February 10, 2022 at 11:30 a.m.
One year in, Hodag Dome 'has placed Rhinelander on the map' with developers
One year in, Hodag Dome 'has placed Rhinelander on the map' with developers
One year after the facility officially opened to the community, the economic impact predictions made by proponents of the facility are being borne out. People visiting the community to attend weekend tournaments at the Dome are staying at local hotels, eating in local restaurants and frequenting local stories, just as proponents of the dome project had hoped.
"Economically, it is estimated that these improvements will bring in over $1 million annually to our area from restaurants, hotels, movie theatre, gas station, and the like," Hodag Schools Foundation president Dave Heck said during the fundraising campaign. "Rhinelander, 'the Hub of the Northwoods,' will likely see a dramatic improvement in economic progress with these facilities."
"We have already seen a direct economic impact from the Hodag Dome," Lauren Sackett, executive director of the Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce, told the River News in an interview. "A softball tournament that the Dome hosted back in November was responsible for about 160 hotel rooms being booked."
Sackett also noted that the Chamber will be holding the RACC Business Showcase, formerly known the Hodag Home Show, in the Dome in March. The show was formally held in the Jim Miazga Community Gym at Rhinelander High School.
That the Hodag Dome has had an impact on the Rhinelander area isn't lost on its manager, Janet Jamison. That it took almost no marketing effort on her part did take her aback.
"I was a little surprised," she said. "We didn't market it real heavy in the beginning because of COVID precautions. But we had one successful tournament under our belt, and it seems that each team that comes up to those tournaments then expresses some interest in hosting their own (at the Dome). So it has kind of grown and grown over the last year. Now we have more teams interested then we have weekends to host. That's a great problem to have."
While it would be easy to book every weekend, Jamison has set aside two weekends a month for use by the community.
"We do not book more than two large tournaments a month," she said. "It's a balance between community time and our local kids and also the outside events."
Rhinelander city administrator Zach Vruwink said the Dome has helped drive the local economic recovery coming out of the pandemic. It's also helping with community development efforts, he noted.
"Overall, the rebound in 2021 indicated an increase in hotel stays and consumer spending over the non-pandemic comparable year of 2019," Vruwink said. "I can confidently say the Hodag Dome has placed Rhinelander on the map in yet another way. Every visit and conversation we have with developers and prospects includes the Hodag Dome placing confidence in the future."
Hotel managers had nothing but praise when asked what the addition of the Dome has meant for them.
Allen Hicks, general manager of Quality Inn, 668 West Kemp Street, said he couldn't give a percentage as to the increase in occupancy, but he did say the facility has made a big difference in winter.
"I know the softball (tournaments) have," he said. "The softball teams now come from Milwaukee and they stay here and book the entire weekend, because of the dome."
Lisa Bilogan, manager of the Comfort Inn at 1490 Lincoln Street, agreed that the Hodag Dome has been a game changer for the local lodging industry
Between the Hodag Dome and the Rhinelander Ice Arena, Rhinelander is starting to become a sports destination town which has helped lodging establishments, she said.
"I would say it's always positive to have something new come in, and yes, it has increased business throughout Rhinelander, be it a gas station or a restaurant or the hotels," Bilogan said. "I always think it's positive to bring in more people into the community so it benefits us all."
The facility is also a great asset for School District of Rhinelander students, who use the facility during the week for physical education classes.
"We heard such wonderful things about it, that teams are enjoying this new facility. I think it's fantastic that we have the opportunity to offer to the youth here to have someplace where they can workout and have their meets. It's just such a great opportunity for everybody here," Bilogan said.
Jamison said that as soon as a tournament is booked, information is sent to the organizers to pass on to the teams taking part.
"We actually have a local list prepared for our tournaments," Jamison said. "All of our local hotels are on there, our restaurants, our coffee shops, we list of them with their business' name, the address and their phone numbers so that people can plan ahead before their stay."
Jamison said this has helped the area lodging establishments.
"All of our hotels were full for our last tournament," she said. "Some had to stay in neighboring communities because Rhinelander just doesn't have enough hotel space when we have a tournament and perhaps the ice arena has one also, there's just so many people that come up."
She estimated that for a tournament held the last weekend in January, there were between 700 and 1,000 athletes and spectators involved.
"All of them stayed for a day or two. (They) stayed at our hotels and ate at our restaurants and shopped in our stores," Jamison said. "It's a great little economic boast for Rhinelander."
The RACC and Jamison will be working together with other stakeholders to form the Rhinelander Area Sports Marketing Campaign that will be funded by a COVID recovery grant. The goal will be to help increase sports-related tourism to the area.
Vruwink said he likes the idea.
"I believe it must be integrated alongside other community amenities and assets. I'd like to explore how tourism can play a more enhanced and connected role while balancing the interests of the residents," he said.
In just three weeks after the dome was open to the public last year, over 500 community members had purchased dome memberships, and an average of 150 community members used the dome on a daily basis. A year later, the numbers have grown.
"It's been going great," Jamison said. "We have about 1,500 community members now who have Dome memberships. We're getting about 200 people in here a day to walk or play pickleball or tennis or use the batting cages and now the golf simulators are open, as well. Lots and lots of people are enjoying the Dome."
Jamison said renewal notices will be emailed to members about two weeks before their current membership expires.
As it stands now, the Hodag Dome is the largest school district-owned air-supported dome in the country. That doesn't mean that some other high schools haven't started thinking about building a facility of their own.
Before the Hodag Dome was even open to the public, it played host to a Rhinelander High School versus D.C. Everest girls' basketball varsity and junior varsity game.
"I believe it was the very next day, their administration team came up to take a closer look at things," Jamison said. "They toured (the Dome) way early on."
"Almost immediately after opening, we fielded phone calls from various venues wanting to learn more," Sackett said. "We look forward to seeing the continued growth of the uses of the Hodag Dome. It is a really phenomenal thing for Rhinelander to have."
And if the area hotels think the softball tournaments being held at the Dome are good for business now, once the two outside fields start being used for the first time this spring, the size of tournament fields could double.
But right now, Jamison said the plan is to use the Dome as a back-up to avoid rainouts.
"We can offer a back-up plan if there's thunderstorms, the games can always be moved inside," she said. "So I think that makes us an appealing venue for those kind of events."
From the city's perspective, the Dome has lived up to the promise that the school district made to the donors and community.
"The Hodag Dome has set the bar and will continue to compliment the many efforts underway to make Rhinelander a desirable place to visit, live, and work," Vruwink said.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.