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FEATURED ARTICLE | |
30 Mascots from all over the sports world. An obstacle course. An inflatable joust. Two giant hamster balls. Put them all together and you'll get---hilarious chaos!
Chaos is actually the only thing you can be sure to see next week at the 18th Annual Celebrity Mascot Games. Mascots from the Magic, Florida Gators, UCF will join their friends from NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and NCAA for three community shows July 15-17. They'll compete against each other in crazy games and competitions, all to benefit New Hope for Kids, a Central Florida-based wish granting and grief counseling organization.
Thursday: July 15, 12:30pm-Volusia County Fairgrounds
Friday: July 16, 12:30pm-Amway Arena
Saturday: July 17, 2pm-Amway Arena
Tickets are only $9 for general admission seats, $15 for reserved. With ticket prices that affordable, funny mascots and a great charity, it's easy to see why the Mascot Games are the family event of the summer!
Not sure what to expect or want to see if your favorite mascot is coming? Check out www.mascotgames.org! |
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A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SAM | |
The heat index may be on the rise, but that hasn't stopped athletes and spectator from traveling to Lake County for one of our several sports events being staged.
The summer of 2009 saw the staging of the inaugural Lake County Police Activities League Summer Games. Youth athletes affiliated with the PAL programs from around the state and region descended upon Lake County for a weekend of events in multiple sports, including cycling, martial arts and soccer. This year, the event has gotten even bigger and better. Instead of one weekend, the 2010 Summer Games will feature multiple events over multiple weekends this summer. First up was cycling, which staged their weekend of festivities on June 19-20 in Howey-in-the-Hills. Racers of all ages participated in multiple road cycling events over the two days, with more than 430 athletes joining the fun. For a great video from the event, please CLICK HERE. Next up for the summer games is the Karate Sports Challenge to be held at Lake-Sumter Community College on August 6-7. For more information on the Lake County Police Activities League Summer Games, please visit www.lakecountypal.com.
The month in sports wrapped up at the Mission Inn where the resort staged their 39th Annual Florida Junior Invitational Championship. 38 youth boys and girls golfers from around the nation and world made their way to Howey-in-the-Hills to compete for top honors. The prestigious event has served as a breeding ground for some of the PGA and LPGA's top talent, with golfers such as Chris DiMarco, David Love III, Mark Calcavecchia, Bob Tway, Lee Janzen and Michelle McGann having participated in this prestigious event. Those in attendance the last weekend in June may have witnessed the future of professional golf.
On the business development front, the Sports Commission is in the process of evaluating several golf proposals, while working closely with an old partner to support the return of youth baseball events to Lake County. Read all about our recent activity below in the Lake County Impact Report.
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Best Regards,
Sam Stark
President/CEO
Central Florida Sports Commission  |
| ECONOMIC IMPACT | |
Month of May 2010
- Hotel Room Nights: 1,222
- Tax Recovery: $13,341.42
- Economic Impact: $744,408
- Number of Participants: 604
- Number of Spectators: 4,660
- Number of Events: 2
Year to Date (through May 2010)
- Hotel Room Nights: 4,014
- Tax Recovery: $45,636.82
- Economic Impact: $2,849,052.75
- Number of Participants: 7,568
- Number of Spectators: 13,730
- Number of Events: 13
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| WINS & LOSSES | |
(as of June 2010)
Formal Bids Submitted: 5
Total Bids Won: 4
Total Bids Lost: 1
The Sports Commission has a couple of expected but always welcome announcements for the "wins" column. The Mission Inn Resort and Club has been the home to the Atlantic 10 Men's Golf Championship for the previous two seasons, and just this past week the Sports Commission was officially notified of the conference's intent to return for the 2011 season. Additionally, Florida Travel Ball, a regional youth baseball league with ties to the Amateur Athletic Union, officially announced that they will be staging several events in Lake County throughout the remainder of 2010. The games will be primarily played at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, but Pat Thomas Stadium and other fields will also see some action. Once we receive the final schedule of events from Florida Travel Ball, we will be sure to share that with you.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
 Leesburg Lightning Baseball Home Games Until July 28
Pat Thomas Stadium
PAL Karate Sports Challenge
 August 6-7, 2010 Lake-Sumter Community College
Florida Travel Ball Back to School Labor Day Classic
 September 3-5, 2010 Sleepy Hollow Softball Complex
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE | |
When the City of Tavares cut the ribbon on their brand new Seaplane Base and Marina this past April at Wooton Park, it earned the city the nickname of America's Seaplane City. Seaplane pilots from around the region rejoiced upon hearing this exciting news. Now, those not lucky enough to own their own seaplane can enjoy the beautiful facilities with the operation of seaplane tours. Starting on the waters of Lake Dora, those who want a unique view of the county and region can now take to the skies through Jones Brothers and Company Air & Seaplane Adventures. Tours start at $30.00 per person and can be made to accommodate the tastes of the air tourist. Flights are scheduled throughout the rest of the summer, and will next go out on August 13th. For more information on this exciting new attraction in Lake County, please visit www.tavares.org or www.jonesairandsea.com.
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conference or national championship each spring, so we are looking at the opportunity to stage one or more of these championships at one of Lake County's golf courses. We will provide additional information on each when it comes available.
