The Palm Beach County Sports Commission Board of Directors has approved grants to ten sporting events expected to boost Palm Beach County tourism from October 2009 through July 2010. These sporting events are anticipated to generate a total of 23,900 room nights and an estimated $32 million in economic impact for Palm Beach County. Additionally, from the three national televised golf tournaments, the ADT Skills Golf Challenge, the Allianz Golf Championship and the Honda Classic, Palm Beach County will receive approximately 3.6 million impressions.
Sports Commission President Patty Dent, Senior VP BankAtlantic, stated "The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is fortunate to be able to offer financial assistance to these ten events with our grant program. Many times the grant dollars are the deciding factor on whether or not an event comes to Palm Beach County."
In date order, the events supported by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission are:
The ADT Skills Golf Challenge from October 25-27, 2009. The ADT Skills Golf Challenge is a made for TV event scheduled to take place at The Breakers' Ocean Golf Course. The event features four PGA Tour Professionals paired with four sport and entertainment celebrities who will compete in eight skill competitions; long drive, mid iron, greenside bunker, trouble shot, putting, chipping, short iron and pitch over the bunker. The event will air nationally on NBC on December 26 and 27, from 4pm to 6pm EST. The Challenge is projected to generate over 400 room nights in Palm Beach County, and create an economic impact of over $255,000.
The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Florida State Games is one of the largest soccer tournaments to take place in Florida. Although it is a state championship, teams from the Southeastern United States and overseas are expected to participate, generating over 700 room nights and $459,000 in economic impact. This boy's and girl's tournament will take place on January 15-18, 2010 at Village Park in Wellington. Between 100 and 140 teams will compete in divisions ranging from 10 & under to 19 & under.
The Allianz Golf Championship will embark on its 4th consecutive year in Palm Beach County in 2010. The event is tentatively scheduled to take place February 8-14 at the Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton. This is a major event on the Champions PGA Tour, featuring the top senior golfers in the country. The field consists of 78 Champions Tour golfers, competing in a 540 hole stroke play. The Allianz offers a total purse of $1.65 million. The Championship is estimated to generate 1,700 room nights and over $9 million in economic impact.
The Delray Beach International Tennis Championship is a professional men's tournament which is one of only 14 ATP events in North America. The event will take place on February 20-28 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, and is anticipated to bring 700 room nights and $3.5 million in economic impact to Palm Beach County. Past participants have included; Andy Roddick, Marty Fish, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Llendl. The 9-day tournament is seen nationally and internationally in over 100 countries. The main draw consists of 32 world class tennis players.
The Palm Beach Challenge hosted by the Santaluces Athletic Complex will take place from February 27 – March 28, 2010. This event consists of NCAA and NJCAA baseball teams from across the country, traveling to Palm Beach County during their spring breaks to compete in this collegiate level, spring training forum. Teams will practice and compete in sanctioned NCAA and NJCAA games. Approximately 50 to 60 teams are expected to attend the event generating 2,800 room nights and $2 million in economic impact for Palm Beach County.
The Honda Classic, a prominent PGA Tour event, will take place on March 1-7, 2010, at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens. The event is projecting 2,550 in room nights and over $5 million in economic impact, and attracts some of the world's best golfers. The Classic consists of 144 golfers competing over 72 holes. The golfers will be competing for a total purse of $5.6 million.
This year will mark the 7th year Spring Fling has taken place in Palm Beach County, after relocating from Panama City, Florida. Spring Fling is the largest spring training event in the country for women's collegiate and secondary prep school lacrosse. Teams travel during their spring break and conduct scrimmages and official NCAA contests throughout their week stay. The event will be held from March 1-31, 2010, at several locations including Lake Lytal Park in West Palm Beach, Katz Fields in Royal Palm Beach and Village Park in Wellington. This event will bring in over 2,000 room nights and $1.5 million in economic impact for the county.
The USTA National Spring Tennis Championships is the highest level junior tennis tournament for 12 and under boys and girls. The draw consists of 128 players in each gender division (256 total) who compete in singles and doubles competition. Each player competes in a minimum of 4 games in 4 days, with the winners of the 4th day continuing in competition based on single elimination for the championship. The youth tennis tournament will take place at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, the Delray Swim & Racquet Club and the Boca West Country Club from April 11-17, 2010. This tournament is expected to generate 600 room nights and $727,500 in economic impact.
One of the most prestigious soccer tournaments in the country, the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) National Games, will take place at the International Polo Club in Wellington from July 4-11, 2010. Over 200 teams and 3,500 athletes are expected to come from across the nation to compete in age division that range from 8 & under to 18 & under. The event will bring 10,500 room nights and over $8 million in economic impact to Palm Beach County.
The National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) Convention will take place at the Palm Beach International Raceway from July 23-30, 2010. The NCCC was founded to promote interest in Corvette ownership and operation. The event will consist of business meetings, social functions and a high speed and low speed competition. The high speed competition will feature Corvettes competing in a timed event on a road course and the low speed competition will feature cars competing on the Kart Track with obstacles. The event also features a drag race and exhibition races for skilled and novice drivers, bringing in an estimated 2,000 room nights and $553,000 in economic impact to the county.
About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Awards program, the Sports Hall of Fame, the Kids Fitness Festival and awards the annual Sam Budnyk Student-Athlete Scholarship. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.palmbeachsports.com.
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