Durham Sports Commission

The Bulls, Duke athletics and NCCU sports bring considerable notoriety (and patron dollars) to Durham, but we are about to take the proverbial bull by the horns with sports marketing and sports tourism in our community.

The Durham Sports Commission has been officially established by the Durham City Council and the Durham Board of County Commissioners to recruit sporting events to Durham.

It will be a new department within the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, funded by the local hotel "bed tax," and it will be under the direction of an appointed board. The Commission's first meeting will be held in August, and the search for an executive director will commence.

I'm excited that this Commission is almost a reality. It will enhance Durham's image and economy over time. We recruited the 2012 National Championship game and 2014 All-Star game - on our own - and that convinced me that this kind of organization was needed. Then, we went after the State Games of NC and the ACC Baseball Championship. That was done on an ad hoc basis with help from the Durham Chamber and the Triangle Sports Commission. Having tasted some success, it was clear that sports recruitment represented a travel and tourism opportunity for our community. 

We should do "the wave" for County Commissioner Wendy Jacobs, City Councilman Steve Schewel, former Chamber CEO Casey Steinbacher and Shelly Green, CEO of the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau. They carried the torch for this. 

ACC Baseball Championship at the DBAP. Powerade State Games

of NC at Duke and Durham Co. Memorial Stadium. 

These are the newly appointed Durham Sports Commission members:

City of Durham Appointees:

·         Desmond Scott – Owner, Prime Athletic Training and Fitness Institute

·         Dan Hill – Founder of Hill Chesson & Woody benefits consulting firm

·         Omar Beasley – owner MC Bail Bonding

Durham County Appointees:

·         Ingrid Wicker McCree – Athletic Director of NCCU

·         Tommy Hunt – retired, Atlantic Coast Conference

·         Dwight Perry – Ophthalmologist/Partner at NC Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat

Durham Chamber Appointees:

·         George Habel - Durham Bulls Baseball Club

·         Chris Kennedy - Senior Deputy Director, Duke Athletics

·         Terrence Holt - Holt Brothers Construction LLC