SUBJECT:
Title
PRESENTATION - Recognition of Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training as Recipient of the Florida Sports Foundation Award for Sports Tourism Venue of the Year for Mid-Sized Market - Loretta Shaffer, Tourist Development Director (Presentation Only)
Body
|
INITIATOR: |
DEPARTMENT: |
|
Loretta Shaffer, Director |
Tourist Development |
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND:
The Florida Sports Foundation is the official sports promotion and development organization for the State of Florida. The Annual Florida Sports Foundation Summit brings together the state’s sports tourism industry leaders to share ideas and present their individual areas to prospective event rights holders in hopes of luring future sports events to their communities. The Larry Pendleton Awards Dinner recognizes the achievements of more than 30 industry partners statewide, and individuals within the partnerships, for their efforts over the previous year.
The 2025 Florida Sports Summit Larry Pendleton Awards Dinner was held on June 8, at Jensen Beach, during which the Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau brought home the Florida Sports Foundation Award for Sports Tourism Venue of the Year for Mid-Sized Market on behalf of Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training (FAST). FAST opened in April of 2022 and has quickly become one of the premier private aquatics facilities in the nation. Featuring a 50-meter indoor competition pool with seating for 2,000 attendees and a 50-meter outdoor warm-up pool, the venue has already hosted major events sanctioned by USA Swimming, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Florida High School Athletic Association, Young Men’s Christian Association, and Florida Swimming. In its first three years, FAST welcomed over 76,000 unique attendees, generating an estimated 39,810 room nights and an impressive $21.5 million in economic impact for the community.
BUDGET/IMPACT:
None
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
Presentation only.
end