Westfield forms new sports commission

The city of Westfield on Thursday announced the creation of the Westfield Sports Commission. Mayor Andy Cook said the commission is a natural progression of the city’s sports tourism industry that has been built around Grand Park Sports Campus.

The 501(c)3) nonprofit commission will operate independently of the city “to promote Westfield as a destination for sports tourism and serve as the organizing body developing the business of sports,” the city said in a news release.

The commission will also serve as the fiduciary for state grants for organizations in Westfield looking to secure funding. The nonprofit plans to work with Team Indiana, the Hamilton County Sports Authority and other organizations to secure grant funding from the state.

“This organization will go beyond just promoting Grand Park and other sports facilities in Westfield but will also interface with the business community to develop relationships and sports related business opportunities for the Westfield community,” said William Knox, CEO of Legacy Sports Group and a non-voting board member of the commission.

Additionally, the commission says it will work with the Westfield business community to develop events and membership programs to fund the organization.

The board members of the Westfield Sports Commission:

• Joseph Loftus, Partner, Barnes and Thornburg LLP
• Patrick Tamm, President, Tamm Capital Group, and CEO, Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association
• Christine Hill, AVP, Global Customer Experience Strategy, Eli Lilly and Company
• Matt Deck, Chief Operating Officer, Tradewinds Logistics
• LeAnne Zentz, Associate Broker, Berkshire Hathaway

Non-Voting Members:

• William Knox, President, Legacy Sports Group, and former Director, Grand Park Sports Campus
• Karen Radcliff, Director, Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, Hamilton County Sports Authority

Since its opening in 2014, Grand Park has served as a catalyst for growth in Westfield. Last year, the city announced plans to potentially sell the 400-acre sports campus.

However, the city said in March that it would not seek a buyer, but was still looking for a new operator or manager of the campus. Seven proposals from potential new operators are being considered by a committee that will make recommendations to the Westfield Redevelopment Commission and the Westfield City Council.

The city did not specify if the new sports commission will have any involvement in the selection of a new operator for Grand Park.