Why Columbia? To the team here at the CoMo Sports Commission, the answer is obvious. Columbia, MO, is:

-Centrally located in the heart of mid-Missouri — Interstate 70 provides an easy route to both Kansas City and St. Louis from Columbia
-Less than 500 miles away from cities like Chicago, Nashville, Omaha and Oklahoma City
-Home to the Columbia Regional Airport (COU), which offers direct flights to Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth
-Sporting venues located throughout the city, which is quick to traverse and easy to navigate
-Diverse facilities that enable the city to host high-performance events for a wide variety of sports year-round
-Big-city amenities with small-town friendliness and convenience
-Array of hotel options, a dynamic restaurant community and multiple shopping districts and centers

Time and time again, visitors are delightfully surprised by what Columbia has to offer. From picturesque parks and clever cuisine to amazing art and superb shopping, visitors find that Columbia is ‘more than a college town’ and ‘surprisingly sophisticated.’

We like to think of Columbia as a cool neighborhood in a big city, with a young vibe, an active buzz and an engaged community. We’re also a friendly and welcoming community, with a thriving downtown and an abundance of cultural opportunities.

We’re Columbia…What You Unexpect!

COMO Sports Commission

<p>In 2025, more than 10,000 total runners from across the United States, traveled to the Gans Creek Cross Country Course, in Columbia, Missouri. The course is not only home the University of Missouri Men&#8217;s and Women&#8217;s Cross Country Teams, but has now hosted multiple collegiate championship races.</p>

COMO Sports Commission

Convention & Visitors Bureau