Ice Arena



The Campus Ice Arena is one of the many facilities that is offered by Campus Recreation here at the U of I. Campus recreation serves the student, faculty, and the general public by providing them with a number of resources including: intramural activities, social activities, entertainment, wellness centers, etc. The ice arena makes it possible for Campus Recreation to provide intramural sports such as broomball, hockey, and figure skating. They also have ice skating lessons and on specific days it is open to the public to ice skate for free or a small fee.

The Ice Arena makes it possible to enjoy ice related activities other wise not possible and it really validates the Campus Recreation slogan, “A place for Everyone.” Campus Recreation really fulfills their goals because they offer a variety of leisure activities that anyone and everyone can participate in.

The University of Illinois Ice Arena is a leisure service mainly dedicated to its students which is why a major part of its funding is generated from tuition. It is also geared towards faculty and the general public, as stated earlier, so additional funds are incorporated into this facility by small fees that are attached upon entrance. Intramurals play a big part in the arena with various sports being offered and held throughout the year. Various organizations and groups formulate teams and participate in these events, providing the arena with funds in exchange for having the arena for their particular event. There is also a center ice café and pro shop which sells food, snacks, drinks, and inventory that provides the essentials that one might need while at the Ice Arena. You are able to rent the arena as well as other equipment or request a party to be held there. It is typically cheaper for students to utilize these services and more expensive for the general public that wishes to gain access to various services provided through this facility.

The University of Illinois Ice Arena is a campus recreational center. It is different from other recreation centers because it is exclusively for students and faculty of the University of Illinois. The ice arena offers the University population opportunities to do something out of the ordinary such as ice-skating in the middle of summer or watching sports such as synchronized skating or collegiate hockey. The ice arena has elements such as dollar skate rentals and skating courses that encourage students to try new things. There are also instructors capable of teaching skating and arranging events in the arena, which make it especially consumer friendly.
These elements make the ice arena a place for the campus community to spend some leisure time. Its location and availability to the desired community also help to make the University of Illinois Ice Arena a better choice for those seeking something new to try.

The Ice Arena serves many different types of people, but the main people who benefit from the Arena are students. They benefit by accounting for over 90 percent of the employment, students take classes there, and make up the majority of people on the ice during free skate hours. However, the Ice arena is not limited to just students. There are numerous other groups of people that utilize the rink. Children take their first ice skating lessons here that are typically taught by students. Sometimes there are even youth hockey practices that take up some ice time. The main use of the rink though continues to be the hockey team. The games are open to the public, so they draw many different types of people, and all of the admission money from the games goes to pay for the team’s expenses, such as equipment or travel.

The Ice Arena at the University of Illinois is a great example of a leisure service provider. Because the Ice Arena is open to the public as well as students, all sorts of people are able to enjoy open skates or take lessons. Another strength of the Ice Arena is that it is cheap to participate in. For those in need of skate rentals, there is a fee of $1. To participate in open skating there is no fee. This is pretty cheap and easily affordable for most people. For hockey enthusiasts, spectators are able to watch the universities club hockey team at home games. Games are open to both students and the public. It is hard to find any weaknesses with the Ice Arena. It reaches out to people of all ages and experience levels, and is very affordable.

The U of I Campus Recreation motto is “Campus Recreation – a place for everyone”. The Ice Arena lives up to these goals and fulfills its purpose as a source of leisure. The Arena aims to offer leisure opportunities for everyone, and it does. For people that want to participate and be active there is open skate. There are also intramurals such as broomball and figure skating. For those who would rather observe and relax there are also opportunities. One can get something to eat and drink while they watch an Illini hockey game or synchronized skating.
Hotel Sax Chicago -



The Hotel Sax Chicago is a high-end hotel located in downtown Chicago and it aims at fulfilling the very expensive, sophisticated, and exclusive tastes of those tourists wishing to experience the very best of Chicago. Its prime location by the river and proximity to a multitude of restaurants, shopping areas, famous buildings, and a bustling nightlife makes this hotel the place to be. In efforts to be the complete leisurely experience it has bowling alleys, entertainment centers, and a fitness center. Perhaps one of their more favorable attractions is the access their patrons are granted to the House of Blues and its performances. Truly this Hotel serves its tourists and non-tourists to the best of their ability and it goes above and beyond by providing many luxurious amenities that fulfill its objectives.
The Hotel Sax Chicago is a leisure service in tourism and hospitality. It is mainly funded by room fees and given the fact that it is a high-end hotel located in the heart of Chicago, these fees provide a significant amount of income. In addition to its room price tag, the Hotel Sax Chicago provides multiple services that are integrated into the hotel as well. It is a multiplex of fine dining and nightlife. One of the main attractions is the House of Blues which holds multiple events attracting the public. In addition the famous “Crimson Lounge” provides whimsical ambiance that is sure to attract anyone seeking sophisticated, yet entertaining night out on the town offering an interesting cocktail menu and unique VIP bottle service. Bin 36, Amano, Smith and Whollenskys, and 10 pin bowling lounge are also linked with the hotel attracting various tourists thus increasing their funding.
Hotel Sax Chicago has all of the elements of an organization belonging to the tourism industry. It is located in the middle of the largest city in the Midwest, which allows visitors to spend time amongst inhabitants of the tourist destination. Since the host community plays such a large role in the tourism industry its location is a vital component. It also has nearly everything visitors would need regarding accommodations and what isn’t readily available can easily be retrieved. Tourists in an unfamiliar location often seek after accommodations such as transportation or information on tourist attractions and Hotel Sax can provide this as well.
Those listed above are examples of elements found in most tourism organizations, but Hotel Sax Chicago offers more than just the average. The hotel has special accommodations for its patrons including custom guest rooms and in house entertainment. It is these extra elements that set Hotel Sax Chicago apart from other similar institutions.
Since the Hotel Sax is a high-end hotel, it mostly benefits the wealthy people who are visiting the city of Chicago. Tourists with the money and resources will definitely have the Hotel Sax as one of the top on the list when visiting Chicago. Some people stay there because the location is directly across the street from the House of Blues, and as a guest on can use one’s keycard to get into a show at the renowned concert venue. The hotel sometimes even has touring bands to stay there. The hotel is also located not far from some of the biggest business districts in the city so it also draws people who are on business trips from out of town. This hotel also has many different types of employees that benefit. They employ everything from a maid or bellboy to a hotel manager, so there are a lot of different jobs that can be obtained. This hotel serves the wealthy by allowing them to stay, and serves the middle and lower class by employing them.
The Hotel Sax has many strengths as a leisure service provider. The hotel boasts many exciting features which patrons can enjoy. These include access to The House of Blues, a bowling alley, special video game rooms, a fitness center, and a couple restaurants. The recent success of the hotel can be attributed to the way their staff is committed to serving its patrons. The Hotel Sax takes great pride in assuring their visitors have an exceptional experience and this may be their greatest quality. The only weakness the hotel has to being a leisure service provider is that The Hotel Sax is considered a high end hotel. Potential customers who have lower socioeconomic levels may not be able to enjoy the luxuries of the hotel. It is important for leisure service providers to consider all of the people who will be affected by their service.

Being located in a large city with numerous hotels, the Hotel Sax strives to separate itself from the competition. To do this, the hotel tries to offer consumers things they can’t get elsewhere. Hotel Sax accomplishes this by taking full advantage of its location next to the House of Blues. Guests can use their keycards for access to shows. Some rooms feature video game entertainment, and guests have access to a bowling alley. The Hotel Sax fulfills its purpose as a source of leisure by serving guests to the best of their ability.
X-Sport Fitness Center -



X- Sport Fitness Center is a private membership fitness center that goes above and beyond private other centers. X-Sport is the complete fitness center equipped with gyms, weights, cardio machines, pools, spas, tanning beds, and even a snack bar. Perhaps the one thing that really sets this fitness center apart from others is the fact that it is open 24/7. Their hours allow for students and professionals to fit in exercise and leisure activities at any type that best suits them. The mission of X-Sport is as follows "Our mission is to promote an atmosphere that allows our members to create and maintain a rewarding and healthy lifestyle." With everything that it offers and its comprehensive payment plan X-Sport most certainly stays true to its mission statement.
X-Sport is a private membership organization in which funds are generated by fees placed on the memberships. Membership begins at 19.99 and goes up depending on the services you are looking to include in your package. Most services are done through a yearly contract requiring all members to pay the fees regardless if using the facility. Cancellation fees are instilled as well, therefore if one wish to cancel the contract this organization will still receive some form of compensation from the member. In addition to the membership service fees, there is also a spa in which non-members are welcome to participate. Various products and merchandise are also sold through this organization.
X-port Fitness centers are exercise facilities for which members must pay a monthly or yearly fee in order to obtain services. X-Sport contains elements that similar public facilities cannot offer. Because it is a Commercial Leisure Service the funds generated by members allow X-Sport to provide those same members with personal trainers and salon employees. Elements such as the personal attention employees show members, extra services like snack and beverage stations, and exclusive amenities including tanning beds and saunas separate X-Sport Fitness Clubs from comparable fitness centers.
The “extras” that X-Sport offers are what sells it as a Commercial Leisure Service. People chose it before other fitness centers because the services available to its guests make it more consumer friendly and convenient. These elements, as well as the standard elements of a Commercial Leisure Service, keep X-Sport ahead of the pack when it comes to fitness centers.
There are many different types of people who benefit from X-port Fitness. The main people with memberships to X-port are people who tend to have work shift at odd hours, such as firemen or nurses. This is because of its 24/7 hours of operation. The open all day every day policy also appeals to those who like to work out really early or really late, and that is one of the main reasons that X-port is so successful. However many people with normal work or school schedules also join because of X-port’s great variety of machines and work out appliances. Employees there tend to be young, fit, and looking to start a career in wellness or in physical fitness. If that were the field you are interested in, then this would be a great place to start your career. X-port is a great place to spend leisure time and be productive, but you must have a membership to be able to work out there.
XSport Fitness is another great example of a leisure service provider. Its main strength is that it appeals to a wide range of people. XSport offers services such as fitness equipment, spas, and salons. The main focus of XSport is health and wellness and so by having all these things they can reach out to both men and women in most age groups. A weakness of XSport Fitness is that they are a private membership based agency. This means that only members are able to use the facilities and that they have to pay a set fee. People who do not have the economic resources to be able to spend money on leisure will not be able to participate. However, XSport does seem to have notice this problem and have attempted to better the situation. XSport offers “pay as you go” membership which benefits those who do not use the facility often. Also, XSport Fitness offers their Express facility to people for fifteen dollars cheaper.

XSport Fitness’s goal is to provide an environment where members can achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The gyms meet this goal by offering diverse opportunities for its members. In addition to strength training equipment, each location has numerous cardio machines. The gyms don’t just help with physical health. Spas, massage services, and saunas are believed to improve mental and emotional health by relieving stress.

The YMCA is one of the largest non-profit organizations providing recreation. It is estimated that over 2,600 facilities are available throughout the nation today, serving thousands of communities and uniting over 21 million people. The YMCA responds to critical social needs while promoting religious ideals of living. Despite being affiliated with Protestantism, they are there to help children, families, and individuals of various races, ages, faiths, and backgrounds. It helps provide a wide range of leisure opportunities for communities that essentially help improve lives throughout the nation.




The YMCA stands for the Young Men’s Christian Association. It was originally created in London, England on June 6th 1984 as a response to “unhealthy social conditions arising in big cities after the Industrial Revolution (1750-1850)”. During this time it was dedicated to replacing troubled young men’s life on the street with prayer and Bible study. Within eleven years, it had quickly become an international movement. Despite various struggles and challenges such as the Great Depression and World War II bring dramatic drops to income it remained strong. It began seeing changes at the close of the war one of the major changes were the fact that they were admitting women and slowly but surely families became one of the new focuses and began emphasizing on all races and religions as well. In 1958, the U.S and Canadian YMCA's launched a new project entitled Buildings for Brotherhood which raised over $55 million dollars resulting in the expansion of over 90 different facilities nationwide. The popularity began increasing and many various recreational programs were being added. It proved to serve and help many people in need throughout the years and continues to provide services which help with the social needs and needed services which prove to benefit the community as a whole.




Knowing that the YMCA is one of the largest non-profit community service organizations in America, there must be many positions available to help keep this organization running. There are in fact various career opportunities that will be perfect for anyone looking to make a difference in the world while building strong professional skills implementing your talents and knowledge into your community. Positions varying from Executive Directors, Fitness Directors, Resource Coordinators, Controllers, CEO’s and even volunteers, I am sure that you will be able to find the right job to suit you at the YMCA. Volunteering at the YMCA might not be economically rewarding, however the impact you make will be and it will essentially help you get your foot in the door when attempting to acquire a higher position.




A current trend that recently began in Spring 2009 was the adoption of “College Goal Sunday” which is basically a one day event in which volunteers usually financial aid administers assist students applying to college understand aid available to them and help them properly complete applications free of charge. This is a big step seeing as though there is a strong discouragement (especially in under served communities) about attending college due to the lack of funds. It is important to inform students and families of the opportunities available to them and help them take full advantage of what they have to offer.




I think that the YMCA has one of the broadest approaches to leisure in a single organization. It is equipped with many various programs all ranging from camping and sports to health, fitness, and childcare. Their mission is to build strong kids strengthen relationships between families and serve the needs of the community as a whole. It is a place where anyone, despite of race gender or religion can come and reinforce the YMCA’s core values of “caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility” all while having a good time and keeping people out of trouble and into something worthwhile.



I always knew about the YMCA, yet was ignorant to when it was created or why it was there to begin with. I recently stepped into the YMCA in my neighborhood in Chicago. I was surprised at the amount of people of all ages using the various programs and facilities that were made available. I live in a pretty bad neighborhood and it makes me happy to see organizations like these providing much needed leisure opportunities to help give hope to children and begin changing the community in a positive way. Swim lessons were offered, as well as a fully equipped gym, many sports were provided as well as different activities for different nights. The staff was extremely nice and caring and provided me with all the answers I needed without hesitation. My experience at the YMCA was great and am sure many of you know about its great benefits that it has on the community. There are many pros to this organization as I have stated earlier and one of which is the career opportunities most of the higher positions pay a good amount starting at 70,000 dollars a year and also including benefits. I don't see any cons to this organization because its mission is to improve communities around the world, the benefits of this organization are great and we are privileged to have this non-profit leisure service available to us.

The Career Center at the University of Illinois

The Career Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is an outstanding agency that provides a much needed service to all students at the U of I. Students have the opportunity to utilize the resources and programs that the Career Center offers. Whether you are an upperclassmen looking to perfect a resume or an incoming freshmen trying to plan your academic future, the Career Center has the tools to help you succeed.


The Career Center offers many services to students including major/career advising, resume/cover letter help, job/internship guidance, interview coaching, and more. Both undergrad and graduate students benefit from the hard work of the career center employees. One program that stands out is Skills for Success. Through this program students are able to target key attributes important for the professional world and then are able to develop these skills further through specific programs.



For the up and coming business people of the world, the Career Center offers excellent services which give prospective applicants the necessary tools for creating an impressive resume. With the vast amount of students enrolled at the University of Illinois, the agency's staff is truly tested. However, they continue to produce some of the nations most qualified candidates for jobs across the world.




The Career Center also helps pre-health prospects prepare for the future. With the health field becoming increasingly competitive, students need to be on top of their game. From planning out the pre-health puzzle to gathering letters of recommendations, the staff is dedicated to helping students reach their full potential. Resources such as The Health Career Chronicles guide students on their quest for excellence.



Amongst undergraduates, graduates also have the opportunity to take advantage of the Career Center. With programs such as Letters of Evaluation Online, graduates get the chance to become strong prospects for future professional or academic opportunities.




All in all, working for the Career Center at the University of Illinois requires dedication and passion for helping others succeed in life after college. From students to professionals, the Career Center has a staff composed of those willing to serve and aid those who value education. Ancient Greece, one of the most influential and arguably one of the greatest civilizations in history, valued learning the most. The Career Center embodies these values by helping students to further their education and continue on their specified career path. This agency is a tremendous leisure delivery system because of the the way they accomplish the greatest leisure activity of all, learning.

By: Alex Mallo

The Hotel Sax of Chicago is a higher end hotel located in downtown Chicago. It is home to 353 guest rooms, several restaurants, and bars, all while being in walking distance to some of the city’s most famous tourist attractions. Formerly known as the House of Blues Hotel the building was renamed Hotel Sax in 2007.


Tourists are often found here because of its prime location on the Chicago River across from the Loop. It is still commonly associated with the House of Blues amphitheatre, which is found right next-door on Dearborn Ave. The Hotel Sax draws everyday people from around the world as well as today’s most famous celebrities, all of which, while staying there, can use their keycards to gain admission to shows at the House of Blues.




At a hotel like this there are plenty of different job opportunities. One worker I interviewed is a University of Illinois Alumni who majored in RST. Ideally he would like to move up but he is currently just getting in with the hotel as a bellhop. There are jobs like hotel managers, house electricians and carpenters, waiters/waitresses, as well as cleaning people, security guards, and receptionists among others.



To separate themselves from other competing hotels the Hotel Sax most obviously uses its connection to the House of Blues to lure in patrons. Although this is the main attraction, Hotel Sax has invested in several other accommodations for their visitors including a bowling alley, video game entertainment centers for specific rooms, and fitness center. These advances keep consumers happy because they are able to get things here they cannot get anywhere else.




Being a higher end hotel the Hotel Sax strives to make the stay for its visitors as pleasant as possible. Between its location, plentiful and helpful staff, and in house accommodations the Hotel Sax has everything a tourist might need while visiting Chicago. Their goal is to serve people to the best of their ability and judging by the hotel’s recent success I would say they are accomplishing that goal.




Having come from Chicago I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my day spent at the Hotel Sax Chicago. The views were amazing and the hotel itself was immaculate. While asking my friend questions regarding the hotel I started thinking about how this could be a great place to work. There are job opportunities for just about any background and once in the door there are endless opportunities to move up. As I learned more about the hotel I questioned whether each job was related to our discussions because some seemed less associated with leisure services than others. However, after some time I realized that even laborers like the electricians were in place to please the visitors of the Sax Hotel. Overall, I enjoyed my visit, I felt the employees enjoyed their jobs, and thus, I could not find any cons of working for a hotel similar to Hotel Sax Chicago.

Devil's Den State Park

The Ozarks Mountains located in Lake Creek Valley in the northwestern part of Arkansas was chosen in the 1930’s as the site for a park. They named it Devil’s Den State Park. Devil’s Den State Park is the epitome of outdoor greatness, surrounded by “ancient sedimentary mountains” and “lush oak-hickory forests”, it is a must see for any camping enthusiast or novice.



The history and creation of this state park and other state parks alike can be traced back to the Great Depression of the 1930’s. This catastrophic event caused a lot of unemployment and restlessness, which lead to an excess of free time that unfortunately in some instances lead to criminal activity.


As a result of this the federal government decided to step in and in essence kill two birds with one stone and started a number of emergency work programs related to recreation. The aim was to alleviate the job shortage and create positive recreational activities for people.


The one directly related to Devil’s Den State Park is The Civilian Conservation Corps, which helped establish many state’s park systems. The Civilian Conservation Corps managed to use native materials in the creation of Devil’s Den creating:

“rustic style wood and stone structures including an impressive native stone dam that spans Lee Creek in the heart of the park forming a peaceful 8-acre Lake Devil”

It takes a lot to keep a state park clean, attractive, and welcoming to tourists. State Parks have a number of employment opportunities ranging from desk clerks, retail, park upkeep, park rangers, guides, administration, and instructors. All of this information can be found in the state park website
I think that anyone wanting to work for a state park has to have a deep interest in nature and a certain pride for his or her state. Everybody that I spoke to in the park enjoyed their job and truly loved helping people and aiding them in having the best possible experience in their state.


Thanks to all of these wonderful people that dedicate so much of their time anyone is able to experience the outdoors and participate in many different leisure activities. At Devil's Den you can go camping with your own tent or rent a cabin. I went to Devil's Den for about three days with a group of friends and for a small fee we were able to use our own tent and camp out. We had access to a number of hiking trails, caves, streams, and a number of other resources. Trust me we all had a blast. We created our own fires, found or own fire wood, and pretty much grilled all weekend. The campsites were equipped with a small building, which came with a bathroom and showers, which was nice.







It was nice to see that the state park has made it so that everyone can enjoy the park in a variety of ways. You can walk a number of trails with varying levels of difficulty so everyone can participate. They offer canoeing; you can rent mountain bikes, ride horses and take a guided or un-guided tour. It is all about enjoying your surrounding and appreciating our local wonders.



To wrap things up I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Devil’s Den to say the least. I had a wonderful experience with all of my friends. The park had a lot to offer and for being my first camping trip I was not disappointed. The highlight of the trip was going into an actual bat cave and going down about 2 miles underground in complete darkness climbing rock formations as bats lined the walls while they hibernated.










Overall, I don’t think there are many cons in getting a career in this type of tourism especially in the state park area. I figure that if you are considering working for a state park you already like being around nature so that wont be an issue. The only thing that I do know is that the pay isn’t very lucrative. You can make a decent living but it will be just enough. I believe that if you are in this line of work making tons of money may not be a priority. This type of tourism is very important because it not only provides tons of leisure activities it also protects our country's natural treasures.




Devil’s Den State park was a wonderful experience and highly recommend it to everyone!



By: Eddy Herrera

The University of Illinois Ice Arena

The Ice Arena is one of the many campus recreational facilities that the University of Illinois has to offer. It is located at 406 E. Armory avenue Champaign, Il. The arena is both a place to watch University events such as a hockey game or synchronized skating and to participate in the activities yourself. This is where many students spend their leisure time.

This arena is where the 2008 fighting Illini club hockey team plays its home games. These games get very exciting and can be a good source of leisure and school spirit for any student who attends. There are also a number of intramural sports that take place here such as broomball, hockey, figure skating, and more. The arena also offers open skates, where any student can skate for free, several times a week as well as lessons for those who are beginners. They even have a concession stand in case one feels hungry or thirsty after skating.

There are three professionals over 100 student employees that the Ice Arena staffs. Potential employees must attend an informational meeting, submit an application online through the campus recreation website along with a resume and cover letter, and go through an interview before they can work at the arena or any campus recreational facility. Once employed, an employee can be promoted to more important roles such as a manager, a referee, a zamboni driver, or a skating instructor.

Since the rink must stay frozen, the temperature in the actual stadium is fairly low causing a trend of most skaters wearing sweatshirts or long-sleeved shirts while they are skating or watching a hockey game in the stands. Another trend that is taking place at the rink is the renting of skates. Since most people who use the rink are students they do not always bring their skates down to school with them so they have to rent them, and with the cheap rate of one dollar per individual instance.

The Ice Arena is a part of Campus Recreation and their slogan is “Campus Recreation: A Place for Everyone,” so the ice arena is a facility that is very much open to the public as well as students. This Ice Arena provides a place for students and the public to spend their leisure time in a positive manner, and can keep adolescents and young adults off of the street and out of trouble. With all of the intramural and educational programs it offers, it is safe to say that there are plenty of events people attend to stay busy and use their leisure time to better themselves.

The Ice arena would be a great place to work if you are a student. There are many different jobs that you can hold and from my experience speaking with some employees it seems very possible to move up the “chain of command” rather quickly. If a student started working there at the beginning of his or her freshman year they can eventually be managing many employees by the time that they are done with school, which can look great on a resume. As far as a career is concerned, I do not know how secure of a career it would be, because there are only three professionals that work there full time. This makes it seem like it would be very difficult to acquire such a position and hold that position. The Ice Arena serves as a good source for leisure and employment for those in the adolescent to young adult age groups. Personally, every time that I go to the ice arena I have a good time. It is always fun watching a winning hockey team so you should come by and check it out. I guarantee that you will enjoy your leisure time at The University of Illinois Ice Arena.

-Mike Landuyt