Stormont Vail Events Center | Investing To Grow
By ALIJAH MCCRACKEN | Photos by JOHN BURNS
Converting large spaces into multiple tournament courts has traditionally meant hours of setup time that risks cutting into event schedules. Stormont Vail Events Center’s new modular flooring system eliminates those delays with quick-change configurations.
COMPETING FOR YOUTH
The improvements are part of the multipurpose arena’s efforts to make Topeka a bigger player in competitive youth sports, a market that regularly attracts traveling families who need hotel rooms, restaurant meals and have money to spend between games.
Shawnee County approved a $396,000 investment in the events center as part of the 2025 capital budget, with funds allocated for modular sports flooring and basketball court renovations. The investment includes the modular flooring system, two hydraulic basketball goals capable of withstanding dunking, and court resurfacing and repairs to the events center’s Landon Arena venue.
Modular flooring allows Stormont Vail Events Center to host multiple sports — such as volleyball, basketball, boxing, wrestling, pickleball and ice hockey — with relative ease.
The updated facilities ensure the events center’s Exhibition Hall venue can accommodate up to 13 youth basketball courts simultaneously, dramatically expanding the facility’s tournament hosting capacity.
The events center has been working with Visit Topeka and the Topeka Area Sports Commission to bring in more business for over three decades, and just renewed those partnerships for another five years.
NEW BEGINNINGS
The facility’s enhanced capabilities have already attracted new events. The Wichita-based program Showtime Volleyball (part of the Kansas Networks Volleyball Club) will begin hosting tournaments starting in January 2026. Meanwhile, USA Wrestling of Kansas Kids also plans to continue state tournaments beginning in March 2026.
It will also host the 10th Annual NAIA Cheer and Dance National Championships scheduled for March 2026. This popular, competitive event is expected to bring national attention to Topeka. Fifteen cheer teams and 12 dance teams from across the country plan to compete. These high-energy competitions are not only entertaining, but also create networking and scholarship opportunities for young athletes.
Allison Geist, regional marketing director for Stormont Vail Events Center, said she sees these investments as the start of something bigger. Hosting more local tournaments gives the events center an opportunity to showcase their updated facilities while supporting young, talented athletes who need places to stay and eat while visiting Topeka.
“Youth sports, including both the participants and the attendees that come to Topeka, are vital for our future outlook and for our five-year strategic plan,” Geist said.
That five-year plan matters because much of the money in tournament hosting comes from sports organizers who make repeat bookings.
With so many visitors expected in Topeka next year, Geist said she’s encouraging local Topeka businesses to continue to provide hospitality services during these busy times. Tournament weekends can double or triple normal customer traffic, but only if businesses are ready for it.
“A lot of the visitors that come in from out of town are staying at the hotels and eating at the restaurants, so keeping an eye on our calendar is a great idea to make sure that staffing numbers are up at those places during those times,” Geist said.
Even small gestures such as welcome signs, special promotions and extra-friendly customer service can leave a good impression and encourage visitors to return.
SCARECROWS ON ICE
Ice hockey adds another dimension to Stormont Vail’s sports offerings. The Topeka Scarecrows, a professional ice hockey team within the Federal Prospects Hockey League, has committed to a guaranteed schedule of 26 home games at the events center from October 2025 to April 2026, with potential to extend the season if they make it to the playoffs.
The Scarecrows’ first home game is scheduled for Friday, October 17, when they will go up against Mississippi’s Biloxi Breakers. Professional hockey tends to build loyal followings while drawing large crowds, potentially increasing revenue through sponsorships and season ticket sales.
YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING
Of course, Stormont Vail Events Center is banking on more than sports. The facility is equipped to host many special experiences, from corporate conferences to student graduations. Their recently renovated Heritage Hall venue, a popular wedding and reception space known for its historic charm, continues to bolster the local wedding market. Upgrades include spacious bridal and groom suites, glass doors that welcome natural light, and an outdoor area with a built-in sound system and bar.
The events center is also betting on seasonal entertainment. Halloween lovers can partake in the 2025 Topeka Nightmare Festival scheduled to run from Friday, October 17 to November 1, between 7 and 10:30 p.m. This haunted attraction brings unique entertainment that draws repeat local customers, with a festival format featuring concessions, carnival games, an escape room and a sensory-deprivation experience. It also features Jinxed Productions’ “Nightmare on the Boulevard,” Topeka’s largest indoor haunted house, with special themed nights like “Dead on the Boulevard” (October 26) and “Blackout Night” (November 1).
More information about upcoming events is available on the Stormont Vail Events Center website.
