Youth sports complexes pump an estimated $25 million into Chesterfield’s economy
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Youth sports tournaments are generating an estimated $25 million annually for Chesterfield’s local economy, according to city officials, as the area has emerged as a regional hub for competitive youth athletics.
The Chesterfield Valley is home to several large sports facilities covering hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball and gymnastics. The Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex hosts 40 tournaments per year, primarily baseball and softball.
Beal Center already outgrowing its footprint
Three years ago, the 73,000-square-foot Beal Center off Eatherton Road opened, featuring nine basketball courts that can also be configured as 18 volleyball courts or 27 pickleball courts.
Stuart Duncan, board president of the Chesterfield Sports Association, said the facility outgrew its capacity within its first year of operation and that an expansion is already in the works.
“If we had three more courts, we know between volleyball and basketball we could fill the space right away,” Duncan said. “We wouldn’t have thought building a nine-court facility of outgrowing that, but we have outgrown that, probably in the first year.”
Duncan said the facility draws athletes from across the country. During basketball tournament season, which runs from mid-March through July, approximately 80 percent of competing teams travel from out of town.
“It’s not uncommon to have a 120-team tournament where 80 percent of those teams are coming from out of town,” Duncan said. “We’ve had teams from Canada, Hawaii, California, all over Texas come in to play in these events.”
City land eyed for additional fields
Chesterfield Parks, Recreation and Arts Director Wayne Dunker said the city is exploring the use of 30 acres of city-owned land near the Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex for additional sports fields, including high school-size baseball fields capable of hosting larger tournaments.
“We would want some high school-size fields where we could bring in high school tournaments, full baseball fields and a quad of them where you could have a decent-size tournament, maybe the High School State Association Tournament,” Dunker said.
Dunker said youth sports complexes conservatively brought $25 million into the Chesterfield economy in 2025. He said tax revenue generated from that spending could support city infrastructure, including roads, bridges and equipment.
Businesses follow the tournaments
The growth in youth sports has also spurred commercial development in the area. 4Hands, a business in the growing District Entertainment area — formerly an outlet mall — was among the first to partner with local sports complexes.
“We knew there was a big community, sports community out here, especially with youth sports,” a 4Hands representative said. “One of the first things we did is reach out to all of these complexes and said how can we partner with you, how can we help you plan with these tournaments.”
Visiting families are spending money on hotels, restaurants and local attractions, according to one source in the script.
“Those teams are spending nights in hotels, going out to eat, looking for family activities to do after the game or in between games, so a lot of the tourism and local economy relies on sports,” the source said.
A representative from the District Entertainment area noted the self-contained nature of the sports tourism economy.
“You’re pretty much staying, playing, shopping within a five to 10 mile radius, which is great,” the representative said.
Regional expansion underway
Chesterfield is not alone in pursuing youth sports development. In the Metro East, O’Fallon is using hotel tax revenue to add soccer fields to its Family Sports Park. In South County, a feasibility study is underway to explore converting the struggling South County Mall into a youth sports complex with ice rinks and an event center.
In nearby Ellisville, voters will soon decide on a $3.6 million bond issue to allow the city to purchase the Ellisville Athletic Association ballfields, with plans to convert dirt fields to turf in order to attract larger tournaments and reduce weather cancellations.
“Youth sports isn’t going away, it’s only getting bigger, and I feel like it’s an economy that’s just on the verge of crushing it,” one business owner said.
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