• Home to three minor pro sports teams, and four colleges with NCAA Division I, II and III programs and facilities, Erie has the venues and experience to host a wide range of sporting events. Erie is centrally located between three major cities, and is located on Pennsylvania’s only shore with direct access to Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay.
• The Erie Sports Commission, the National Sports Commission of the Year in 2014, 2016, and 2023, offers a variety of support services that set our city apart and make hosting an event in Erie easy.

Key Venues:

Presque Isle State Park:

• Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre forested peninsula that juts into Lake Erie.
• The park boasts seven miles of sandy beaches, four boat launch areas, eight beach volleyball courts, and 25 miles of recreational trails (11 for hiking and 14 multipurpose).
• The park has hosted competitive bicycle, running, beach volleyball, and swimming events and can easily accommodate thousands of visitors or spectators.
• Lake Erie is consistently ranked among the nation’s top bass lakes, and Presque Isle was named one of the Northeast’s Top 15 Best Bass Lakes of 2024 by Bassmaster. The park’s unique shape shelters Presque Isle Bay, creating ideal conditions for competitive fishing events.

Bayfront Convention Center:

• Built on Erie’s waterfront, the Bayfront Convention Center features more than 120,000 total square feet of space and spectacular floor-to-ceiling views of Presque Isle Bay.
• The Great Hall features more than 28,000 square feet of space and a ceiling height of 23 feet.
• The Convention Center has hosted a variety of competitions including gymnastics, cheer and dance, strongman and eight ball.
• The facility has over 470 free parking spaces and is connected to two hotels – the 200-room Sheraton Erie Bayfront and the 192-room Courtyard Erie Bayfront.

Erie Insurance Arena:

• The arena gives Erie the ability to host a wide range of sports events such as ice hockey, basketball, wrestling and lacrosse.
• A $47 million restoration and expansion project added seating, restrooms, and expanded concourse areas.
• The arena has successfully hosted events such as the 2024 IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championships, 2021 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship and Women’s Frozen Four, 2018 College Hockey Inc. Ice Breaker Tournament, Keystone and Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Championships and 2014 NCAA Women’s Division II Basketball Elite Eight.