Mark Calitri

  By Mark Calitri, President & CEO, Visit Owensboro When people see another national championship or major tournament announced in Owensboro, they see the result. They don't always see the strategy behind it. As President & CEO of Visit Owensboro, I've believed from day one that Owensboro could become one of America's premier sports destinations. That belief became our strategy. We didn't set out to land one big event. We set out to build a destination that event organizers trust and want to return to year after year. At Visit Owensboro, my team and I understand that every successful tournament becomes our best sales pitch for the next championship. That's why we focus on execution, relationships and delivering an experience that exceeds expectations. No destination is built alone. The City of Owensboro, Daviess County, Owensboro Parks & Recreation, the OVG360 team at the Owensboro Convention Center, our hotel partners, local sports organizations and cou...

 Owensboro, Kentucky, is growing as a tourism, sports, convention, and entertainment destination. In 2025, visitors spent a record $262.9 million in Owensboro and Daviess County . Tourism supported 2,034 jobs and generated $20 million in state and local tax revenue . Those results came from a clear strategy. Visit Owensboro has focused on increasing conventions, building sports tourism, supporting major events, and giving people more reasons to visit. Owensboro now hosts more conventions, national tournaments, festivals, concerts, and special events. Hotel performance has reached record levels, and new developments are creating even more opportunities. The Bluegrass Fieldhouse will expand indoor sports tourism. The Ben Hawes pickleball complex will bring new tournaments. Owensboro Racing & Gaming, Maui’s Indoor Theme Park, the riverfront, local attractions, and major community events continue to strengthen the visitor experience. Tourism is economic development. Visitors stay ...

Some of the best business lessons come from the strangest places. One of the best I've ever heard is this: Eat your own dog food. It sounds ridiculous until you understand what it means. Don't expect others to do something you're not willing to do yourself. If you expect your team to be prepared, be the most prepared person in the room. If you expect your team to work hard, they ought to see you working even harder. If you expect everyone to be on time, don't let them beat you to the office. If you expect people to own their mistakes, own yours first. People pay far more attention to what you do than what you say. That's how respect is earned. That's how winning cultures are built. Performance starts with the example you set every day. That's what "eat your own dog food" means. I'm curious. What's one standard you refuse to compromise? Watch Mark Calitri explain how preparation, effort and setting the right example can improve team performa...

 Sports tourism is changing, and Owensboro is changing with it. For years, communities competed for baseball, softball, basketball and soccer tournaments. Those sports will always matter. But today's fastest-growing opportunities look different, and Owensboro is ready. We're investing in traditional sports while welcoming what's next—pickleball, cornhole, wrestling, cheer and dance, esports, fishing tournaments and other emerging competitions. If people compete, we want Owensboro on the list. Why? Because every tournament brings visitors. They fill hotel rooms, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores and discover everything else our community has to offer. That's why sports tourism is economic development. And the momentum keeps growing. New state and national events continue choosing Owensboro. The Bluegrass Fieldhouse and Ben Hawes Pickleball Complex will help us compete for even more regional and national championships. Others are noticing. The Owensboro Times re...

 Every community has a choice. You can spend your time talking about what's wrong, or you can roll up your sleeves and help build something better. When I look at Owensboro and Daviess County today, I see a community that's moving forward. New attractions. National events. Record tourism. New investment. More opportunities for families and businesses than ever before. None of that happened by accident. It happened because people cared enough to get involved. Business leaders, volunteers, elected officials, nonprofits, and countless others have worked together to make Owensboro stronger. They don't always agree on every decision, but they share something much more important—a belief that our community's future is worth investing in. That's why I believe our best days are still ahead. There will always be challenges, but I like our direction. I like our people. Most of all, I like what happens when a community comes together with a shared purpose. Thank you for believ...

 If you want to know whether a community is moving in the right direction, don't listen to opinions. Look at the results. This past year, Owensboro celebrated record hotel occupancy, welcomed more visitors than ever, and saw events like Burger Week, Barbecue & Barrels, and Illuminate continue to grow. Every one of those successes brought new people to our community and supported local hotels, restaurants, retailers, and small businesses. Tourism isn't just about attracting visitors. It's about creating jobs, generating new revenue, and improving the quality of life for the people who call Owensboro home. None of this happened by accident. It happened because community leaders, volunteers, local businesses, elected officials, and organizations across Owensboro worked together with one goal in mind—to make our community stronger. I'm proud of what we've accomplished, but records aren't the finish line. They're a reminder of what's possible when a commu...

  If you haven't been to Owensboro lately, you're missing one of the most exciting transformations happening in Kentucky. A new downtown hotel is attracting more conventions and visitors. The Bluegrass Fieldhouse is preparing to open its doors. Churchill Downs Owensboro Racing & Gaming has added another major attraction, and Maui's Indoor Theme Park is bringing even more families to our community. At the same time, events like Burger Week, Barbecue & Barrels, and Illuminate continue to set records and introduce new visitors to everything Owensboro has to offer. None of this happened overnight. It's the result of years of planning, investment, and people who believed Owensboro and Daviess County could compete with anyone. Every visitor who stays in our hotels, eats in our restaurants, shops in our local businesses, or attends one of our events helps strengthen our economy and our community. I'm proud of how far we've come, but I'm even more excited ab...

  Welcome to the New MarkCalitri.com I'm excited to announce the launch of MarkCalitri.com , my new home for leadership insights, tourism, destination marketing, economic development, and community growth. This site brings together my latest blogs, videos, and ideas in one place. Whether I'm sharing lessons from leadership, highlighting the power of tourism, or discussing the future of Owensboro and communities across the country, you'll find it here. My goal is simple: share practical ideas that help leaders think differently, solve problems, and build stronger organizations and communities. If you've followed my work on Blogger, thank you. Going forward, you'll find all new content at MarkCalitri.com . Thanks for visiting, and I hope you'll check back often as new articles and videos are added. Mark Calitri President & CEO, Visit Owensboro Leadership • Tourism • Destination Marketing • Economic Development

Owensboro is changing. New attractions. National sporting events. More visitors. More investment. More momentum. That's why I recently wrote a Letter to the Editor for the Messenger-Inquirer . I believe Owensboro's best days are still ahead—not because of one project, but because of everything happening across our community. We're attracting World Championships and national sporting events that fill our hotels, restaurants, and local businesses. The Bluegrass Fieldhouse and the Ben Hawes Pickleball Complex will create even more opportunities to welcome visitors from across Kentucky and the nation. Every event brings new economic impact and introduces more people to everything Owensboro has to offer. Tourism is much more than vacations. It's economic development. For many visitors, their first trip to Owensboro becomes the beginning of something bigger—a return visit, a new business investment, or even a place to call home. None of this happens by accident. It happe...

 When a national organization wants to bring more events back, that's a sign you're doing something right. The American Cornhole Organization announced it hopes to make Owensboro an every-other-year home for its World Championships while adding another major event in January. That's more visitors, more hotel rooms filled, and more dollars spent in our local businesses. "The Bluegrass Fieldhouse will be a game changer for our community," said Visit Owensboro President Mark Calitri. "While construction delays impacted some bookings this year, demand remains strong, and the facility is already about 65% booked for 2027." With the Ben Hawes Pickleball Complex opening this fall and more tournaments on the way, Owensboro continues to strengthen its position as one of Kentucky's leading sports tourism destinations. Read the full Messenger-Inquirer story: https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/local/cornhole-tournament-wants-more-events-in-city/article_ea25...

  Mark Calitri: Workforce Development Starts with Opportunity Everyone wants employees with experience. The challenge is someone has to give them that first opportunity. That's why programs like GRADD matter. At Visit Owensboro, our interns don't sit in the corner and watch. They go to work on day one. They attend meetings, solve problems and help deliver projects that make a difference in our community. This year, Nicole helped support a record-breaking Owensboro Burger Week that included 57 restaurants and more than 78,000 burgers sold. Lucas has played an important role in helping prepare Kentucky's newest indoor sports facility, the Bluegrass Fieldhouse, while also helping launch the Bluegrass Clash, an event that brought thousands of athletes, families and visitors to Owensboro. That's real experience. You can't learn that sitting in a classroom. Programs like GRADD help open the door. Young professionals gain practical experience, employers develop future tale...

  Owensboro Tourism Update 2026: Mark Calitri on Why Owensboro's Best Days Are Still Ahead If you asked me where Owensboro is headed, my answer is simple. Our best days are still ahead. I recently had the opportunity to share that message during a Rooster Booster presentation. As President & CEO of Visit Owensboro , I've watched our community continue to raise the bar. The momentum we're seeing today didn't happen overnight. It's the result of people who believe in Owensboro, invest in Owensboro, and refuse to settle for average. This article was originally published as a Letter to the Editor in the Messenger-Inquirer. Read the published version here. : https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/owensboros-best-days-are-still-ahead/article_96b954f0-87ae-5b2d-830b-da4f3d2f2389.html One of the clearest signs of that momentum is Owensboro tourism . Visitors are filling our hotels at record levels. They're eating in our restaurants, sho...

 Owensboro is built for big weekends, and this one shows why. The Bluegrass Clash Sports Summit and Downtown Summer Jam are bringing thousands of athletes, families, and fans into Owensboro, filling hotel rooms, restaurants, and the riverfront with nonstop activity. As President & CEO of Visit Owensboro, I see this weekend as a clear example of how our sports tourism strategy is working. The Bluegrass Clash Sports Summit stacks multiple tournaments and events across the city, while Downtown Summer Jam delivers a free riverfront concert, food trucks, and family‑friendly games on the Ohio River. That combination of competition and entertainment is exactly how we turn first‑time visitors into repeat guests. Downtown Summer Jam, now in its fifth year, returns with a national touring act on the riverfront and a full slate of vendors and activities. For athletes and families in town for the Bluegrass Clash Sports Summit, it means they can walk from the hotel to the riverfront, grab d...

  Faith-Based Travel Leaders Choose Owensboro for National Conference When people think about tourism, they often picture families on vacation or sports tournaments. But there's another market quietly making a tremendous impact across America: faith-based travel . This August, Owensboro will welcome Going On Faith , one of the nation's leading organizations serving faith-based travel planners and program directors. The national conference will bring travel professionals from across the country to experience everything our community has to offer. This is a significant opportunity for Owensboro. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, religious groups travel more frequently than the general population and often travel together on organized group tours. Those planners influence where thousands of travelers will visit in the years ahead. During their stay, attendees will experience Owensboro's riverfront, local restaurants, museums, Bluegrass Music Hall o...

  Mark Calitri: The Front-Page Test That Defines Leadership and Integrity Every day we make decisions. Some are big. Most are small. The interesting thing is that our reputation isn't built by one defining moment. It's built by the choices we make when no one is watching. I've always liked what I call the Front Page Test . Imagine everything you did today appeared on tomorrow's front page of the newspaper. Every decision. Every conversation. Every action. Would you be proud of the story? Would your family, your coworkers, and your friends see someone whose actions matched their values? That's a question every leader should ask before making an important decision. Integrity isn't about protecting your image. It's about earning trust. Trust is built one decision at a time, and over the years those decisions become your personal brand. People remember how you lead. They remember whether you kept your word, treated others with respect, and did the right thing w...

  Every successful event starts with someone willing to try something new. This weekend, Owensboro welcomed the inaugural Forge Challenge as part of the Bluegrass Clash Sports Summit. Created by Chris Zachary and the team at Edge Body Boot Camp, the event combines a 5K with functional fitness challenges, giving everyday athletes a new way to test themselves. What impressed me most wasn't just the competition. It was the willingness to introduce something different. Communities that continue to grow don't rely on the same events year after year. They look for opportunities to create fresh experiences that attract new participants and new visitors. That's exactly what The Forge Challenge represents. "The best destinations never stop creating new reasons for people to visit," I said. "The Forge Challenge is another example of local leadership turning a great idea into an experience that benefits our entire community." Congratulations to Chris Zachary, Edge ...

  What Pete Rose Taught Me About Results, Hustle, and Determination Every great achievement begins with someone being underestimated. When Pete Rose was working his way toward the major leagues, the scouting reports weren't exactly glowing. He wasn't considered fast enough. His arm strength was questioned. Some doubted he could consistently hit major league pitching. Those reports came from experts. They were wrong. The reason is simple. They were measuring the things they could see. They couldn't measure the one quality that mattered most. Pete Rose refused to be outworked. His determination, hustle, and relentless drive became his competitive advantage. They turned an athlete with average physical tools into baseball's all-time hits leader. One of my favorite Pete Rose quotes captures that mindset perfectly: "I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball." That's more than a memorable line. It's a philosophy. Too many people spend the...

  Everyone loves the home run. It's exciting. It grabs attention. People remember it. That's why Babe Ruth became a legend. But if you asked me which baseball philosophy has influenced the way I think about leadership, business, and life, I'd point to Pete Rose. Pete Rose wasn't chasing home runs. He was chasing the next hit. Single after single, game after game, year after year, he became baseball's all-time hit leader because he understood something many leaders forget: extraordinary success is usually the result of ordinary actions repeated consistently. That's the philosophy I try to follow. In business, people often wait for the next big idea, the perfect marketing campaign, or the breakthrough opportunity. Those moments certainly matter, but they're built on a foundation of daily discipline. One phone call. One customer served well. One employee encouraged. One problem solved. One project completed. Those are the singles. Stack enough of them together ...

 As President & CEO of Visit Owensboro, I've learned that every destination can build a sports complex. Not every destination builds a reputation. That's the difference. When I read that Special Olympics Kentucky is returning to Owensboro for the third consecutive year, I wasn't excited simply because another championship is coming to town. I was excited because it confirms something we've worked hard to build over many years. People enjoy coming here. Kim Johnson recently described Owensboro's hospitality as "top-notch." She praised our parks, hotels, restaurants and the people who welcome athletes and families every year. She also shared something that should make every resident proud. She said bringing the tournament back has been an easy decision because there have been virtually no complaints. In today's world, that's one of the greatest compliments a community can receive. We often measure sports tourism by hotel occupancy, restaura...

  What Pete Rose and Babe Ruth Teach Us About Leadership, Success, and Taking Risks Pete Rose and Babe Ruth became baseball legends, but they couldn't have taken more different paths to greatness. Pete Rose became Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader by doing the little things well. He wasn't trying to hit a home run every time he stepped to the plate. He focused on getting the next hit. One single became another. Small daily wins eventually became 4,256 career hits, a record that still stands today. Babe Ruth had a completely different approach. He changed baseball by swinging for the fences. He retired as the all-time home run leader, but he also retired as baseball's all-time strikeout leader. Most people remember the home runs. Few remember the strikeouts that came with them. That's where the leadership lesson begins. Too often, people believe success only comes one way. It doesn't. Some goals are accomplished by showing up every day, staying discipl...