Stadium Districts Are Being Rethought Beyond Game Day

Water Street Tampa | Strategic Property Partners

New development around major sports venues is putting more emphasis on what happens beyond the games. Residences, offices, hotels, restaurants, parks, and entertainment venues are being added around some major sports venues to keep these areas active on days when no major event is taking place.

Below are four examples of mixed-use development around major sports venues across the U.S.

OCVIBE in Anaheim

OCVIBE is under construction across roughly 100 acres surrounding Honda Center and the ARTIC transit hub. More than 2,000 residences are planned alongside 20 acres of parks and plazas, over 35 dining concepts, and three entertainment venues. The first phase is scheduled to open in early 2027. For Bree Carter, Vice President of Real Estate Programming and Development Operations at OCVIBE, year-round activity is central to the project. “Sports are seasonal, but the district must operate year-round,” she said.

Carter said research into earlier sports-centered developments showed the limits of relying too heavily on event traffic. OCVIBE is being planned as what she calls “an ecosystem rather than a collection of individual assets,” with the different parts of the development intended to support one another.

Anaheim already draws large numbers of visitors for sports, conventions, and tourism. Its location beside ARTIC also allows for direct access to rail and bus service.

OCVIBE

Water Street Tampa

Water Street Tampa, next to Benchmark International Arena, has transformed land once dominated by parking and other underused properties into a neighborhood with residences, hotels, offices, restaurants, and public spaces.

More than 2,000 people currently live in the neighborhood. Recurring markets, free fitness classes, and live music also take place independently of the Lightning schedule.

Water Street Tampa | Strategic Property Partners

Downtown Detroit

Detroit’s four major professional teams already play in the downtown core, with the Tigers at Comerica Park, the Lions at Ford Field, and the Pistons and Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.

Pine Hall, on the rooftop of Hudson’s Detroit, presents views toward Comerica Park and Ford Field, while Cosm Detroit opens at Cadillac Square on September 10 with immersive presentations of live sports and other entertainment.

Downtown Detroit | Bedrock

Washington Commanders' RFK Campus

The Washington Commanders are planning a mixed-use redevelopment of the RFK campus centered on a new NFL stadium. The site would be organized into six districts with restaurants, retail, hotels, parks, recreation, and entertainment, along with new public spaces throughout the property.

New streets, trails, and other transportation improvements would also reconnect surrounding neighborhoods with the Anacostia River. The Commanders plan to invest $2.7 billion in the project, which is intended to remain active well beyond football games.

Washington Commanders’ RFK Campus