Wichita, Kansas City, is going to throw down in the biggest of ways. For the first time in history, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be rolling into town, and it is anything but an event; it is a game-changer for the city and the sport in and of itself.

Let’s not forget the icing on the cake: an estimated $8 million economic boost courtesy of this highly regarded competition. This championship is marking a major shift in figure skating history. More Black skaters than ever are taking center stage to prove that the ice is open to all. It’s a new chapter for Wichita and the sport, and the buzz is real.

Increasing diversity on the ice

Forget the old days of figure skating being a sport dominated by the same faces year after year. This year’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships are a big deal, not just because of the top-tier competition, but because of who’s competing. For the first time, there are more Black skaters than ever before taking their turn in the senior divisions. And that’s huge. It is not about the number but about the ability to show the next generation that figure skating is not reserved for the elite few, whoever wants to skate, no matter their background can do so.

One of the highlights of this year’s competition was that Atoy Wilson, the first Black champion of a U.S. national title, finally received due recognition with an induction into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. About time. Joel Savary, founder of Diversify Ice, couldn’t contain his excitement: “Lots of cool things to look forward to,” he said, and he is right.

This year, your vets like Starr Andrews and Alexa Gasparotto are hitting the ice, and Emmanuel Savary is returning to the championships after battling injuries. These athletes are driving the sport into the future, proving that talent knows no borders. They’re setting the pace for the sport’s future and inspiring the next generation of skaters to take a shot at their dreams.

Why the U.S. Figure Skating Championships matter to Wichita

Now, the big picture for Wichita: The city’s going to rock from an $8 million economic impact in the championships. Josh Howell, the Vice President of Sports Development for Visit Wichita, does little to downplay how important the event will prove to be: “It is huge for the City of Wichita.” Sure enough, that’s figure-skating fans arriving from every corner of the country to fill up every hotel, jam restaurants, and swarm over area attractions. You know what that means? Local businesses are about to make a ton, and the city will have some quite serious exposure in the nation as well.

But that is not all: Howell makes a very poignant observation-that it means this championship is only the beginning for Wichita. In other ways, if Wichita does well with events like this, which creates more and more opportunities for it in the future, such as hosting games for March Madness. It’s more than some days of skating; this is about developing Wichita into a city that can host top-notch events, and it pays off in a really big way.

Wichita has something to brag about. As the U.S. Figure Skating Championships debut in the city, Wichita is not only raking in $8 million in economic impact, but it’s proving that figure skating is truly changing for the better. With more diversity on the ice, along with a city stepping up as a major sports destination, this event will mark a milestone for the sport and community. As they glide across the ice, their medal pursuits create the future of figure skating and put Wichita on the map as a real player. The ice has never been more exciting, and the future beckons bright for Wichita and the sport itself.