Recreation Management is a monthly magazine published by CAB Communications of Palatine, Illinois. The magazine was created in the fall of 1999 by publisher Chris Belbin with the aim of providing facility managers of recreation, sports, and fitness facilities current information on products, ideas, issues, and trends in the recreation market.1
Covering the trends in the industry, Recreation Management provides articles of interest in many areas of recreation, including aquatics, fitness clubs, sports fields, parks, and playgrounds. Many of the articles are written by guest columnists, who provide their expertise to the topics. The magazine also profiles a particular facility each month to feature their accomplishments as well as showcasing new products in the industry.2
The current issue of Recreation Management magazine can be viewed online as well as accessing archived articles dating back to their 2002 publications. The website also contains web-exclusive stories that are newsworthy, but were not included in the print version of the magazine.3
Annually a survey is conducted for Recreation Management by an independent research company to determine the latest trends in managed recreation, sports, and fitness facilities. Over 2,000 industry professionals respond to the survey, and the findings are compiled in the State of the Industry report.4
Also each year Recreation Management awards the most inspiring recreation facility designs with their Innovative Architecture & Design Awards. Entries are judged by a panel of judges in the architecture and recreation fields. Eight top facilities are selected as winners as well as one facility given the Editor’s Choice award. Profiles and pictures of the facilities are available on the website. Other top entries are also showcased. The innovations of the featured facilities are hoped to encourage other facilities’ managers in their plans for new construction, additions, and renovations to include interesting design elements.5
Recreation Management publishes a yearly Buyers Guide and Source Book that is a reference for sports, recreation, and fitness products and services in the industry. The Buyers Guide can also be accessed online. Recreation Management also sends out a monthly Rec Report e-newsletter that gives subscribers up-to-date information about the industry. To encourage participation in discussion of current trends, challenges, and issues, the website has a RecBlog, where readers can include their comments.6
- 1. Tipping, Emily. Personal correspondence to Playground Professionals. 3 April 2012
- 2. “Issue Contents.” Recreation Management. < http://www.recmanagement.com/issuecontents.php > 4 April 2012.
- 3. Recreation Management. < http://www.recmanagement.com/ > 5 April 2012.
- 4. “Our 2010 Report on the State of the Managed Recreation Industry.” Recreation Management. < http://www.recmanagement.com/201006fe01.php > 5 April 2012.
- 5. “Ninth Annual Innovative Architecture & Design Awards.” Recreation Management. < http://www.recmanagement.com/201105fe02.php > 5 April 2012.
- 6. Op. cit., Recreation Management.
