Entered by: Explore Asheville

Big data is like a complex photograph where every pixel tells a story. In Asheville, N.C., the data illustrated a story that answered a $55 million question, saved a beloved sports team, and opened the door to new possibilities. When the future of Asheville’s minor league baseball team, the Tourists, was at stake due to new MLB facility standards, destination leaders at Explore Asheville used data to demonstrate how a strategic investment to upgrade historic McCormick Field would return value that echoes across the community.

Working with Zartico, they analysed sophisticated geolocation data sets to understand how visitors and residents use the 4,000-seat downtown stadium — and move throughout the rest of the city.