HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It has been more than five years since voters approved the sales tax addition that paid for the renovations to the Hutchinson Sports Arena and the city bonded up to $29.4 million for the project.
So, is Hutchinson getting the economic bang for the bucks spent? Here's the best answer we have at this point.
The coronavirus pandemic could not have been foreseen and its negative impact on tourism and the cancellation of a portion of the 3A State Basketball Tournament and the NJCAA Tournament in 2020 obviously had a negative impact, but a lot of events have come to the Arena since its renovation.
LeAnn Cox with Visit Hutch provided Hutch Post a list of those events that have passed and that are currently scheduled.
2017 Events
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship
Central Regional Baton Twirling Championship
KCAC Fall Fling
KCAC Volleyball Championship
NJCAA DI Volleyball Championship
2018 Events
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship
KCAC Fall Fling
KSHSAA 3A & 4A State Volleyball Championship
KCAC Volleyball Championship
NJCAA DI Volleyball Championship
MAYB Winter Basketball Tournament
2019 Events
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship
YMCA State Gymnastics
Central Regional Baton Twirling Championship
All-American Jr. Sheep Show 3 v. 3 Basketball Tournament
KCAC Fall Fling
KSHSAA 3A & 4A State Volleyball Championship
KCAC Volleyball Championship
NJCAA DI Volleyball Championship
2020 Events
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship - cancelled after 2 days due to COVID
NASTA National Championship – rescheduled due to COVID
KCAC Fall Fling – cancelled due to COVID
KSHSAA 3A & 4A State Volleyball Championship
KCAC Volleyball Championship – rescheduled due to COVID
2021 Events
HOA Volleyball Tournament x 3
National DII Christian Homeschool Basketball Championship
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship
KBAF Basketball Tournament
KCAC Volleyball Championship for 2020
NASTA National Championship
KS Shrine Bowl
KCAC Fall Fling
KCAC Volleyball Championship
NJCAA DI Volleyball Championship
2022 Events
National DII Christian Homeschool Basketball Championship
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship
2023 Events
National DII Christian Homeschool Basketball Championship
KSHSAA Boys & Girls High School Basketball Championship
NJCAA DI Volleyball Championship
According to Cox, the total estimated economic impact for the above events is $8,862,141
The economic impact of the KSHSAA tournaments could not be calculated, so it is not reflected in the number above.
That impact number is separate from the NJCAA basketball tournament. Hutchinson received a 25-year contract extension for the tournament as a direct result of the Sports Arena renovations. It is contracted through 2041.
Cox says the NJCAA Tournament is conservatively estimated to generate an economic impact of $1.3 million per year.
At the current tax collection pace, the bond would likely be paid off in 2024.
It is important to note that those economic impact numbers going forward are estimates and that any time teams have to stay out of town, as was the case this year because of the lack of hotel rooms resulting from the Atrium Hotel's issues, the impact is somewhat reduced, at least with regard to the teams themselves.