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The game will kick-off at 3pm this Saturday, January 23 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The East-West Shrine Game is the oldest and one of the most respected of the post-season collegiate all-star games, raising funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Get your tickets now!
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| A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SAM |
 Happy New Year from the Central Florida Sports Commission!
As you can see, the sports commission has a new look! We are pleased to share our new logo, new email and new way of sharing important information with you. We continue to make changes to stay ahead of the game and we welcome your input.
In addition to these cosmetic changes, the events calendar for 2010 is quickly filling with new partners and reoccurring events. Some of the highlights from the upcoming year include the NCAA Division III Women's National Golf Championship, the Inaugural St. John's Spring Fling Golf Tournament, Great Escape Triathlon and the Florida Rugby Union All Rugby Day, just to name a few.
We are already off and running with one of our busiest event partners, United States Specialty Sports association. The first pitch of the MLK Memorial Day Classic was January 15th at the Sleepy Hollow Recreational Complex in Leesburg. The best baseball players in the state aged 14 and under were on hand to start a new year of baseball.
Thank you for being a part this exciting moment of history for the Sports Commission, and we look forward to making 2010 a banner year for Lake County. |
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Best Regards,
Sam Stark
President/CEO
Central Florida Sports Commission  |
| ECONOMIC IMPACT |
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Month of November, 2009
- Hotel Room Nights - 146
- Tax Recovery - $1,670.95
- Economic Impact - $114,594.00
- Number of Paticipants -324
- Number of Spectators - 432
Year to Date (through November, 2009)
- Hotel Room Nights - 6,937
- Tax Recovery - $78,209.59
- Economic Impact - $4,631,270.25
- Number of Participants - 11,481
- Number of Spectators - 13,383
- Number of Events - 19
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| IN THE PIPELINE |
| On the business development front, the Sports Commission is diligently researching and reviewing multiple event related opportunities for venues within Lake County. Event leads currently being evaluated by the Sports Commission include NCAA Regional and National Championships, BASS regional and national Fishing Tournaments, Youth and Collegiate Softball Championships and national and international water ski events. |
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| WINS & LOSES |
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(as of November, 2009)
Formal Bids Submitted: 8
Total Bids Won: 3
Total Bids Lost: 4
The Sports Commission learned in November that we were not awarded the right to host the 2010 FSSA State Cup and 2010 Presidents Day Cup. Each of these events will be staged in Polk County, at Florida State Soccer Associations new headquarters and multi-purpose soccer complex. Several proposals are still under review at this time, including the 2010 Fishers of Men Outdoors Regional Fishing Tournament and the 2010 and 2011 Florida High School Athletic Association State Softball Championships.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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NTC NCAA Softball Spring Games February 22-April 2, 2010 National Training Center (Clermont) www.ntcsoftball.com UCF Women's Golf Invitational February 28-March 2, 2010 RedTail Golf Club (Sorrento) www.ucfathletics.com Florida's Great Escape Triathlon March 7, 2010
Lake Louisa State Park (Clermont)
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE |
 The Hickory Point Soccer Complex, located off of State Road 19 in Tavares, has become one of the premier multi-purpose field complexes in the region. Home to the Lake County Soccer Club for more than ten years, the complex is a destination for soccer players of all ages and skill levels. The growth of the complex has come under the care and guidance of Mike Stone. Serving as Soccer Club President, Facility Director, Groundskeeper and anything and everything else needed to keep the fields in pristine condition, Mr. Stone's personal passion for developing the community has paved the way for the influx of events that Hickory Point has seen.
During the final week of 2009, the Soccer Club and the complex hosted their crown jewel event, the 14th Annual Sunset Rotary Hickory Point Invitational High School Tournament. Twenty-five boys and girls high school teams from across the state ended their year in Tavares for the largest Invitational in the event's 14 years.
Despite the name, soccer isn't the only sport played at the complex. For the past three years the facility has hosted the Florida Rugby Union's annual All Florida Day. While the two sports vary greatly in style, both athletes can agree that the fields are some of the best in the area. For more information please visit www.lakecountysoccerclub.com
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