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THE MASCOTS ARE BACK
30 Mascots from all over the sports world. An obstacle course. An inflatable joust. Two giant hamster balls. Put them all together 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 the three community shows July 15-17th. 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, 12:30 pm-Volusia County Fairgrounds
Friday: July 16, 12:30 pm-Amway Arena
Saturday: July 17, 2 pm-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
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As the month of June comes to a close, the Sports Commission stayed busy welcoming back several existing event partners to Osceola County, while constantly working to bring in new business.
First, the Central Florida Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau, in conjunction with Triple Crown Sports, hosted their Annual Kissimmee Summer Slam in Kissimmee on June 4 - 6 and June 11 - 13. This two weekend event attracted over 60 teams from across the United States to the Osceola County Stadium and Softball Complex. The top two teams in each age group earn a qualifying spot to compete in the Triple Crown National Championships.
Next, the Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomed back the World Baseball Federation as they hosted their Championship at the Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. This event featured over 30 teams from across the Southeast playing up to eight (8) games in order to win the World Baseball Championship. This year's 16 and over age division champions were Team Tallahassee, congrats guys!
Coming up next month the Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau are working tirelessly with USA Gymnastics in preparation to host the 2010 Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships at the Silver Spurs Arena. This event, taking place July 24-28, 2010 will showcase more than 500 of the nation's top and up-and-coming acrobatic gymnasts, from the junior and senior elite to Junior Olympic Levels 5-10. Stay tuned for next month's follow up from this prestigious event.
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 June, 2010
- Hotel Room Nights: 1,375
- Tax Recovery: $ 7,967.49
- Economic Impact: $ 142,491.00
- Number of Participants: 911
- Number of Spectators: 1,488
- Number of Events: 1
Year to Date (through June, 2010)
- Hotel Room Nights: 15,237
- Tax Recovery: $ 257,800.01
- Economic Impact: $ 20,265,733.50
- Number of Participants: 14,663
- Number of Spectators: 11,407
- Number of Events: 12
Please note the above listed numbers do not include actuals for World Baseball Federation, which were not provided in time for distribution of this newsletter |
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IN THE PIPELINE |
On the business development front, the Sports Commission has recently been in discussions with USA Wrestling and Florida Amateur Wrestling Association to host the 2012 Pan American Olympic Qualifier. This event would be televised both domestically and internationally, and would qualify athletes from countries such as the United States, Canada and Cuba for the 2012 Olympics. If awarded, this prestigious event would attract over 1,200 athletes, coaches, administrators and spectators to the Silver Spurs Arena for three days of unprecedented competition.
In addition, the Sports Commission is looking into hosting the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) International Taekwondo Championship for this coming November at Osceola Heritage Park. It is expected that this inaugural event would attract over 1,000 athletes, coaches and spectators to Osceola County for two days of competition. |
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 WINS & LOSSES
(As of June, 2010)
Bids Submitted - 7
Wins - 4
Losses - 2
The Sports Commission, in partnership with the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau recently, put in a bid with USA Team Handball to host their 2011USA Team Handball Club National Championships. If awarded, this event would bring in close to 500 handball participants to Kissimmee for three days of competition. The proposed venue for this elite event would be Osceola Heritage Park.
The Sports Commission recently learned that Osceola County was not awarded the opportunity to host a 2011 FLW tour stop for Kissimmee's lakefront. Due to budget restraints, FLW decided to pass on our proposal for Kissimmee for 2011. Please know that we are still working closely with FLW to try to secure one or more events for the lakefront in 2012 and beyond. As always, stay tuned for news as we develop more opportunities for Osceola County! |
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE |
Osceola County welcomes a new "slam dunk" of an event to Kissimmee, as YBOA (Youth Basketball of America) is making its debut performance this year in Osceola County. YBOA is a non-profit organization located in Orlando, which offers league development, tournaments, educational clinics and scholarship programs for youth of all ages across the United States. This three (3) week tournament, which lasts from June 27th - July 31st, will bring teams from across the United States to compete at one of several area venues, including Osceola Heritage Park, the Kissimmee Civic Center and a variety of local High School gyms. The first two weeks of competition brought in over 200 teams to Osceola County.
To get more information on YBOA, please visit their website at http://www.yboa.org/Home/tabid/619/Default.aspx . |
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Wild World of Sports & UCF Softball Complex
