at least $5,000 should be expected for each conversion for staffing costs.

The following table shows HSP’s financial operating projections for the Project.

WFCU Centre Field House Expansion - Additional Costs

Item Cost NotesOutdoor Turf FIFA-Sized Field $1,500,000 With lighting, irrigation, perimiter access

Air-Supported Dome $2,500,000 With perimiter beam, HVAC units, control systemHard Floor Over Turf $392,500 $5/SF materials + 5,000 conversion laborStorage for Hard Floor $80,000 $200/SF at 400 square feet

Additional Parking (120 Stalls) $660,000 $5,500/stallTotal $5,132,500

Source: MJMA, Perkins+Will


Table 8-3

The model includes the assumption that events will generate hourly complex rental fees to use the facility, based on fees charged at comparable facilities. HSP projects an annual rent revenue of approximately $305,000 for the complex in Year 1.

In terms of expenses, salaries are assumed as $95,000 for the supervisor position and $65,000 for the caretaker position. Benefits and part time wage assumptions were determined through conversations with Windsor representatives. Utilities, repairs, communication and advertising are estimates generated by conversations with comparable facilities. Solar panels could be added to the design to combat utilities costs, but this feature would drive capital costs. Maintenance required for the indoor turf will include vacuuming and painted lines, among other various tasks. HSP used conservative estimates throughout the model.

The majority of the use will be local use, with modest tournament and event implications. For purposes of analyzing the facility, only new revenues and new expenses due to the expansion were shown. Existing revenues and expenses from the WFCU Centre were not shown.

The following table shows rental rate assumptions for the complex.


Table 8-4

HSP made assumptions based on comparable and competitive facilities. Youth rates are assumed to be roughly 90 percent of adult rates.

Events & Tournaments

The following table shows the number of events and tournaments by type projected for the complex. This table does not include weekly league programming.

Rate Assumptions Rent/Hour

(Full)Rent/Hour

(Half)Rent/Hour (Quarter)

October - March (Peak Season)Youth Rental $300 $150 $75Adult Rental $320 $160 $80

April - September (Offseason)Youth Rental $200 $100 $50Adult Rental $240 $120 $60


Table 8-5

The table above shows the number of events by type by sport. Soccer tournaments are expected to grow from one per year to three by year ten. Other sports rentals account for sports such as Ultimate Frisbee that are not listed as their own categories. Windsor events account for any community events that may require the use of the indoor facility. Total events are expected to begin at 12 in Year 1, suggesting that the complex will host an event every other weekend throughout peak season.

Projected Utilization

The figures below, based off of HSP's demand projections, shows a projected utilization calendar for each of the four quadrants of the field for a typical week during the 24-week peak season at the complex (October through March). These projections assume leagues and programs are held at the complex Monday through Thursday from 4 PM to midnight, while tournaments and other events occur on the weekends. The summary calendar differentiates between events that will utilize only a quarter of the complex (practices), and the events that will utilize half of the facility (games and select practices). It is important to note that the conceptual calendars show an event utilizing the entire complex during weekend hours, but this will not be the case every week. This is reflected in the revenue and visitation projections.

The following abbreviations are used to identify different users:

Events (Total Events)

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10Soccer

Soccer Tournaments 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3Camps/Programs 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2

Total 2 2 3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5

ArcheryTournaments 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Total 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Baseball / SoftballCamps/Programs 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Total 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

LacrosseLacrosse Tournament 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Camps/Programs 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Total 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Other Other Sports Events/Tournaments 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3Other Sports Rental 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2Windsor Events 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Other Non-Sporting Events 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Total 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

Total Tournaments 5 5 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 9

Total Tournaments, Camps & Events 12 12 14 15 17 17 17 17 17 17

Source: Various Sports Organizations, Hunden Strategic Partners


§ YSP – Youth Soccer Practice § YSG – Youth Soccer Game § ASP – Adult Soccer Practice § ASG – Adult Soccer Game § YLP – Youth Lacrosse Practice § YLG – Youth Lacrosse Game § OSR – Outside Soccer Rental § OLR – Outside Lacrosse Practice § OCR – Outside Lacrosse Rental

The following table shows a projected weekly calendar for Quadrant 1.

Table 8-6


Quadrant 1 - Projected Utilization (Peak Season)Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

10:00 AM Event Event11:00 AM Event Event12:00 PM Event Event

1:00 PM Event Event2:00 PM Event Event3:00 PM Event Event4:00 PM YSP YLP YSG Event Event Event5:00 PM YSP YSP YSP YSG Event Event Event6:00 PM YSP YSP YSP YSG Event Event Event7:00 PM YSP YSP YSP YSG Event Event Event8:00 PM OLR OBR YSG Event Event YLG9:00 PM OSR OSR OLR OSR Event Event OLR

10:00 PM OSR OSR OSR OLR Event Event OLR11:00 PM ASP OSR ASG Event Event


Table 8-7


Table 8-8




1:00 PM Event Event2:00 PM Event Event3:00 PM Event Event4:00 PM YSP YLP YSG Event Event Event5:00 PM YSP YSP YSP YSG Event Event Event6:00 PM YSP YSP YSP YSG Event Event Event7:00 PM YSP YSP YSP YSG Event Event Event8:00 PM OLR OBR OLR YSG Event Event YLG9:00 PM OSR OBR OLR OSR Event Event OLR

10:00 PM OSR OSR OSR OLR Event Event OLR11:00 PM ASP OSR ASG Event Event



1:00 PM Event Event2:00 PM Event Event3:00 PM Event Event4:00 PM YLP YLP YLP Event Event Event5:00 PM Event Event Event6:00 PM Event Event Event7:00 PM OCR Event Event Event8:00 PM OCR Event Event YLG9:00 PM OBR OSR Event Event YLG

10:00 PM ASP ASP ASP OLR Event Event OLR11:00 PM ASP ASP ASP ASG Event Event ASG


Table 8-9

The following summary table shows the projected weekly calendar for the entire complex.

Table 8-10

The table above combines the individual quadrant calendars into one conceptual week at the complex. This chart differentiates between practices, which will occupy one team on one quadrant, and games, which will occupy two teams on two quadrants.

The following summary table shows a conceptual calendar for an event weekend from October through March.



1:00 PM Event Event2:00 PM Event Event3:00 PM Event Event4:00 PM YLP YLP Event Event Event5:00 PM Event Event Event6:00 PM Event Event Event7:00 PM OCR Event Event Event8:00 PM OBR OCR Event Event YLG9:00 PM OBR OSR Event Event YLG

10:00 PM ASP ASP ASP OLR Event Event OLR11:00 PM ASP ASP ASP ASG Event Event ASG

Projected Calendar - October through MarchMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Time Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 4 Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 4 Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 4 Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 49:00am - 4:00pm n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a4:00 YSP YSP YLP YLP YLP YLP YLP YLP YLP5:00 YSP YSP YSP YSP YSP YSP6:00 YSP YSP YSP YSP YSP YSP7:00 YSP YSP YSP YSP YSP YSP8:00 OLR OLR OBR OLR9:00 OSR OSR OSR OBR OLP OLR10:00 ASP ASP ASP ASP OSR OSR ASP ASP11:00 ASP ASP ASP ASP ASP ASP ASP ASPSource: Hunden Partners

OSR ASGASGOSR OSR OLROLR

OBR CRYSGOBR OSROSR

YSGYSGYSG

CRYSG


Table 8-11

The following table summarizes the projected utilization, and visitation, during prime hours at the complex. Prime hours include 4:00 PM to midnight during the week, and 10:00 AM to midnight on the weekends.

Table 8-12

As demonstrated in the previous six charts, the facility is projected to operate at 61 percent occupancy during peak hours based on the projected number of league games, practices, outside rentals, and other events. Of the 272 available prime quadrant hours per week, HSP projects that 167 quadrant hours will be utilized per week.

It is important to note that games, which will occupy two quadrants, account for two quadrant hours utilized. HSP also projected the total visitation to the complex based on the number of quadrant hours utilized. While some rentals will attract more visitation than others (games will attract spectators while practices will attract players and coaches), HSP calculated a weighted average of 25 total visitors per quadrant rental hour. This results in a total visitation projection of more than 100,000 visitors to the complex.

The table below summarizes how the rent revenue projections were determined.

Projected Calendar - October through MarchFriday Saturday Sunday

Time Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 4 Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 4 Quad 1 Quad 2 Quad 3 Quad 49:00am - 4:00pm n/a n/a n/a n/a4:005:006:007:008:009:0010:0011:00Source: Hunden Partners

ASGOLR OLR

YLG YLGOLR YLG

EVENT

EVENT EVENT

Summary Visitation TablePeak Hours Available

/WeekPeak Hours Utilized/

WeekOpen Hours/

Week % Used % Available Visitors/Hour/ Quadrant Number of Weeks Total Visitation

Quadrant 1 68 48 20 70.59% 29.41% 25 24 28,800Quadrant 2 68 49 19 72.06% 27.94% 25 24 29,400Quadrant 3 68 35 33 51.47% 48.53% 25 24 21,000Quadrant 4 68 35 33 51.47% 48.53% 25 24 21,000Total/Average 272 167 105 61.40% 38.60% 25 24 100,200

Source: Hunden Partners


Table 8-13

Based on the number of projected hours per quadrant, and the assumed rental rates, HSP projects an annual rental revenue of approximately $304,800 for the complex. This is shown in “Year 1” of the operating projections.

Summary Revenue Table

Youth Hours/Week Youth Rate/Hour Adult Hours/Week Adult Rate/Hour Revenue/Week # of Weeks Total Revenue

Quadrant 1 41 $75 7 $80 $3,635 24 $87,240Quadrant 2 43 $75 6 $80 $3,705 24 $88,920Quadrant 3 25 $75 10 $80 $2,675 24 $64,200Quadrant 4 23 $75 12 $80 $2,685 24 $64,440Total/Average 132 $75 35 $80 $12,700 24 $304,800

Source: Hunden Partners


RECOMMENDATIONS This section also provides overall recommendations on the size and quality of the Project based on HSP’s review of the market and other factors. In addition, HSP’s experience with similar projects and how they have played a role in our recommendations and projections.

Recommendations

The baseline recommendation includes a FIFA-sized multipurpose indoor turf field facility, in addition to support amenities detailed in Table 9-1, if there is a partner willing to assume capital costs and enter into a long-term lease.

Multipurpose Field Facility Baseline Scenario

The following table summarizes HSP’s baseline multipurpose field facility scenario, with quantity and square footage.

Table 9-1

Overall, the baseline scenario features a facility that is roughly 100,000SF. The team rooms / locker rooms are divisible for a total of sixteen locker rooms. In addition, a walking track, fitness room, storage room, referee rooms and over 800 parking stalls are recommended. A seasonal domed multipurpose turf was studied as a possible addition to the recommendation; however, HSP does not recommend the seasonally-domed, outdoor multipurpose turf at this time, unless there is a partnership with a local association. To increase the viability of this project, certain facility components may need to be reduced.

Recommended Facility Components

Facility Components Quantity Area (SF)FIFA Regulation Field 1 83,544Spectator Seating 1,500 --Team Rooms / Locker Rooms 8 (16) 8,274Storage Room 1 3,638Fitness Room 1 3,638Referee Rooms 2 1,200Repurposed Ice Pad 1 --Walking Track 1 --Parking Stalls 804 --

Source: Hunden Strategic Partners, MJMA, Perkins+Will

September 3, 2019 Ray Mensour The Corporation of the City of Windsor 400 City Hall Square, Suite 403 Windsor, ON N9A 7K6 Dear Mr. Mensour, The Corporation of the City of Windsor (Client) engaged Hunden Strategic Partners (HSP) to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for an indoor sports facility to be developed as an expansion to the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre. The HSP team, including sports architect design professionals from Perkins + Will and MJMA, determined the feasibility, needs, programming, and projected performance of a new sports facility in Windsor. The attached is our draft report.

This deliverable has been prepared under the following general assumptions and limiting conditions: § The findings presented herein reflect analysis of primary and secondary sources of information

that are assumed to be correct. HSP utilized sources deemed to be reliable but cannot guarantee their accuracy.

§ No responsibility is taken for changes in market conditions after the date of this report and no obligation is assumed to revise this report to reflect events or conditions occurring after the date of this report.

§ HSP has no control over construction costs or timing of construction and opening. § Macroeconomic events affecting travel and the economy cannot be predicted and may impact

the development and performance of the project.

We have enjoyed serving you on this engagement and look forward to providing you with continuing service.

Sincerely yours,

Hunden Strategic Partners

windsor indoor sports facility feasibility study final report · a swot (strengths, weaknesses,...

Documents