Sport as a Regenerative Urban Catalyst: Kalamazoo Arena

Abstract

This thesis is an investigation into how sport arenas and athletic teams impact local economies and how arenas often serve as a regenerative catalyst for urban areas. The positive correlation that stadiums and sports teams have on social and cultural identities not only strengthens the image of the city but also improves nearby businesses by attracting thousands of spectators on a weekly basis. Sports facilities have the potential to be a powerful economic driving force in bringing an area back to life and rebranding a city’s image. The implementation of a hybrid arena within a city can allow commercial and residential developers to capitalize on the atmosphere created around a stadium by designing mixed-use buildings that feed off of the surrounding ambiance. An arena’s relationship to its city and surrounding context would facilitate a diverse physical and emotional environment that coincides with attending sporting events. Developing the experience of attending an athletic event within and around the arena is a design approach that should be maximized to have the greatest impact socially and economically on the city and the spectators. The arena and game itself should act as the final destination that is built up by the area developed around and within the arena that generates energy, excitement, and revenue before and after the final whistle blows. Without a strong and passionate fan base, sports teams wouldn’t make enough profit to stay competitive so by offering experiences to attract people to the game and area around the stadium should be a high priority for the developers. The venue itself needs to be adaptable and able to host a broad spectrum of events to keep the building occupied in the off-seasons and when the home teams are playing elsewhere. The financial and social potential around sports teams and their arenas create great opportunities to revive and enhance a once derelict area of a city or they may serve as a fresh opportunity to strengthen a great urban center.