Title
Sportsplex Market Segmentation Report and Recommendations
History
As directed by the Village Board of Trustees, a market segmentation report and recommendations for the Sportsplex was completed and is attached for your review. The report includes a summary of the community and Sportsplex membership demographics, an overview of the Sportsplex facility amenities, a full inventory of the fitness center equipment including the current conditions of each piece, an overview of the feedback gleaned from the past two Sportsplex customer surveys, financial data and capital projects/purchases, and a recommendation for future improvements and investment based on feedback and analysis.
Overview
The Sportsplex was established in 2002 to provide a high quality fitness facility and satisfy a community recreation amenity for the Village of Orland Park. It spans more than 90,000 square feet with recreation programs, group rentals, special events, open gyms, individual programs and a membership-based fitness center. The market segmentation report serves as a basis for identifying the competitive advantage of the Sportsplex and its place in the fitness center market. It also serves as a guide in policy development in the areas of equipment replacement, program development and facility improvements for this community multi-purpose facility.
Demographics: The largest category of fitness center members is Orland Park Resident members with 86% of the total membership share. The most popular membership type is the Resident Senior Membership with 42% share of the total memberships (866 Resident Senior memberships). When analyzing the resident membership data by gender there is a nearly even split with 50.7% men and 49.3% women. As compared to Orland Park residents overall, seniors represent 16.4% of the overall population and there is an even split of adult males to females in our community. Sportsplex appears to trend very closely to the community demographics while maintaining its position as a family facility serving all ages.
Customer Service: Superior customer service is of the utmost importance to staff at Sportsplex. Feedback is gathered in a variety of forms including written evaluations, suggestion boxes and both written and online surveys. The most recent online surveys were launched in 2013 and 2015 and provided valuable insight into what is important to Sportsplex members. Survey results were brought to the Village Board and feedback was used to make immediate changes and incorporated into the capital planning for the facility.
Facility and Operational Improvements: Facility improvements have included a number of projects in recent years. Most of these projects have direct impact on patrons including the reconstruction of the gymnasium floor and most recently the entrance improvements. Future enhancements are focused on several energy efficiency projects with lighting, HVAC and a concept plan for additional amenities.
Operationally, the Village maintains a wide range of fitness equipment, gymnastic equipment, a kids' room, rock wall, soccer field, gyms and other amenities. The fitness center includes basic, mid-tier and high-end equipment options in most equipment types to satisfy the diverse needs of members. While several tiers are offered, there is consistency by type in each tier to provide users with the desired familiarity. A commitment to regular maintenance and modernization investment demonstrates to the membership that the facility is relevant, attentive to the latest trends and dedicated to building its membership and brand. An overview of purchasing for this equipment is provided in the report. The 2014/15 equipment purchases (as outlined in the report) are scheduled to be brought to the Recreation and Parks Committee for consideration in the coming months. The equipment recommendations that will be considered in the coming months are aligned with maintaining the position of Sportsplex as a mid-tier fitness facility as described in the report.
Strategy Recommendations: What is the segmentation strategy for the future? How do we hold on to current members and attract new ones from the dominant demographic groups? What makes Sportsplex unique and desirable, and are the distinctive features of Sportsplex still relevant? The report addresses these questions and provides recommendations for strategic improvements for 2016 and beyond.
Strategies include:
• Retain a broad mix of memberships - Individual, Couple, Senior, Family, Corporate and both resident and non-resident appealing to men, women and children
• Create a more active gathering space within the facility - focus on the concessions and front entrance areas
• Attract and retain new corporate memberships and refine membership retention strategies
• Increase communication through surveys, Village app and website, personal outreach
• Provide high-touch personalized attention to fitness center members
• Replace equipment as required, maintaining a variety of equipment levels and a consistent type within those levels
Financial Impact
None at this time. Recommendations for purchases will be considered at future committee meetings.
Recommended Action/Motion
For Discussion Only