1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 930 • West Palm Beach, FL 33401 • 561.233.3180 • 561.233.3125

Game On!June 2014

In this Issue• Sports Is A $44B Industry In

Florida• ITF Seniors World

Championships A Hit• Florida United Lacrosse Cup

Series Visits Palm Beach County• USA Baseball Is Up On Deck• Senior Softball Tournament

Expected to be a Home Run

Board of Directors

Sports is a $44 Billion industry in Florida

While overall Florida tourism visitor numbers are nearing 100 million annually, a recent study conducted by the Florida Sports Foundation showed that 13.3 million visitors came to the state of Florida for the sole purpose of sports and recreation.

The report compiled by the University of West Florida’s Haas Center showed that sports and recreation was responsible f o r $44.4 billion in total economic output, or roughly 3.5% of the state‘s Gross State Product. The Sports and Recreation industry also supports over 431,000 jobs and contributes more than $16 billion in labor income to Floridians.

“Florida continues to be a leader in the sports industry,” said Florida Sports Foundation President John Webb. “This state has the advantage of being able to host sports events on a year-round basis and with the professional efforts of the 26 sports commissions, there’s not a day during the year when a sporting event can’t be held.” The survey showed Florida’s Sports Commission hosted over 2,500 events attracting over 3.1 million sports tourists. On the professional sports front, the state of Florida can boast nearly 1,800 events annually generating $3.1 billion in economic impact.

Recreational sports also drive tourists to the state in droves. More than three million anglers participate in fishing and outdoor

recreation and more than 1,100 golf courses statewide total more than 45 million rounds of golf played annually.

With an average daily temperature of 71 degrees, the State of Florida provides a perfect atmosphere for a variety of sporting

and recreational activities. Whether it’s the nine major professional sports teams, a variety of college athletic programs competing on

several different levels, or the 26 statewide sports commissions, Florida offers plenty of venues to host a wide variety of sporting events.

All of these spor t s -re lated activities in c o m m u n i t i e s

around the state actively involve

the citizens of that region, add value

to social lives and build bridges between communities. Participating in sports in general has been found to increase mental health and promote discipline and teamwork.The 2013 survey showed an increase of $8 billion from the previous study compiled by the Florida Sports Foundation in 2005. Visit www.flasports.com for a full copy of the 2014 Florida Sports Economic Impact Survey.

Guy Quattlebaum - PresidentPamela Linden - Vice PresidentStephanie Lanza - Treasurer

Jack DanielsNick DavidsonWilliam DavisJohn DeMottPatty DentDr. Ed EisseyMichelle JaminetMalachi KnowlesJason MyersSteve PolitzinerMargie WaldenJeff Zipper

Ex-Officio DirectorsMike Bauer Roger Dean StadiumRalph Jimenez Original ImpressionsKen Kennerly IGP Sports & Entertainment GroupMichelle McGann Ladies Professional Golf AssociationJason RittenberryIRG Sports & EntertainmentHoward Schnellenberger Florida Atlantic UniversityJohn Smith Duffy’s Sports GrillCarolyn Stone Palm Beach Atlantic University

1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 930 • West Palm Beach, FL 33401 • 561.233.3180 • 561.233.3125

Florida United Lacrosse Cup Series VisitsPalm Beach County

The Palm Beach Blast, part of the Florida United Lacrosse Cup Series, took place on June 7 & 8 at Village Park in Wellington. This boy’s lacrosse tournament included more than 60 teams and over 1,000 middle school and high school athletes from across the state. After a three year history, the Palm Beach Blast has developed into one of the most esteemed lacrosse tournaments in Florida.

The Florida Lacrosse Cup Series is a first-of-its-kind tour of events unlike any other offered in the United States. Created in 2009, the concept takes lacrosse competition to an entirely new level by providing skilled lacrosse players an opportunity to compete in a state-wide series of high-quality off-season lacrosse tournaments. Each tournament in the series offers competition in a standardized format and is organized for elite-level middle school and high school teams.

Home to 16 multipurpose fields, Village Park is one of the premier sports complexes in Palm Beach County. The Palm Beach Blast is one of several large sports tournaments that have utilized this tremendous facility in 2014.

The influx of lacrosse players and their families is expected to create an economic boost for Palm Beach County. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, and retail outlets will benefit from this summertime sports event.

ITF Senior World Tennis Championship Turns Palm Beach County into the Global Epicenter for Tennis

Palm Beach County was home to the world’s largest amateur tennis tournament. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) Senior World Championships took place from April 21-May 4, 2014 at a variety of tennis facilities throughout

Palm Beach County. The United States Tennis Association, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, and Triosports International partnered to bring this event to the United States for only the third time in the last 15 years.

Over 1,800 athletes and 3,000 worldwide visitors traveled from 38 different countries to participate in the ITF Senior World Championships, which entails an individual and team championship division for men and women. The event featured the age categories of 35, 40, 45, 50, and over 55. Palm Beach County was transformed into the center of the tennis universe with more than 2,300 tennis matches taking place during this event. In order to accommodate the influx of tennis matches, eight marquee tennis venues were used to provide over 100 tennis courts. These elite facilities included PGA National Resort & Spa, BallenIsles Country Club, Mirasol Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center, Polo Club of Boca Raton, Boca West Country Club, Boca Grove Country Club, and Woodfield Country Club.

The ITF Senior World Championships created an enormous tourism impact for Palm Beach County. Over $3 million of direct visitor spending and 5,438 hotel room nights were generated. Additionally, the ITF Senior World Championships provided Palm Beach County immense exposure

across the global tennis community. Very few destinations have had the privilege of presenting the ITF Senior World Championships and Palm Beach County’s position as an elite destination for tennis is significantly enhanced by hosting the event.

1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 930 • West Palm Beach, FL 33401 • 561.233.3180 • 561.233.3125

USA Baseball National Team Championships Up On Deck

Palm Beach County will be home to the most admired amateur baseball event in the United States. In

partnership with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, USA Baseball will host its National Team Championships at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter and the Santaluces Athletic Complex on June 17-25 and July 11-19. Over 100 teams

consisting of nearly 200 athletes from across the nation will contend for championships in the 14U, 15U, and 17U age groups. This event serves as the East National Team Championship, which takes place simultaneously with the USA Baseball’s West National Team Championship in Arizona.

USA Baseball will conduct its National Team Championships over 14 days in 2014. The 17U and 14U tournament will take place on June 17-25, while the 15U tournament is slated for July 11-19. More than 350

baseball games will take place at Roger Dean Stadium and the Santaluces Athletic Complex during the two-week stretch. The event will mark the first time that USA Baseball has hosted the National Team Championships for all of its age groups in Palm Beach County

“USA Baseball is excited to continue its relationship with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission for three more years,” said USA Baseball’s Executive Director, Paul Seiler. “Palm Beach County has proved to be a great venue for the athletes that compete in our National Team Championships”.

This event creates a sense of patriotism and national pride. USA Baseball uses the tournament to select individuals for the USA Baseball 15U National Team, and the 14U and 17U National Team Development Program. USA Baseball scouts will invite players from the 14U, 15U, and 17U age groups to attend their tryouts in Cary, North Carolina. The USA Baseball national teams for each age group will be selected from the pool of athletes recruited during the National Team Championships taking place in Arizona and Palm Beach County. The 15U National Team represents the United States during international competition, including the World Baseball Softball Confederation 15U Baseball World Cup.

The USA Baseball National Team Championships will be the largest amateur baseball tournament taking place in Palm Beach County this summer. In addition to home runs, great catches, and fastballs, the USA Baseball National Team Championships will bring a tremendous economic impact to Palm Beach County. The two weeks of baseball games is expected to generate over 5,000 hotel room nights and $2.5 million in direct visitor spending.

Few communities have baseball venues such as Palm Beach County. Roger Dean Stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals during the Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training season. Roger Dean Stadium is one of the premier spring training baseball complexes in Florida, consisting of a 7,000 seat stadium, world class amenities, and 13 baseball diamonds. Palm Beach County is also home to the Santaluces Athletic Complex, the former spring training facility for the Montreal Expos. This complex maintains a quad of major league baseball size fields.

Since 1978, USA Baseball has been the National Governing Body (NGB) for its sport. USA Baseball governs over 12 million amateur baseball players annually. It represents the sport in the United States as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and internationally as a member of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). USA Baseball is also responsible for promoting and developing the game of baseball on the grassroots level, both nationally and internationally. This year will mark the 14th consecutive year that USA Baseball has made Palm Beach County its home. The event is a significant contributor to sports business impacting the tourism industry, and promoting Palm Beach County as the premier youth baseball destination in the US.

w w w. Pa l m B e a c h S p o r t s . c o m1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 930 • West Palm Beach, FL 33401 • 561.233.3180 • 561.233.3125

1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 930West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Tel: (561) 233-3180 Fax: (561) 233-3125

Corporate Partners

Softball means big business for Palm Beach County this summer. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is partnering with the Florida Half Century Amateur Softball Association to host the Florida Half Century Summer Classic on

June 21-22, 2014. This is a 50 or older men’s slow pitch softball tournament, which will utilize

9 softball fields over 3 venues (Seminole Palms Park in Royal Palm Beach, Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach, and John Prince Park in Lake Worth).

Over 50 teams and 700 athletes from across Florida will compete in 5 skill brackets. After a 10 year absence from Palm Beach County,

Florida Half Century Softball made Palm Beach County its home for the third consecutive year.

This senior softball tournament is expected to provide a boost to the local economy. The influx of visitors is expected to generate over 600 room nights and $350,000 in economic impact. Palm Beach County Sports Commission President, Guy Quattlebaum, stated, “Hosting a senior softball tournament, such as Florida Half Century, is an incredible opportunity for Palm Beach County. The participating teams for Florida Half Century consist of adult recreational athletes that are at a point in their personal and financial lives where they may look at Palm Beach County as a potential area for future real-estate purchases or business investment.”

Senior Softball Tournament Expected to Make a Big Impact in Palm Beach County