The Evolution of Southland
By Lynette LeGarde
The Ho-Chunk Nation’s Southland Center has been thriving under the new management of the Indoor Sports Management Group (ISMG). ISMG is starting its 3rd year of their management agreement with the Ho-Chunk Nation. ISMG has been in the business of consulting, developing, owning and managing indoor and outdoor athletic facilities since 2002.
A big renovation took place once the management company began managing the Lynwood property in 2014. The renovations included: adding new turf, installing 6 new batting cages, installing 4 basketball/volleyball courts, general painting, an addition of new kitchen equipment, new projector screen, new patio, new signage and improvements to the landscape. Southland Center General Manager Annie Byrne states, “The transition has been remarkable since the day we walked in to now. It’s a brand new facility.”
The facility offers 41,255 square feet of turf floor arena, 70’ batting cages, 4 hardwood basketball courts, new concession stands, vending machines, restaurant, bar, free Wi-Fi, 1200 parking spots, PA system and security system, meeting and event space, and a UPS Access Point.
The facility in terms of finances is extremely stable at this point. There are approximately 500-1000 clients that use the facility for a multitude of functions which include: volleyball, basketball, martial arts, gymnastics, dance, wrestling, baseball, softball, soccer, football, lacrosse, dog shows, volleyball tournaments, birthday parties, retirement parties, class reunions, funeral dinners, after season parties, weddings and bridal showers.
One of the keys to success of the Southland Center has been the strong relationship with the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau. Ms. Byrne is on the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Board of Directors. The customer’s experience and word of mouth has been a very influential tool of gaining new customers at the Southland Center. The Southland Center has recently been named as one of the “10 Top Multi-use Indoor Facilities in Illinois” in the Sports Planning Guide.
Things are looking up for this facility and the community has seemed to adapt to the changes in Lynwood. The facility has had a strained past but today is a new day and we have a new facility. There are no park systems in Lynwood and this fact is our gain and an advantage for the facility. The space is versatile and has a large parking lot which is a huge asset for the Lynwood property.
Google has completed a virtual tour for the Southland Center website. The Below Zero Production Company was commissioned to create a promotional video which is available on the Southland Center website. The web address for the Southland Center is mysouthlandcenter.com. The link to the Sports Planning Guide article “10 Top Multi-use Indoor Facilities in Illinois” is also on the website.
If you are ever in the Chicago area you should check out the new facility. It is located at 10 Southland Drive, Lynwood, IL 60411.
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