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The SPORTYS - Central Florida Sports Awards & Hall of Fame
The PNC Bank SPORTYS @ Full Sail University will be the can't miss sports event of the year! Central Florida's version of the ESPYs, the PNC Bank SPORTYS will honor the top area high school, amateur, collegiate and professional athletes, deserving local residents and businesses throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties. Sports figures and celebrities will present awards to the biggest names in Central Florida sports, while also paying tribute to local inspirational stories.
During the show, the Class of 2011 will be inducted into the Central Florida Sports Hall of Fame. The Central Florida Sports Hall of Fame is the continuation of a great regional sports tradition, where over 70 Central Floridians have been honored for their distinguished accomplishments within professional and amateur sports since 1981.
An exciting, elegant evening of awards and entertainment, the PNC Bank SPORTYS @ Full Sail University will take place on Saturday, September 24th at 7 pm. Tickets will be available soon. Keep an eye on your inbox for your invitation to attend this one-of-a-kind event! |
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A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SAM | |
While our busy season of summer events has finally come to an end, the Sports Commission has continued our business development efforts in researching and identifying new event opportunities for Seminole County.
In conjunction with our partners with TEAM SEMINOLE, we were able to forward a proposal to potentially bring a five (5) day national girls showcase softball event to our venues in 2013. In addition, other national and regional softball and soccer event opportunities are being researched that might be great economic drivers for the community for 2013 and beyond. For more detailed information on our recent activity, read below in the pipeline and wins and losses sections of this month's impact report.
The Sports Commission would like to congratulate the Oviedo All-Stars 12-and-under girls softball team in winning the Babe Ruth World Series for the first time! It was their fourth appearance in the World Series and they had never previously finished higher than third. This year, they came home with the Championship after a 7-0 victory over Lodi, California in the final game.
The 19th annual Celebrity Mascot Games were recently held from July 28-30 and our rowdy and zany mascots actually stayed in Seminole County! The Lake Mary Marriot was the proud host of this year's mascots, along with New Hope for Kids dinner, which is staged annually in conjunction with the Mascot Games. The mascots had a great time and enjoyed all of the establishments surrounding the hotel during their stay in Seminole County. It was a busy few days of appearances, setting up, and putting on the games. There were several new mascots this year and a few new games as well. The Mascot Games was held at Stetson University and the new Amway Center, and were a hit with adults and kids alike!
As always, please do not hesitate to call should you have any questions and we look forward to partnering with TEAM SEMINOLE to generate more great sports activity in Seminole County. |
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Best Regards,
Sam Stark
President/CEO
Central Florida Sports Commission |
ECONOMIC IMPACT  |
Month of June, 2011 Hotel Room Nights: 1,082 Tax Recovery: $12,744.50 Economic Impact: $787,476.00 Number of Participants: 910 Number of Spectators: 1,170 Number of Events: 1 Year to Date (through June 2011) Hotel Room Nights: 4,872 Tax Recovery: $51,784.32 Economic Impact: $2,855,167.88 Number of Participants: 3,169 Number of Spectators: 3,747 Number of Events: 7 |
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IN THE PIPELINE |
The Sports Commission spent the past month researching new potential event prospects for Seminole County. Several events and/or event organizers we plan to connect with include Babe Ruth Baseball & Softball (Florida) United Soccer Leagues and USA Cycling. From an event standpoint, several that we are researching to see if they are viable opportunities for Seminole County sports venues include the National Elite Women's Soccer Showcase, Adidas Futures Softball Tournaments and Premiere Girls Fastpitch Tournaments. More updates to come on the aforementioned opportunities in future impact reports.  Speaking of national event organizers, the Sports Commission will be sending staff to the upcoming Olympic Sports Link Conference that will take place in late September in Colorado Springs. This will provide the Sports Commission the opportunity to network with national event partners with respect to future event and/or meeting opportunities for the Sylvan Lake Park, Seminole County Softball Complex and other area venues/hotel properties. National event partners expected to be in attendance include USA Field Hockey, USA Team Handball, USA Swimming, ASA Softball and US Lacrosse, just to name a few. |
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| WINS & LOSSES |
(As of July, 2011)
Formal Bids Submitted: 3
Total Bids Won: 2
Total Bids Lost: 1
The Sports Commission, Seminole County CVB and Seminole County Parks & Recreation Department recently submitted a bid to host the 18U ASA Gold Girls Softball Championships for the first week of August of 2013. If awarded, this would attract approximately 70 teams from across the United States to Seminole County for an average of 5 days, with this national showcase event being staged at the Seminole County Softball Complex and Merrill Park. Based on our diligence, the 18U Gold would generate approximately 2,500 room nights for Seminole County. Stay tuned to see if we are awarded the bid, as a decision should come this fall.
Staying on softball, the Sports Commission and Seminole County CVB have already begun discussions with ASA Florida with respect to bringing the highly successful ASA Girls State Fast Pitch Tournament back to Seminole County for the summer of 2012 and 2013. The event was recently held in June at multiple venues located throughout the county and attracted teams from across the State of Florida to our community. Discussions are ongoing but we hope to lock ASA Florida into a long term deal in the next month or so. Keep your fingers crossed! |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
The Mid-Florida Milers Neighborhood Walk Through
Froggers Grill & Bar
August 20
Website
Night Hike at the Zoo
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
September 17
Website
Friends Helping Friends 5k Fun Run/Walk
Walk on Water
September 17
Website
Jim Payne Blue Ribbon Run for the Kids 5K
Fort Mellon Park
October 22nd
Website |
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| COMMUNITY PROFILE | |
When USA Baseball hosts a Women's International Friendship Series and its first ever Women's Development Camp this August, former Hagerty High School softball player Veronica "Ronnie" Gajownik will be participating. The event will be held in Cary, North Carolina, Aug. 2-7.
It's a personal dream of Gajownik to be the first woman player in major league baseball and this brings her one step closer to that goal. With the help of her father, her coach and others, a tryout video was produced and submitted to USA Baseball. Ronnie shares her passion for baseball with her father, Glenn Richards, who played baseball in youth leagues and in college. "When she was one or two, I would start throwing a ball to her," said Richards. "Later, I took her into the backyard to have her hit." Richards is chief meteorologist for FOX 35.
To read more about Veronica please click HERE. |
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