The Peoria Civic Center has hosted everything from major sporting events to national conventions since 1982. Now, Senior Marketing Manager Kelsy Martin is steering one of the Midwest’s most flexible and affordable venues toward a bold new frontier: becoming a premier destination for esports and competitive gaming.
Tell us about the Peoria Civic Center and what makes it a fit for esports.
We’re a multi-purpose entertainment, convention, and sports venue in downtown Peoria — 11,000-seat arena, a 2,200-seat theater, over 110,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit hall space, and a flexible convention center that can scale to almost any event size. We’re not solely dedicated to esports, but we see competitive gaming as one of the most exciting growth segments in the event industry. Our central Midwest location, affordable market, and strong hospitality partnerships make us a genuinely attractive option for organizers who want to deliver a memorable experience without the overhead of a major metro.
What esports events has the Civic Center hosted so far?
The 2024 Pokémon Regional Championships was a landmark moment for us — one of the largest organized Pokémon esports events in North America. Thousands of competitors, spectators, and volunteers came through for official competitions across three disciplines, a professionally livestreamed broadcast with expert commentary, side events, vendor exhibitions, and fan activations throughout the weekend. It showed us what’s possible when the right event meets the right venue.
What’s next — tell us about Future Play Peoria.
Future Play Peoria is our biggest esports moment yet, scheduled for October 2–4, 2026. It’s designed to bring together gamers, esports enthusiasts, content creators, tech partners, and families for a weekend of competition, hands-on experiences, and community connection. It reflects our broader commitment to growing the esports ecosystem and establishing Peoria as a destination for innovative gaming and entertainment — not just a one-time stop.
What does it take to execute a great esports event?
It starts with a venue that offers flexibility, reliable infrastructure, and room to grow. But the physical space is just the foundation. Today’s audiences expect more than a bracket — they want interactive activations, opportunities to connect, quality food and beverage, and a welcoming environment. Creating memorable moments both on and off the main stage is what turns a good event into one people come back for.
You joined ESTA in June 2026 — what’s been the value right out of the gate?
The networking and collaboration with industry professionals has helped us build meaningful relationships and gain insight into emerging trends and best practices. Those connections are directly informing how we refine our long-term esports strategy and identify new event opportunities for the Civic Center.
