Column: NFL in Carbondale? It could happen

By Gus Bode

There was a story in the Daily Egyptian Tuesday about how the Saluki Way project, upon completion, could attract the St. Louis Rams to Carbondale for training camp. A few years ago I would have laughed at the thought of an NFL team holding camp in our 71-year-old stadium, but with work under way on Saluki Way, I suppose the idea isn’t so laughable anymore.

Most NFL teams hold their training camps on college campuses. The physical rigors of the camp along with the emphasis on continually learning the game make college campuses ideal locations for camp.

If the Rams did decide to move camp the 96 miles from St. Louis to Carbondale, they would be closer to other NFL teams that train in the region. The Colts travel downstate to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind., for their camp, the Bengals have training camp at Georgetown College in Kentucky and the Titans hold camp in Clarksville, Tenn., just outside of Nashville.

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The Chicago Bears used to have their camp about an hour from my hometown in Platteville, Wis., before the Illinois Legislature made them move back to Illinois to help raise funds to remodel Soldier Field. Since 2001, the Bears have made Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais their training camp home, ending a 16-year relationship with Platteville.

I think most people don’t realize the effect hosting an NFL training camp can have on local economy. Using Google, I came across some research conducted by the University of Wisconsin Extension that explored the economic impact of Bears training camp on the Platteville area.

The study indicated the camp impacted the local economy in several ways. The Bears had a contract with UW-Platteville for use of its fields, residence halls and other facilities, so the university received extra income for buildings and structures that would otherwise sit empty. The camp itself created 170 jobs to help staff and facilitate the camp.

Researchers found that the camp brought in approximately $1.5 million into the local economy. The average fan spent $50 per day mostly toward hotels and motels, restaurants, retail establishments and the university itself, but the research concluded that the camp positively affected nearly every sector.

Most are familiar with the phrase from the movie Field of Dreams, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ In the case of Saluki Way, we are building it so we get a head start on making sure someone does eventually come to Carbondale – whether it is the St. Louis Rams training camp, the International Polka Festival or the World Shining Competition.

Fruth is a graduate student in curriculum and instruction.’

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