Why Bloomington-Normal | Sports Commission | Facilities | Recent Events Introduction As a Member of the National Association of Sports Commissions, the Sports marketing department at the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Bloomington-Normal is dedicated to providing you with the highest level of expertise available. Our offices are conveniently located at the brand new Central Illinois Regional Airport. Our professional and experienced staff is ready to create a customized bid proposal and a presentation highlighting you needs. These include: - Gather necessary and detailed information on your event - Submit event to appropriate sport facilities and venues as well as hotels - Design proposal entirely based on your need - Prepare and give presentation in front of your site selection committee, outlining specific details in regards to your event and the host city as well - Provide staff to assist you on a personal inspection of Bloomington-Normal and its venues We are committed to your needs with a community that is eager to welcome you and your event. Do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-433-8226, or for more information on our staff, please click here. Links Welcome Statement Central Illinois Regional Airport Sports Illinois Staff members Why Bloomington-Normal? The Bloomington-Normal area is an ever-expanding community. Home of some of the best sport facilities in the Midwest, this area offers everything that you may need in order to stay comfortable. We are located halfway between St. Louis and Chicago at the junction Interstates 55, 39 and 74. The community offers 24 hotel properties with more than 2,400 sleeping rooms as well as two shopping malls and over 150 restaurants. McLean County furthermore serves as corporate headquarters to several international businesses, including Mitsubishi Motors, State Farm Insurance and Country Insurance &Financial Services as well as Beer Nuts and Nestle Beich Candies. Links Bloomington Normal Hotels Shopping Mapquest Bloomington-Normal Area Sports Commission The mission statement of the BNASC is to promote the Bloomington-Normal area as a world-class sporting event destination and solicit and support sports activities, which stimulates the local economy. Enhance the area's image, provide outstanding entertainment and participatory opportunities, and contribute to the community's quality of life. Please visit the Sports Commission page to learn more. Facilities The sports facilities offered in Bloomington-Normal are second to none. Division I Illinois State University, which plays in the Missouri Valley Conference, is home to 10,200 seat Redbird Arena, a facility that was named the "crown jewel" of arenas in the Midwest by the Champaign News Gazette after being built in 1989 (photo). 15,000 seat Hancock Stadium, which features brand new artificial turf, recently added new offices and locker rooms in the 16,000 square foot Kaufman Building dedicated to ISU by former alumni’s Fred and Donna Kaufman. There are several reasons why Golfers of all abilities keep coming back to the Bloomington-Normal area for a great round of golf. Some of the best courses in the entire Midwest call Bloomington-Normal their home. Among the best and most challenging courses we recommend: The 6.326 yards par 71 University Golf Course, which recently underwent a $1.7 million renovation headed by ISU alumni and PGA tour member D.A Weibring. New additions include bent grass fairways and greens as well as 20 strategically placed bunkers. The Den at Fox Creek. This Arnold Palmer designed championship course, which opened in 1997, present a challenge for even the best golfers. Features that will keep you coming back but also give you a headache include 131 sand traps, nine holes with water, as well as two double dog-legged par 5 holes. Prairie Vista This Roger Packard designed course has long been known as one of the most challenging golf courses in the Midwest. Golf Digest must have felt the same way when it awarded the course with a 4 Star Rating in its 1998-99 Places to Play issue. This course features 16 water hazards and was the site of the 2000 NCAA Division III Golf finals. The other 4-year institution in the area, liberal arts College Illinois Wesleyan (NCAA Division III) boast the brand new 3,000 seat Shirk Center, as well as the newly renovated Jack Horenberger Baseball Field. The Twin Cities are also home to The Complex at Maxwell Park, a ten diamond softball complex in Normal that has been rated one of the top complexes in the nation. Links Illinois State University Redbirds Hancock Stadium University Golf Course Redbird Arena Illinois Wesleyan University Titans Jack Horenberger Baseball Field Shirk Center Missouri Valley Conference The Complex @ Maxwell Park Bloomington-Normal area golf courses Recent Events Bloomington-Normal has long been a top destination for state, regional, national, and world tournaments in numerous sports. Some of the more recent events held here in the Twin Cities include: BASKETBALL: NCAA Division I Women’s Midwest Regional 1999 IHSA Girls Class A & AA State Finals 1992-2002 Nike Mid-AmericanChallenge NOYB National Championship BOWLING: Illinois Womens Bowling Association State Tournament 1991, 2001 GOLF: NCAA Division III Womens National Championships 2000 COUNTRY Youth Classic IHSA Girls State Finals 1975-2002 SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Illinois Special Olympics Summer Games 1985-2002 These are only a fraction of the events that have been hosted in the Bloomington-Normal area over the past decade. More Information If you are looking for a great place to host your next event, look no further. Bloomington-Normal is ready to welcome you and make your next sporting event a memorable one. Please do not hesitate to call or email Sports Marketing manager Jeff Creek at 1800-433-8226 for more information on why Bloomington-Normal is everything but normal!