SPORTS TOURISM www.scgov.net 2012 SARASOTA COUNTY 941.861.5000 Sports Tourism Think you know how much money athletic endeavors bring into the community? You may be surprised. BASEBALL • Sarasota Baseball Classic $323,524.18 • Snowbird Baseball Classic $805,973.90 • USSSA Gulf Coast Championship $355,800.28 • USSSA Slugtoberfest $644,766.53 • Florida State Finals $1,296,829.15 • Suncoast USSSA Baseball District 2 Championship $357,130.03 • Suncoast USSSA Baseball Kickoff Classic $677,637.48 • Suncoast USSSA Baseball President’s Cup $613,692.72 • Suncoast USSSA Baseball Spring Break Mayhem $226,826.51 SOFTBALL • Hitmen County Shootout $90,030.00 • Mid-Season Tournament $395,131.16 • Sarasota Heat A.S.A. Qualifer $287,734.07 • Sarasota Heat Showcase $170,189.91 BASKETBALL • Sarasota Xplosion $650,063.52 • Save-On Shootout @ Riverview High $58,468.36 • SCF Classic $113,172.01 BMX STRIDER • Florida BMX State Qualifier $391,581.09 • Strider World Championship $184,504.07 Spring Training Professional baseball has been a Sarasota tradition since 1924, when circus magnate John Ringling helped recruit the New York Giants to hold spring training here. The Sports Complex and Ed Smith Stadium are one of the most utilized public facilities in Sarasota County, hosting the spring training of major and minor league teams that develop rising talent at Twin Lakes Park Complex throughout the year. Sarasota’s partnership with the Baltimore Orioles is the latest chapter in the county’s history with professional baseball, an economic engine, driving both professional league fans and amateur players to visit the area. Siesta Key Beach Designated in 2011 by “Dr. Beach” as the No. 1 Beach in America, Siesta Beach has earned its reputation as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Siesta’s fine white sands are composed of 99% pure quartz and attract international sculptors to the annual Crystal Classic Master Sand Sculpting competition. Shallow water near the shoreline, a variety of amenities and year-round lifeguard protection also make this beach a favorite for world-class volleyball, and amateur and professional triathlons. In 2012, our hats were off to the Baltimore Orioles, who moved spring training to Ed Smith Stadium. Siesta Key is one of the largest sandboxes in the world, and it attracts thousands to the annual “Crystal Classic” Master Sand Sculpting Competition. Bird is the word every March, when the weather is cool, the bats are flying, and boys of summer descend on Sarasota County’s ballfields. BEACH VOLLEYBALL • 4C Totally Light 2Go Beach Volleyball Series $19,879.82 • Dig the Beach Volleyball Series $174,331.83 • Dig the Beach Volleyball Series Gulf States Open $180,026.96 • Fiesta on Siesta Key $188,440.13 • Volley America East Coast Championships $100,893.09 BOAT RACING • 28th Annual Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Festival $14,306,173.00 CRICKET • Sarasota Six-A-Side Festival $379,893.25 DISC GOLF / FRISBEE • Sarasota Amateur Disc Golf Championships $27,432.45 • The SSP Open 2012 $19,617.45 • USA Ultimate Club Championships $2,295,324.47 EQUESTRIAN • Camp Fox Lea Grand Prix $1,297,835.78 • Fox Lea Farm Grand Prix Spring Concours I $368,236.25 • Fox Lea Farm November Grand Prix $342,066.80 OVERVIEW ! Sarasota County’s extraordinary year-round weather and numerous recreational venues are tailor-made for outdoor enthusiasts. These highlights barely the touch the surface of how great an impact sports and eco-tourism have on the local economy.