Gutchess Lumber Sports Park

Cortlandville, NY
Businesses are Feeling It

“The baseball tournaments…have had a massive impact on our business. This is our 11th year in
downtown Cortland and it is by far our most successful summer to date.”
-- Robbie Petrella, Brix

“There is an uptick in revenue. We sold double the rooms in July 2021 compared to July 2020. I
booked 180 rooms over a 3-day weekend for a PBR tournament.”
-- Theresa Wilson, Holiday Inn Express

“The baseball events have taken us to another level in Cortland…”

-- Sam Ferro. Hampton Inn
“I turned away 75 people in one weekend. We just couldn’t accommodate the volume!
-- Matt Petrella, The Green Arch

“We are absolutely seeing people as a result of the baseball events. It’s been great!”
-- Mike Spollen, Central City Bar and Grill
A Brief History

2016
Looking for space developable for a sports tourism facility, town of
Cortlandville swaps 6-acre Citizens Park for 100 acres of cornfield owned by
Gutchess Lumber Company.

Concept planning begins for multisport facility development.

Town commissions a feasibility
study to assess potential for
success.

Report confirmed the project

would work given market
analysis and regional demand
for travel sports facilities.
A Brief History
2017
Immediate $15 million buildout is cost-prohibitive for a small town.

After consultation with CRSC, SUNY Cortland and local athletic experts,
decision made to build in phases with the first phase comprising two fully
“turfed” baseball fields. Design and engineering begins…
2018
Town borrows more than $3 million, and together with assurance of $1
million in funding through the
CNY REDC has resources
sufficient to begin construction.
First Pitch 2019

Construction complete, users flocked to the facility from

across the region and state

* CNY High Schools * SUNY Cortland * Tompkins Cortland Community College

* Cayuga Community College * Jefferson Community College
* Ithaca College
* Cortland Crush
* SUNYAC Championships
* Prep Baseball Report
Schedule for 2021 Filled Fast
Prep Baseball Report NYS Showcase Games: June 28th - July 1st
Prep Baseball Report NYS Jr. Showcase Games: July 6th and 7th

Valesente Baseball Tournament 2021 Summer Classic: July 10th and 11th

NYCBL Jamboree Scouting Event: July 10th and 11th

Prep Baseball Report Northeast Invitational: July 15th - 18th

Prep Baseball Report NYS Scouting Day: July 20th
Prep Baseball Report Northeast Select Tournament: July 22nd - 25th

Cortland Crush New York Collegiate League Games: 10 July Home Games
Cortland Jr. Crush High School Travel Games: 7 July Home Games
Participation Data
98 Tournament Teams

98 teams x 15 players per team = 1,470 players

1,470 players x 2 parents/guardians = 3,000 people in town spending $$$

PBR NYS Showcase Games Scouting = 500 players from around NYS

PBR NYS Showcase Jr. Scouting Games - 60 players from around NYS

New York Collegiate Jamboree - 9 teams x 20 players = 180 players

Visitors From Wide and Far
Six different states

New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Connecticut
Virginia
Rhode Island

Four Tournaments

Northeast National Qualifier (14-15 year-olds) – 31 teams

2021 Summer Classic – six teams
Northeast National Qualifier (14-17 year-olds) – 31 teams
Northeast Select Tournament (16-18 year-olds) – 36 Teams
What’s the ROI?

To date, the sole financial investors in the development of the park have been:
* The Town of Cortlandville -- $3 million
* The State of New York -- $1 million
** The City of Cortland has partnered on the project through a services agreement for park management

• Visits are also helping push sales and occupancy tax revenues higher (2021
sales tax alone 22 percent higher year over year to 2020, 18 percent higher
than 2019).
• Park visits are also driving up occupancy tax collections, pumping revenue
into local businesses, helping to retain and create jobs, and creating
opportunities for future capital investments in the area.
• In 2021, gas, food, lodging, and other visitor spending as a result of visits to
the park drove more than $2.7 million into the Cortland economy.
What’s Next? Growth…
The Town of Cortlandville has a new deal with PBR that will:

* Help the town build two more fields

* Raise revenue to underwrite development
* Fuel the park’s development as a northeastern
sports tourism destination and continue to bring
significant dollars to Cortland County
* Enhance recreational opportunities for local sports
programs and teams
* Feature design elements allowing transition to softball
layout, bringing the opportunity for more girls and
women to enjoy the facility
Who is PBR?

 Prep Baseball Report is one of the country’s biggest and most

respected independent scouting services with more full-time
scouts than any other independent amateur scouting company in
the country.
 PBR’s mission is to scout and promote amateur baseball -- high
school, junior college and college -- and, ultimately, to help
athletes achieve their dreams of playing baseball at the next level.
 PBR is currently in 41 states and Canada, each with a scouting
director that focuses on the amateur talent in their respective
territory. PBR has major facilities across the nation and wishes for
Cortland’s development as its Northeastern hub.
 More than 800 colleges and pro teams subscribe to the Prep
Baseball Report services. PBR runs hundreds of stratified levels of
events across the country, headlined by the Prep Baseball Report
Future Games and the Super 60 Pro Showcase.
County Partnership is Crucial
A $500,000 Covid Rescue Funding commitment from the county for
continued field development at Gutchess Lumber Sports Park will
greatly assist the town in its work to install and build other amenities
at the facility:
* Concession/office management facility
* Added parking
* Walking trails
* Pickleball courts, picnic facilities, other community amenities
* Shading/seating/landscaping
These enhancements would not only boost the park’s development
as a top Northeastern sports tourism destination, but will also
contribute to the facility’s growth as a top gathering spot for all
Cortland County residents.
Thank You!