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FEATURED ARTICLE | |
The USSSA Florida Pride is now playing right here in Central Florida. Their 2010 season kicked off on May 31st at the UCF Softball Complex and will continue to ESPN's Wide World of Sports on June 15th. The Pride highlights a roster rich in talent featuring current and former national team members Kelly Kretschman, Caitlin Lowe, Jessica Mendoza, Natasha Watley, Lauren Lappin, Andres Duran and Katie Burkhart. Coaching the Pride for the 2010 season will be University of Florida's Tim Walton.
To learn more about the Florida Pride or the National Pro Fastpitch League, please contact their offices at 321.697.3635 or visit www.usssapride.com
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| A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SAM
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As we near the peak of another hot summer, the Central Florida Sports Commission continues its efforts to attract more sports events to Osceola County. While our summer and fall event calendar looks full, there is always room for additional sports events to be staged in Osceola County.
This past month, the Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomed back the Florida Amateur Wrestling Association (FAWA) to Osceola Heritage Park's Exhibition Hall. Their two day event combined the Freestyle & Greco-Roman State Championships, Women's Body Bar National Championships and a State Freestyle Dual Meet Club State Championship. These combined events attracted approximately 1,000 participants and coaches to Kissimmee. Click on the adjacent logo for pictures from the events.
As we look ahead, the month of June brings some good old fashion baseball to Osceola County. Triple Crown Sports returns with their Kissimmee Summer Slam from June 4-6 and June 11-13 at the Osceola County Stadium and Softball Complex. In 2009, this event brought in over 2,000 athletes, coaches and spectators to Osceola County for two (2) weekends worth of baseball. Later in the month the Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau welcome back the World Baseball Federation when they host their Championship at the Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. This event features thirty-two (32) teams from across the Southeast playing up to eight games in order to win the World Baseball Championship. "Are you ready for some baseball?"
Thank you for your continued support as we continue to market Osceola County as the "Amateur Sports Capital." |
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Best Regards,
Sam Stark
President/CEO
Central Florida Sports Commission |
| ECONOMIC IMPACT | |
Month of May, 2010
- Hotel Room Nights - 448
- Tax Recovery - $ 5,069.79
- Economic Impact - $ 302,477.25
- Number of Participants - 942
- Number of Spectators - 686
- Number of Events - 3
Year to Date (through May, 2010)
- Hotel Room Nights - 18,049
- Tax Recovery - $ 267.150.14
- Economic Impact - $ 16,240,803.00
- Number of Participants - 13,524
- Number of Spectators - 7,401
- Number of Events - 11
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IN THE PIPELINE |
On the business development front, the Sports Commission has recently been in discussions with the United Sports Training Center out of Pennsylvania regarding the opportunity to create a girl's collegiate and club lacrosse event. This event would take place in late January of 2011 at Austin Tindall Park and would attract in upwards of thirty (30) teams from around the Southeast for two (2) days of competition. We expect to provide additional information on this created event in next month's Impact Report.
In addition, the Sports Commission recently submitted a bid to host the 2012/2013 USA Gymnastics (USAG) Women's Junior Olympic National Championships and 2012/2013 Women's Level 9 Easterns. Each of these events would be staged at the Silver Spurs Arena. If you recall, we staged the 2004 and 2009 Junior Olympics at Osceola Heritage Park, along with the 2008 Women's Level 9 Easterns. |
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 WINS & LOSSES
(As of May, 2010)
Bids Submitted - 6
Wins - 4
Losses - 1
The Sports Commission, in conjunction with our partners at the Kissimmee Civic Center, are proud to announce that we have been awarded the opportunity to co-host the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament. ERAC has agreed to bring their twelve (12) team Division III Tournament to Kissimmee in January of 2011.
In November, we reported that the Sports Commission in partnership with the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau was awarded the opportunity to host a 2010 USA Team Handball Florida Youth Cup Tournament. This event was to take place in August of this year and attract 400 + athletes, coaches and spectators to Osceola County for four (4) days of competition. Unfortunately, do to circumstances beyond our control; USA Team Handball has elected to cancel the event this summer. That said, we are already exploring other options with USA Team Handball and will be evaluating a bid to potentially host the 2011 Collegiate National Championships. Please stay tuned for more updates as we progress through this process. |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
Triple Crown Sports
Kissimmee Summer Slam
 Osceola County Softball Complex
June 11-13, 2010
World Baseball Federation Championships
Osceola County Stadium
 June 23-27,2010
Acrobatic Gymnastics
 2010 National Elite Qualifier & 2010 J.O. National Championships
Silver Spurs Arena
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE |
The Bright House Sports Network Breakfast of Champions served up some well deserved recognition this past month at the Radisson Orlando Celebration. On May 25th, the Sports Commission, in partnership with Bright House Sports Network, honored twenty-seven of the best High School Student Athletes from Osceola County.
Athletes of the year in every sport, as well as scholar athletes of the year, were recognized. |
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