Although there aren’t any recent official rankings, Kingston was ranked in seventh place for sports tourism in Canada in 2018 and has firmly established itself as a hub for national and international events. This is great for the city, as the visitors bring in more than $500 million each year.
There’s already a vast amount of infrastructure in place for Kingston to remain in this position, but there are plans to boost the city’s potential even further. This involves the creation of a brand new multi-sport complex in the East End.
Kingston’s Sports Infrastructure and Hosting Capabilities
It may seem strange that Kingston is among the top places in Canada for sport. After all, the city doesn’t boast teams in any of North America’s top leagues. However, the people ’round these parts are famous for being sports-mad, and many of them will attend games in any sport just to get a taste of the action. There are countless sides from a wide range of sports in the city, from the Kingston Frontenacs to the Queen’s Gaels.
The betting scene is big in Kingston too, which could have been a factor in helping interest in sport to spread. This is thanks to the widespread availability of online sportsbooks, which provide odds on a multitude of events. Among the top online gambling Canada options, there’s NHL, NBA, and MLS. There’s also the opportunity to stake on other popular activities in the country, such as volleyball. Kingston often plays host to major games in the latter, with the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship recently having taken place in the city.
With all these sports-loving residents, it’s no surprise that Kingston has excellent infrastructure in place to host the top events. The city boasts nine multipurpose sports facilities and over 100 different sports venues, ranging from soccer fields to hockey rinks. With all these locations, event organisers are magnetised towards Kingston when thinking about where to host their competitions. Athletes love playing here too, as many of the facilities come with state-of-the-art equipment.
Strategic Initiatives and Future Prospects
There’s a chance that, in the future, Kingston could become the top-ranked city in Canada for sports tourism. That’s because the government here is dedicated to improving what’s already great about the city and continuing to attract investment. It has implemented the Sport Tourism Strategic Framework, which is designed to attract more major sporting events, align key stakeholders, and enhance infrastructure to support long-term growth.
One of the most ambitious upcoming projects is the development of a new multi-sport complex in the East End. It’s expected to serve as a hub for soccer, hockey, and basketball, and could even potentially host a brand new professional soccer team. The project aligns with Kingston’s vision of expanding its role in Canada’s soccer scene, particularly as the sport continues to grow in popularity nationwide. There’s a good chance that it will be able to benefit from the buzz around the World Cup, which is set to come to Canada in 2026.
It seems that everything is in place for Kingston to maintain its status as a hub for sports tourism in Canada. Indeed, in the coming years, it could climb the rankings and usurp other top sporting cities.
