Competition Pool Brings Swimmers and Families into Community
On Thursday, June 10, a dedication ceremony was held for the new Aqua Arena, the Olympic-sized pool, at RecPlex. Thank you to all who attended the event. The weekend following the dedication, a practice meet was held. Since that time, the pool has been open for member lap swimming and has been hosting swim meets almost every other weekend.
Economic Impact
Competitions at the Aqua Arena have started to bring swimmers and their families into the community. The first two-day swim meet, hosted by SEAY in June, brought just over 600 swimmers and their family members to the area. Based on visitor expenditure surveys conducted annually for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the estimated economic benefit to the local business community is $136 per day, per person for those staying overnight in hotels or motels and $41 per day, per person for day-trippers.
Although it is unknown exactly how many swimmers are local, hotel guests or day-trippers, it is reasonable to state that the initial impact on the local business community is a positive one. Prime Outlets Marketing Manager, Christa Kremer commented on the increased traffic at the mall during event weekends, "We love that there are additional events coming to the community and think it's fantastic that these events bring more visitors to our stores."
On July 2 and 3, the Lake Forest Swim Club brought 31 teams to RecPlex for their Wisconsin SwimFest. The Club will return for another meet in October and again next June for the 2011 Wisconsin SwimFest. An additional 2,100 to 2,200 swimmers and their family members are expected yet this summer for competitions at RecPlex. The Village would like to thank park visitors and RecPlex members for their patience while the Aqua Arena and parking lot were under construction.