Business View Magazine l November 2022

178 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 11 Embarking on his role on Labor Day 2020, nearly a full year ahead of the grand opening, Callahan’s role included overseeing the construction. “We were aware that being in a semi-rural area in West Virginia, the center needed to be state of the art, designed for multi-purposes, as well as bring in revenue and create the economic impact that the baseball field has accomplished,” says Shuttleworth. One of the Callahan team’s primary roles was to secure facilities sponsorshipsCitynet , the area’s leading provider of advanced network communications and technology solutions has taken out naming rights sponsorship for the indoor center, which is now known as the Citynet Center at the Bridge Sports Complex. Other sponsors include the local hospital, banks, and car dealerships, who all contribute to keeping the complex running efficiently. Another aspect that Callahan’s team has excelled at is the development of local sports programs. Thereby tapping into revenue by providing excellent service and creating new opportunities in sports tourism. These programs have evolved within the time that Callahan has been managing the complex. He elaborates, “Our programs at the complex are for 18-month to four-year-olds and older. Whether that’s swimming lessons, soccer training or Lil’ Trolls, we try to keep our activities current with motor development and social skills trends.” Another program addition is Mountain State Storm, The Bridge’s club sports team, which currently includes swimming and volleyball. All these new programs are aimed at enticing the local communities to join the complex, drawing them in to engage with the facilities. However, most importantly, it’s sports tourism events that drive people to The Bridge Sports Complex. “We’ve had about 22 events in our