Providing the optimal method for sport places site selection based on GIS analytic functions

Purpose This study aims to provide a novel method for sport places site selection, although instead of using decision-making methods, the focus is on analytic functions in geographic information systems (GIS). Design/methodology/approach Researchers today have combined site selection science to a large extent with GIS and different decision-making methods to provide methods with higher confidence coefficients, however, it seems that there is a long way left to the best result. Findings After making a study database including data related to uses and urban elements, sports places, population density in study territory and drawing map of the region, by exporting data to GIS environment this database was prepared to use as separate layers. In the next step, the final map was made by shared overlapping of layer resulted from combining determining factors in sport places site selection and a layer of the sphere of influence of sport places available. Originality/value As with other research studies done for site selection, the region determined as high value in the final map was wide, a method of minimizing the difference of maximum and minimum standard deviation of polygons was used to minimize these lands. This method made it possible to plan to construct multiple sport places in succession.