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| | A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SAM | |
We're Ready. Are You?
On April 13th, the Central Florida Sports Commission and the City of Orlando hosted nearly 60 community and business leaders to announce the Orlando Ready campaign. Team Orlando Ready will be a part of helping our community deliver more major sporting events to the City of Orlando. We have the facilities, people and vision to go after the best sporting events possible. We just need to get the community excited about the opportunities we will have. Our efforts will transform how we attract and secure the right events, partners and programs for our community. To date, more than 50 businesses and individuals have joined team Orlando Ready. We continue to look for business owners and C-level executives to step up and be Ready.Click here if you are Ready!
 It's the end of the school year and that means high school state championships for the spring sports, and our annual Breakfast of Champions. Two weeks ago we hosted the FHSAA Water Polo Finals at the YMCA Aquatic Center. Ransom Everglades won the girls championship and the boys championship went to Saint Andrews. Last weekend we hosted the FHSAA Lacrosse Finals at West Orange High School. Four girls teams and four boys teams competed for the state championship, with the Lake Highland Prep boy's and the Vero Beach girl's taking home the titles. At the end of May, we will honor the best high school athletes in Orange County at the Breakfast of Champions. Check out the Featured Article section for more information.
On the business development front, we have some exciting news to report with respect to an event that might reap tremendous economic rewards for both the City of Orlando and Orange County. Read more about our recent activity later on in this month's impact report.
Thank you for your continued support, as we continue to market Orlando and Orange County as the "Ultimate Sports Destination".
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Best Regards,
Sam Stark
President/CEO
Central Florida Sports Commission |
| ECONOMIC IMPACT |
Year to Date (through March, 2011)
Hotel Room Nights: 6,450
Tax Recovery: $68,340.91
Economic Impact: $3,366,564.00
Number of Participants: 159
Number of Spectators: 9,942
Number of Events: 1
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IN THE PIPELINE | |
The Sports Commission recently sent staff to the 2011 National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) Sports Event Symposium in Greensboro, North Carolina on April 11 - 15. This annual conference provides a great opportunity for the Sports Commission to network with multiple event organizers and identify new event opportunities for hotels and sports venues within the City of Orlando/Orange County. A short list of event organizers that we met with include the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), USA Taekwondo, USA Gymnastics, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), USA Volleyball and USA Fencing, just to name a few. Events would be targeted for the Amway Center, Orange County Convention Center and other area venues within our community. Stay tuned for future updates on each opportunity.
In addition, the Sports Commission and Visit Orlando are currently evaluating an opportunity to host the 2012 Sports Marketing Association Annual Conference which would take place next October. The conference would be staged from October 24 - 27, and includes academic presentations, networking opportunities and multiple panel discussions from prominent individuals from professional sports leagues, teams and sports businesses. Approximately 300 - 400 attendees are expected to travel to the conference from across the United States. Expect to hear more about the progress made with respect to this opportunity in next month's impact report. |
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| WINS & LOSSES
(As of April, 2011) |
Formal Bids Submitted: 4
Total Bids Won: 1
Total Bids Lost: 0
Exciting news on the 2015 FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships as mentioned in previous impact reports. The Sports Commission, in partnership with Visit Orlando, Amway Center, Orange County Convention Center and ESPN Wide of Sports Complex at Disney, recently submitted a revised proposal to USA Gymnastics for the right to host the FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Orlando in the fall of 2015.
We are proud to announce that USA Gymnastics has selected Orlando as its candidate city for their bid to host the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships within the United States. The World Championships would be held at the Amway Center, and will serve as a qualifying event for the 2016 Olympic Games, scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The USA last hosted the World Gymnastics Championships in 2003 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., which still remains the largest World Artistic Gymnastics Championships ever hosted. Previously, the United States also hosted the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Indianapolis (1991) and Fort Worth, Texas (1979).
The proposed dates of the event (both training and competition) would be from September 25th - October 11. Gymnastics teams from across the world including China, Russia and Bulgaria, along with thousands of spectators, would be in Orlando over the course of 18 days. In addition, USA Gymnastics would host their Annual Congress (Meetings & Tradeshow) in conjunction with the World Championships. Approximately 1,500 - 2,000 attendees participate in the Congress which would be held at the Orange County Convention Center. Approximately 20,000 + room nights would be generated by both the World Championships and Congress within the City of Orlando/Orange County.
The host city for the 2015 World Championships will be selected during the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Council Meetings scheduled for May 17-22 in San Jose, Calif. Other cities submitting bids include Glasgow, Scotland, and Paris, France. Keep your fingers crossed!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE |
Pro Soccer in Orlando!
The Orlando City Soccer Club is Orlando's professional soccer team. Playing their home games at the Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando City plays in the United Soccer Leagues Pro Division, just one level below Major League Soccer. Orlando City has averaged more than 7,000 enthusiastic fans at their first two home games.
Orlando City will play a 12-game home schedule from April through August, with additional games added for international friendlies and other competitions. Single game tickets start at just $12 and season tickets start at only $150, with club level and suite level tickets also available.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com. |
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