“Sports and the City
The next generation of sports venues is an integral part of the urban scene. That’s changing how they serve cities, sponsors, owners, teams, and fans.
Sports venues are in flux. The costs of building and operating them have shot up while the public’s appetite for funding them with tax revenues has zeroed out. That’s changing the game for sports franchises. Yet cost is not the only driver, says Gensler’s Ron Turner. “Sports venues today are focused on hospitality. They contain more clubs, food-and-beverage options, and retail offerings—and give fans more access to information about the game—than ever before.”
Sports venues are also focused on the city. Today’s stadiums and arenas are much more likely to be located in transit-friendly urban sports/entertainment districts than in peripheral one-use sites. They can host events beyond sports, building creatively on their associations with sponsor brands. Their synergy with the adjoining district generates new revenue streams for both. This
is a paradigm shift for the industry, turning sports venues into all-purpose entertainment centers.”
http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/Sports%20and%20the%20City_11_14_2011.pdf
