From $40M Kilbourne Run Soccer Complex to Columbus Brick Convention Launch: Youth Sports Infrastructure Investment Meets Family Event Tourism as Midwest Connect Amtrak Funding Advances Regional Rail Revival

Hey, it's Gagan, yep still the only Gagan Timsina in the world!

And here is the ULTIMATE GUIDE to living in Columbus Ohio

This week's data reveals Columbus positioning for youth sports tournament capture through major facility upgrades while family entertainment convention programming expands Ohio Expo Center utilization, as passenger rail advocacy advances through regional funding commitments targeting 2050 population growth transportation infrastructure requirements.

In today's newsletter:

• Kilbourne Run Completion: $40M Northland soccer complex redevelopment ($30M city, $10M Crew) delivers six artificial turf and eight natural grass fields with championship stadium targeting spring 2026 opening, positioning Columbus as "regional leader" in club soccer capturing $43B annual youth sports industry tournament revenue within geographical hub between Pittsburgh, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky markets

• Brick Convention Debut: March 7-8, 2026 Ohio Expo Center event organized by Brick Convention (largest North America Lego gathering coordinator) featuring 25-year-old Greyson J. Riley showcasing professional artists, brick pits, Star Wars zone, and life-sized models with $14.99 session tickets benefiting Creations for Charity nonprofit supporting veterans through Vet Tix partnership

• Midwest Connect Funding: MORPC $650K commitment with Fort Wayne and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission advancing Chicago-Pittsburgh passenger rail corridor through Federal Railroad Administration Corridor ID Program Step Two, including Hilliard $50K and Columbus identifying I-270/Britton Parkway and Brown Park Drive potential station locations targeting 2050 three-million population mobility requirements

• Youth Sports Economics: 14M+ Americans ages 6+ playing soccer (23% increase since 2018) with families spending $1,000+ annually per child's primary sport, creating tournament hosting economic development opportunity as Central Ohio turf field capacity historically lagged regional competitors despite optimal geographical positioning for multi-state event attraction

KILBOURNE RUN SPORTS PARK COMPLETES $40M TRANSFORMATION WITH SIX ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELDS AND CHAMPIONSHIP STADIUM TARGETING SPRING 2026 OPENING

Columbus Recreation and Parks nears construction finish on 60-acre Northland facility redevelopment featuring six full-size artificial turf fields, eight natural grass fields, championship stadium with press box and team locker rooms, replacing previous drainage-challenged surfaces with tournament-grade infrastructure positioning Columbus as "regional leader" capturing $43B annual youth sports industry revenue. [Axios Columbus]

Investment Breakdown:

• $40 million total project cost

• $30 million Columbus city investment (on-budget delivery)

• $10 million Columbus Crew contribution

• 60 acres total site

• Spring 2026 official opening (most facilities completed November 2025)

Facility Specifications:

• Six full-size artificial turf fields (completed)

• Eight natural grass fields (fall 2026 opening pending growth)

• Championship Field with attached stadium and plaza

• Team locker rooms and press box

• Robust lighting for evening competition

• Expanded spectator capacity

• Playgrounds, shelters, parking infrastructure

• Westerville Road and Westerville Woods Drive roundabout main entrance (December 2025 completion)

Columbus Crew Partnership Context:

$10M Crew contribution replacing failed joint city-team plans purchasing land near Ohio Expo Center fairgrounds for alternative park location, redirecting investment toward existing Kilbourne Run site redevelopment versus new facility construction.

Construction Timeline:

• 2022: Renovation approval and construction commencement

• November 2025: Turf fields, stadium, parking, facilities substantially complete

• December 2025: Roundabout entrance completion

• Winter 2025-2026: Interior building work, restrooms, additional facilities finishing

• Spring 2026: Artificial turf fields official opening

• Fall 2026: Natural grass fields opening following growth period

Regional Competitive Positioning:

Club Ohio Managing Director Costa Kalorides identifying Central Ohio turf field capacity lagging nearby metro areas despite growing youth soccer scene, with Columbus historically relying on grass fields for league play and event hosting creating "massive push to build some of these complexes."

2026 World Cup Timing:

Complex opening coinciding with 2026 FIFA World Cup creating heightened soccer interest and participation momentum, though tournament U.S. matches concentrated in coastal cities versus Columbus hosting impacting direct event tourism versus indirect sport popularity growth.

What Makes It Transformational:

Kilbourne Run positions Columbus competing for youth soccer tournament hosting revenue within $43B annual industry, with six artificial turf fields enabling all-weather competition versus grass-only facilities canceling events during wet conditions. Championship stadium with press box and expanded capacity supports showcase events and college recruitment tournaments attracting multi-day visitor stays generating hotel occupancy and restaurant spending beyond daily league play.

Columbus Crew $10M contribution reflects MLS franchise recognition of youth development pathway importance, with facility access supporting club academy programs and community engagement beyond pure economic return.

For Columbus Recreation and Parks, $30M investment represents significant capital allocation requiring multi-decade tournament hosting revenue and community utilization justification. Natural grass field eight-month delay until fall 2026 reduces initial capacity though artificial turf fields provide immediate core functionality for spring-summer 2026 tournament season capturing World Cup interest momentum.

COLUMBUS BRICK CONVENTION LAUNCHES MARCH 7-8, 2026 AT OHIO EXPO CENTER WITH PROFESSIONAL LEGO ARTISTS AND STAR WARS ZONE

Brick Convention organization (largest North America Lego gathering coordinator) brings 25-year-old founder Greyson J. Riley's event to Ohio Expo Center featuring millions of bricks, professional artists, celebrity meet-and-greets, retail vendors, and life-sized models across two-session daily format with $14.99 tickets benefiting Creations for Charity nonprofit and Vet Tix partnership supporting veterans. [WCMH-TV]

Event Specifications:

• March 7-8, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)

• Ohio Expo Center venue

• Two daily sessions: 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm

• $14.99 per session tickets (sell-out anticipated)

• Organized by Brick Convention (largest North America Lego gathering coordinator)

Programming Elements:

• Professional Lego artists demonstrations

• Brick pits for hands-on building

• Live builds for spectator viewing

• Lego celebrity meet-and-greets

• Unique and life-sized model displays

• Star Wars Zone featuring franchise creations

• Castle Build Zone for medieval creation construction

• MOC (My Own Creation) Gallery showcasing local fan builders

• Lego retail vendors (retired sets, new sets, hard-to-find merchandise)

Founder Profile:

Greyson J. Riley (25 years old) began arranging Lego fan conventions at age 14, authored history book using Lego creations at age 13, and took first college class at age 11, characterizing "Lego is so much more than a toy, and the Columbus Brick Convention will show attendees that all of the possibilities with LEGO are endless."

Charitable Integration:

• Creations for Charity nonprofit partner (all-volunteer organization gifting Lego sets to children worldwide during holidays)

• Vet Tix partnership providing veteran and military family ticket donations

• $70,000+ total event ticket donations to veterans and families historically

Target Demographics:

Multi-generational Lego enthusiasts spanning children through adult collectors and builders, with programming elements addressing casual participants (brick pits, Castle Build Zone) through serious hobbyists (MOC Gallery, professional artist demonstrations, retail vendor rare set access).

Ohio Expo Center Utilization:

March event timing fills traditional low-activity period between winter shows (Winterfair December) and spring programming (Quarter Horse Congress late September start), supporting facility year-round revenue optimization versus seasonal concentration.

What Makes It Strategic:

Columbus Brick Convention represents family entertainment programming competing for discretionary spending within growing experiential event market, with Lego brand recognition providing built-in audience versus unproven concept requiring consumer education. $14.99 session pricing positions affordability for families while two-session daily structure enables attendance cap management and repeat participation encouraging purchase of multiple time slots.

For Ohio Expo Center, Brick Convention adds family-oriented programming diversifying beyond traditional agricultural (State Fair), equestrian (Quarter Horse Congress), and trade show (Winterfair) tenant mix. March timing addresses shoulder season revenue gaps while indoor format eliminates weather dependency affecting outdoor fairgrounds events. However, success depends on Columbus market Lego enthusiast density supporting sell-out projections versus event organizer optimism exceeding actual demand.

MORPC COMMITS $650K TOWARD MIDWEST CONNECT PASSENGER RAIL ADVANCING CHICAGO-PITTSBURGH CORRIDOR THROUGH FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission partners with Fort Wayne, Indiana and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission funding Step Two Corridor ID Program advancement with Columbus identifying I-270/Britton Parkway and Brown Park Drive potential station locations, targeting passenger rail service return 46 years post-1979 Amtrak discontinuation as Central Ohio population projections reach 3M by 2050 requiring mobility infrastructure expansion. [Local 12 WKRC]

Funding Commitment:

• $650,000 total MORPC contribution

• Fort Wayne, Indiana partnership

• Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission partnership

• $50,000 Hilliard contribution

• $400,000 additional Ohio communities contribution

• Federal Railroad Administration Corridor ID Program Step Two advancement

Midwest Connect Route:

Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus-Pittsburgh passenger rail corridor connecting Midwest metropolitan areas, with Columbus representing mid-route anchor market between Illinois and Pennsylvania endpoints serving business and leisure travel demand.

Columbus Station Location Options:

• I-270 and Britton Parkway area

• Brown Park Drive location

• Historical Union Station (now Convention Center) last service April 28, 1977

• Amtrak Columbus service discontinued September 30, 1979

Federal Program Context:

Four proposed routes accepted for Corridor ID Program further study including 3C&D connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati creating dual passenger rail corridor potential serving intra-Ohio travel versus exclusively Columbus-Chicago-Pittsburgh regional connectivity.

Historical Context:

Columbus representing largest U.S. city without passenger rail transportation following 46-year service absence, with September 30, 1979 Amtrak discontinuation leaving metropolitan area dependent on automotive and aviation transportation modes exclusively.

What Makes It Critical:

MORPC's $650K commitment with regional partners demonstrates Columbus recognition of passenger rail necessity for sustainable metropolitan growth, though Step Two Corridor ID Program advancement represents early planning phase versus construction funding authorization or service commencement timeline certainty. I-270/Britton Parkway and Brown Park Drive station location identification enables preliminary engineering and ridership modeling though final selection depends on federal funding authorization and route configuration decisions.

Hilliard's $50K contribution despite uncertain station location within municipality demonstrates suburban recognition of regional passenger rail benefits extending beyond direct service access, supporting transit-oriented development potential and metropolitan connectivity improvements benefiting broader Franklin County economic development positioning.

YOUTH SPORTS ECONOMIC IMPACT REACHES $43B ANNUALLY AS FAMILIES SPEND $1,000+ PER CHILD WITH 14M+ SOCCER PARTICIPANTS NATIONWIDE

U.S. Youth Soccer registers 2.5M competitive youth players annually within 14M+ total Americans ages 6+ playing soccer (23% increase since 2018), with typical family spending exceeding $1,000 on child's primary sport creating tournament hosting revenue opportunity for municipalities investing in specialized facilities like Kilbourne Run's $40M soccer complex targeting regional capture. [Axios Columbus, For Soccer marketing data]

Participation Metrics:

• 14 million+ Americans ages 6+ played soccer (2023)

• 23% increase from 2018 levels

• 2.5 million competitive youth players registered annually (U.S. Youth Soccer)

• Ohio Soccer Association affiliate participation

• Adult recreational play increasing (specific growth data unavailable)

Economic Scale:

• $43 billion estimated annual youth sports industry

• $1,000+ typical family spending per child's primary sport

• Tournament hosting creating multi-day visitor stays

• Hotel occupancy and restaurant spending concentration

• Equipment, apparel, and training expenditure beyond tournament fees

Central Ohio Context:

Growing youth soccer scene with turf field capacity historically lagging nearby metro areas per Club Ohio Managing Director Costa Kalorides, creating "massive demand" for Kilbourne Run's six artificial turf fields plus eight natural grass fields addressing regional competitive gap.

Facility Competition:

Indianapolis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh metro areas maintaining established turf field complexes capturing tournament hosting revenue Columbus previously unable to compete for due to grass-only field limitations and drainage issues preventing all-weather event guarantees.

Tournament Revenue Model:

Multi-day weekend events generating hotel room nights and restaurant meals exceeding daily league play economic impact, with families traveling from multi-state regions for showcase tournaments featuring college recruitment opportunities and competitive age-group divisions.

What Makes It Critical:

Youth sports $43B annual industry scale demonstrates tournament hosting economic development potential beyond recreational benefits, with facility investment creating visitor spending capture versus purely resident service provision. Kilbourne Run's $40M cost requires sustained tournament attraction and league utilization justifying capital expenditure through direct revenue (facility fees) and indirect impact (hotel, restaurant, retail spending) across multi-decade asset lifecycle.

Adult recreational soccer growth provides secondary utilization supporting facility revenue diversification beyond youth tournament dependency, with evening and weekend league play filling capacity gaps between major competitive events. However, adult player fee sensitivity typically lower than youth tournament budgets, creating revenue per-user differential affecting financial modeling assumptions.

THIS WEEK'S WRAP-UP

Homeowners: Kilbourne Run $40M soccer complex completion demonstrates city youth sports infrastructure investment supporting recreational access while Brick Convention family entertainment programming validates Ohio Expo Center event diversity, plus Midwest Connect passenger rail funding advancement creates potential long-term transportation connectivity though 2050 service timeline limits near-term property value implications beyond planning visibility.

Home buyers: Northland Kilbourne Run location provides youth sports facility access for soccer families while passenger rail station identification at I-270/Britton Parkway and Brown Park Drive creates potential transit-oriented development corridors decades future, and Brick Convention March 2026 event demonstrates Columbus family entertainment programming attracting regional visitors supporting hospitality sector and neighborhood commercial vitality.

Investors: Youth sports $43B industry with $1,000+ family spending creates tournament hosting revenue opportunity supporting Kilbourne Run surrounding hospitality real estate while Ohio Expo Center March convention programming fills traditional shoulder season gaps, plus passenger rail MORPC $650K commitment represents early-stage infrastructure planning requiring multi-decade timeline though station location identification enables preliminary transit-oriented development site evaluation near I-270/Britton Parkway and Brown Park Drive areas.

Bottom line: This week demonstrates Columbus positioning for youth sports tournament capture through major recreational infrastructure investment while family entertainment convention programming expands event calendar diversity, as passenger rail advocacy advances through regional funding coordination targeting 2050 population growth mobility requirements though implementation timeline uncertainty limits near-term development implications beyond planning-stage visibility.

Ready to evaluate Northland youth sports facility proximity affecting family-oriented property positioning or assess I-270 passenger rail corridor transit-oriented development potential? Let's connect you with partners understanding youth sports tournament economic impact patterns and long-term passenger rail infrastructure planning implications affecting property investment timing and location strategy decisions.

[Schedule a call]

See you next week,

Gagan