The WGI Board of Directors convenes every July to discuss matters pertinent to the organization and the indoor marching arts activity as a whole. At the most recent meeting, many important decisions were made to improve WGI’s current and future operations, including where to host future seasons of World Championships. In a unanimous decision by the board, the City of Dayton will continue to host WGI’s World Championships through 2031.
In the summer of 2022, the Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureau proposed a contract to the WGI Board of Directors to keep its events in Dayton, Ohio. The proposal opened with letters of invitation from the Governor of Ohio, the Mayor of the City of Dayton, as well as Montgomery and Greene County Commissioners. It also included facility, hotel, and venue commitments, along with information on financial incentives, in-kind sponsorship trade, and more to help secure Dayton as the continued home of the WGI World Championships.
Over the next 12 months, the Board of Directors, and the Montgomery County CVB worked to find even more new avenues to increase the quality of the WGI experience. Reaching out to local eateries, establishing partnerships with surrounding counties, and coordinating multiple rehearsal facilities with Dayton Public Schools are a few of the many efforts to thread WGI’s presence into the entire region of Southwestern Ohio.
Take a closer look at what makes Dayton the premiere location for an event the size of WGI World Championships below:
World Class Performance Venues
The greater Miami Valley area contains five arena-style facilities blocked out exclusively for WGI’s use over the course of two consecutive weekends. These venues are well-suited to accommodate the 60,000+ Spectators, performers, and educators that visit each year. They also boast large, open parking areas suited for “lot warmup” during the percussion and winds weekend that won’t restrict access to parking space needed for these events.
Hotels / Rehearsal Facilities / Transportation
With many groups performing at three different sites throughout the weekend, it is imperative that the commute between venues be efficient. WGI’s five arenas are all located within one hour of each other, and the Miami Valley area contains many team-friendly hotels at extremely affordable rates for visiting groups.
In 2023, groups utilized 67 different practice sites over the course of the two consecutive weekends. Many Dayton Public Schools and sporting facilities in and around Greene and Montgomery counties blocked rentals from other groups specifically for WGI groups to rehearse.
Transportation to and from World Championships is also convenient, as all venues are located within 90 minutes of three different airports in the Southwest region of Ohio. The Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus airports serve as a hub for many groups traveling across the country to compete at World Championships each year. This helps lower the cost of travel and provides many different scheduling options for directors.
Strategic Partnerships
WGI’s partnership with the Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureaus is responsible for many of the memories that performers and spectators experience each year. The street pole banners surrounding the University of Dayton arena, sidewalk stickers at UD Arena, the signage at many hotels and airports in and around Dayton, and the presence in many local area restaurants welcoming performers to Dayton are just a few ways in which the CVB helps expand WGI’s presence into all facets World Championships.
Some of the most iconic experiences for WGI performers each year are the orange slices at the performer exit. After an exhilarating run, performers can grab pre-cut orange slices provided and distributed by Dayton Ambassadors of the CVB. With the help of those volunteers and the materials and assistance that the CVB provides each year, Dayton has created timeless memories and experiences for generations of WGI performers.
Economic Impact
At the most recent meeting of the Board of Directors, the Montgomery County CVB announced that WGI World Championships continues to be the largest convention in the city. Its presence is recognized by the local government and appreciated by many local businesses, providing an estimated economic impact of over $18 million in 2023. As the partnership between WGI and the Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureau continues to grow, it only means an improved experience for all participants in future years of WGI’s World Championships events.
