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Featured Article |  |
Love sports? Believe in economic development? Want to have some fun? Sign up today to be a member of The Sports Club!
Sports, fun and value! As a member, you will enjoy some of the best sports events in town. In addition, you will be "in the know" when it comes to new events that come to our area. Packages include tickets to a wide range of sporting events, networking and business development opportunities, and the opportunity to be a part of many sporting events through ticket sales, pre-event functions, volunteering and more!
As an example of one of the networking opportunities, we will be co-hosting, with our partners at Florida Citrus Sports, a March Madness Happy Hour on March 24th at the new Dex Imaging Skyline Club located on the Club Suite level of the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. We will provide complimentary appetizers, Anheuser-Busch products, and Coca-Cola products. Entry is free for members and just $5 for non-members.
Click
HERE for a complete list of Sports Club benefits. If you are interested in attending the March Madness Happy Hour as a guest, please click HERE.
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A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SAM
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We hope this month's activity letter finds you well, as the Central Florida Sports Commission continues its extensive work to bring new and exciting sports related events and activities to Osceola County.
The Sports Commission is proud to have supported the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau's hosting of the Florida High School Athletic Association's (FHSAA) Competitive Cheerleading Championships and Girls Weightlifting Championships. The Competitive Cheerleading Championships were held February 4th & 5th at Osceola Heritage Park's Silver Spurs Arena, and the Girls Weightlifting Championships were held February 12th at the Kissimmee Civic Center. We look forward to working with the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau in growing our partnership with the Florida High School Athletic Association
March brings spring break, and with it, dozens of collegiate softball and lacrosse teams that will flock to Osceola County. The Rebel Spring Games, March 5-21 at Osceola County Softball Complex, and World Class Lacrosse, March 13-27 at Austin Tindall, will generate nearly $9 million in economic impact combined.
Two weeks ago the Sports Commission hosted the Florida Amateur Wrestling Association Folkstyle Championships at Osceola Heritage Park. Based on the success of this event in Osceola County last year, this year's event expanded to two days of competition and increased to more than 800+ athletes. The increase in participation and duration is expected to significantly increase the economic impact figures for Osceola County.
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 |
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IN THE PIPELINE  |
On the business development front, the Sports Commission is currently evaluating a girl's club volleyball event that would take place on MLK Weekend in 2012 at Osceola Heritage Park. Both the Silver Spurs Arena and the Exhibition Hall would be utilized. Approximately 120 + teams from across the State of Florida would compete in the event. This would be the first year this event is staged in Osceola County, which could potentially become an annualized event. We will hopefully have more information in next month's impact report.
In addition, we have recently been in contact with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) about their potential return to Osceola County in 2012. They recently hosted a 7 team men's & women's collegiate basketball event at the Kissimmee Civic Center. They are interested in returning to Kissimmee in early January of next year, but would like to invite an additional 7 - 10 teams from across the United States to participate. Should additional teams participate, ECAC might look at the Silver Spurs Arena as the host venue due to the increased need in locker rooms and overall space. We should know more in the next month on whether the ECAC will be returning. |
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| | WINS & LOSSES | |
(As of February, 2011)
Bids Submitted - 6
Wins - 4
Losses - 0
The Sports Commission recently has been in discussions with USA Rugby about the possibility of hosting a 16 team collegiate event this coming April. Eight (8) men's & eight (8) women's collegiate club teams from across the United States would train and compete at Austin Tindall Park on April 15 - 17. We expect to sign an agreement in the next week or so, so we hope to have good news in next month's impact report.
In addition, we mentioned in last month's impact report that the Sports Commission, in partnership with the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau, submitted a proposal to American Youth Football & Cheer to once again host their national championships in Osceola County in December of 2011 - 2013. Since our proposal submission, we have had several discussions with staff from American Youth Football & Cheer and all indications appear to their potential return. We hope to make a formal announcement within the next month.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS | |
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE |
Houston Astros Spring Training
Osceola County welcomes back the Houston Astros for the 27th consecutive year to the Osceola County Stadium. The Astros Spring Training home games start on March 1st against the Atlanta Braves and conclude on March 27th against the Detroit Tigers. The 17-game schedule includes great matchups against the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies to name a few, and individual game tickets start at just $10! To view the Spring Training home schedule and purchase tickets CLICK HERE.
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