Lincoln Will Target New Sporting Events for 2027
Visit Lincoln aims to leverage sports tourism to build on the state's record-setting economic performance from 2025.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Central America
Live Poll
Should your city prioritize hosting more sporting events to help grow the local economy?
Visit Lincoln is actively pursuing additional sporting events to bring to the community in 2027. This effort follows a strong 2025 where statewide tourism spending climbed to $4.72 billion.
Why it matters
The agency seeks to capitalize on established sports tourism momentum to drive further hotel stays and local economic activity. This strategy leverages infrastructure investments recently supported by Lancaster County.
Travel spending in Nebraska reached $4.72 billion in 2025, marking a 2.6% increase over 2024. This activity supported nearly 42,000 jobs and generated $339.5 million in tax revenue, an annual growth of $16.2 million.
The players
Visit Lincoln
This is the primary agency responsible for promoting the city as a destination for conventions and sporting events.
Lancaster County
This is the local government authority responsible for approving and distributing visitor-improvement funding for facilities.
Jeff Maul
He is a representative for Visit Lincoln who has publicly detailed the agency's strategy for increasing tourism activity.
The details
Visit Lincoln is coordinating with destinations in Omaha, Kearney, and Grand Island to bolster the state's broader economic growth. Lancaster County has already taken steps to support this expansion by approving visitor-improvement funding for sports facilities.
Timeline
2024 served as the baseline year for comparing tourism spending and tax growth.
Travelers spent $4.72 billion across Nebraska throughout 2025.
SportsTravel Magazine released a report on Lancaster County in April 2026.
Jeff Maul discussed the city's sports tourism goals on KLIN in September 2026.
Visit Lincoln is targeting 2027 to host new sporting events in the community.
Travel Outlook
The current push for 2027 sporting events follows a pattern set by the 2026 SportsTravel Magazine report on Lancaster County, which highlighted the area's suitability for event-based tourism. This initiative reflects a broader trend of mid-sized cities using sports infrastructure to compete for regional tourism dollars.
Residents should anticipate increased activity in the local sports tourism sector and potential new event schedules starting in 2027. This growth in event volume often correlates with higher demand for hotel availability and increased traffic near major city sports venues.
The takeaway
Cities often utilize specific event-based strategies to sustain consistent tourism growth beyond traditional vacation seasons. Residents and local businesses can track these efforts through official municipal calendars to prepare for potential influxes of visitors.
Further reading
Learn more about the region's growth in our Central America section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Lincoln - KLIN - 1400 AM.
Live Poll
Should your city prioritize hosting more sporting events to help grow the local economy?
