Florida Firefighter Games to Have Major Impact in Palm Beach County

For two weeks during this coming April and May, Palm Beach County will have the nation’s largest gathering of firefighters competing in sports.  The Florida Firefighter Games and its 3,000 participants will take place in Palm Beach County from April 25 to May 10, 2014.  The Florida Firefighter Games is an Olympic-style competition dedicated exclusively for firefighters. This multi-sport event features over 30 different sports events, including soccer, flag football, softball, golf, basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, fishing, racquetball, bowling, billiards, and cycling.

Multiple venues throughout Palm Beach County will be utilized to accommodate the variety of sporting events.   Seminole Palms Park, Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, Okeeheelee Park, Northwood University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Cardinal Newman High School, Palm Beach Skate Zone, Green Acres Bowl, and several golf courses will serve as anchor facilities.  The Hilton Palm Beach Airport is the host hotel and will serve as a venue to indoor sports.

The Florida Firefighter Games is one of the largest sporting events in the United States solely dedicated to firefighters and the influx of visitors will create a major tourism and economic impact.  This event has taken place in Palm Beach County on two previous occasions (May of 2004 & 2007) and consistently generates over 1,500 hotel room nights and nearly a million dollars in visitor spending for its host community. 

“The Florida Firefighter Games will be a very special occasion for Palm Beach County.   While this multi-sports festival will attract a surge of new visitors, hotel room nights, and new revenues for our destination, we also have the privilege of hosting an event to celebrate some of our finest heroes and first responders who dedicate their lives to public service”, said Guy Quattlebaum, President of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. 

Florida Firefighter Games Tentative Event Schedule:
Fishing, April 21-23 in Clewiston & May 13-15 in St. Petersburg
Archery, April 25-26 at TBD
Soccer, April 25-27 & May 7 at Seminole Palms Park
Cross Fit, April 26 at TBD
Tennis, April 26-28 at TBD
Table Tennis, April 27 at Hilton Palm Beach Airport
Darts, April 28-29 at TBD
Bowling, April 28-30 at Green Acres Bowl
Flag Football, April 28-May 2 at Seminole Palms Park
Pistol, April 29 at TBD
Racquetball, April 29-30 at Palm Beach Atlantic University
Basketball, April 29 & May 8-10 at Northwood University
Rifle, April 30 at TBD
Five Stand, May 1 at Quail Creek Plantation
Sporting Clays, May 1 at Quail Creek Plantation
Corn hole, May 2 at Hilton Palm Beach Airport
Trap & skeet, May 2-3 at Okeechobee Shooting Sports
Softball, May 2-4 & 8-10 @ Okeeheelee Park
Bench Press, May 3 at Hilton Palm Beach

For more information on the Florida Firefighter Games, visit www.palmbeachsports.com