Balancing Act
Visit South Bend Mishawaka Executive Director, Jeff Jarnecke, Guest Columnist for the South Bend Tribune
Many of my articles over the last two years have discussed the positive momentum and success that St. Joseph County is realizing. Smart investments have been made in our infrastructure but there is a delicate balance while investing those dollars.
The “balance” I reference is between a local amenity and an economic/tourism driver. When optimized, a facility can be both but that is indeed a challenge. When leaning one direction or the other, an expensive paradigm exists along with likely a failure to deliver results.
For example, Byers Softball Complex has long served as a local treasure but more recently, thanks to the leadership and commitment of John Walczewski, Byers Complex director, the facility generates around 6,000 to 8,000 hotel room nights depending on the year and welcomes thousands of out-of-town visitors to South Bend. You can watch our neighbors swing for the fences Sunday night through Wednesday night and then see license plates from all over the Midwest Thursday to Sunday.
Because of John’s leadership and a facility of reasonable size, we have found balance between our local enjoyment and economic activity. I suspect that ‘balance’ is also found within the complex’s profit and loss statement as well. While additional facility enhancements are likely needed, we are off to a good start thanks in large part to Senator Niegodski and Mayor Mueller’s support.
Similarly, as the ribbon is cut this spring on the Leeper Park Tennis Courts, hopefully we can continue to lean on Patty Schrock and the USTA Midwest Section to once again bring to life Leeper Park in a way that it once was – THE destination for locals and a gem for our out-of-town visitors and enthusiasts in tournaments.
The Mishawaka Fieldhouse is still in its infancy but available dates for out-of-town tournaments are hard to come by from December to June when NIVA calls the facility its home. To be clear, it is a great opportunity to bring together the volleyball community into one large facility as the talent pool will only get deeper. Are we leaning, however, too far toward a local amenity rather than finding the balance of what was expected to generate more than 20,000 hotel room nights? The limited number of room nights generated likely suggests we are too far in one direction.
And then there’s the Century Center. The nearly 50-year-old building sits on the City’s downtown pole position. The building and operation have failed to find that balance between community asset and economic catalyst so instead, it is a source of consternation. I am confident our high schools will find another location for prom if the Century Center was gone or we can host prom AND a conference for professionals discussing their trade.
Can we continue to invest some of our dollars into venues and experiences that first our residents enjoy, appreciate, and consume but then also share them with our visitors, guests, and prospective residents?
St. Joseph County had a moment in 2025 with all the records set from a tourism, hospitality, and visitation perspective. We must make sure that it is not our one and only national championship year that we look back fondly upon and remember when; but rather, we must rally behind the success such that it is our starting point and not our finish line. Let us lean into investments, public private partnerships, and operating models that find that balance because it is in that moment that everyone wins. For the naysayers who prefer we divest and just focus on their sidewalks, yes – we need those too but absent of this intentionality, your sidewalk will crumble and so will every other desirable asset and amenity that we have.
Join the celebration this year as we welcome improvements at Normain Heights Park, George Wilson Park, Leeper Park Tennis, Byers Softball, and hopefully many more. Here’s to improving upon our success and finding the balance in all we do.
Visit South Bend Mishawaka is here to help tell our story, highlight our incredible experiences, and bring the best to The Bend. Here are just a few exciting upcoming event highlights.
