Florida Sports Monthly Update - February, 2016 Governor’s Baseball Dinner signals start of 2016 Florida Spring Upcoming Events Training Season February 19, 2016 Governor Rick Scott, Lee County Sports FSF Board of Directors Development and the Florida Sports Foundation Quarterly Meeting kick off the annual Florida Spring Training Embassy Suites, Fort Myers season at the 2016 Governor’s Baseball Dinner, Governor's Baseball Friday, February 19, 2016, at the Hyatt Dinner Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Lee County, Florida Springs/Fort Myers. February 20, 2016 Sunshine State Games Individual tickets are available for purchase for Dominoes Championship Ft. Lauderdale, Florida $100 or a table of can be purchased for $1,000. Visit www.floridagrapefruitleague.com March 2, 2016 Florida Fishing Day to purchase online or call Lee County Sports Development (239) 533-5273. Tallahassee, Florida While the current teams, and the hosts for the 2016 event, the Minnesota March 27, 2016 Twins and Boston Red Sox, have been in Lee County for three decades, the Sunshine State Games Artistic Roller-skating area has been hosting Spring Training Baseball since 1925. The Championships Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Skate Reflections, Royals have previously called Fort Myers, and historic Terry Park, home. Kissimmee, Florida FSF Sponsors 2016 Daytona 500 Features Racing and Much More 2016 Daytona 500 Features Racing and Much MoreThe long awaited Daytona Rising project comes to fruition as race fans will experience the 58th running of the Daytona 500 like never before, on Sunday, February 21. Wider seats, upgraded amenities, and unmatched sightlines make for a more immersive experience at racing’s richest tradition at the World Center of Racing. Speedweeks racing will begin on February 13 and concludes with the running of the Daytona 500. One of the many new amenities of the Daytona Rising project are the expansive, well-appointed new concourses at Daytona International Speedway. They present an innovative addition to the racing experience. Numerous upgrades await the world’s best race fans as the number of restrooms have tripled, while concessions have doubled. 11 football field- sized “neighborhoods” provide fans with everything they need, including dedicated bars, premium food options, and even charging stations. A longtime event weekend staple, the Midway, has been relocated to a more fan-friendly location directly behind the new stadium. The massive area continues to be a major hub of fan activity leading up to the green flag with a multitude of entertainment options lining the space Palm Beach County welcomes Honda Classic The 2016 PGA Tour swing through Florida in February and March begins with the Honda Classic in Palm Beach County. Played on one of the PGA TOUR's absolute toughest courses, the PGA National Resort and Spa, this celebrated course features the famous and (often infamous) hardest three- hole stretch in all of pro golf . the legendary Bear Trap. Florida Sports Foundation A Division of Enterprise Florida, Inc. 101 North Monroe Street Suite 1000 Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 488-8347 Clearwater Satellite Office 1501 N. Belcher Road, #238 Clearwater, FL 33761 (727) 724-3082 Championship play in The Palm Beaches is not only about golf at this event. Enjoy fireworks or listen live music. Experience PGA National Resort & Spa www.flasports.com as a first-rate host and watch spectacular golf all in one location. The Honda is more than just golf - it is a week-long experience. PGA Tour Swing through Florida February 25 - 28 The Honda Classic, PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens March 3 - 6 World Golf Champ-Cadillac Championship, Trump National Doral, Miami March 10 - 13 Valspar Championship, Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead), Palm Harbor March 17 - 20 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando 10 FSF Granted Events in February Bring Visitors and Impact to State Each month, the FSF contributes to the State of Florida's sports industry through its Grants Program, which was established in 1996 to assist communities and host organizations in attracting sports events, which generate significant out-of-state economic impact for the state of Florida. Events considered for grant funding include amateur, professional athletic events, or other categories approved by the FSF’s Board of Directors. A total of 10 FSF granted events will take place in February throughout Florida bringing 28,000+ visitors and over $19 million in projected economic impact. Among the events are a pair of equestrian competitions in Ocala, bringing over 10,000 visitors and more than $8 million in economic impact. The Federation Équestre Internationale (FEI) Furusiyya Nations Cup™ is a part of the Ocala Winter Festival, February 16-21, 2016, the fifth week of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. Boasting a $100,000 prize purse, this event offers the only stateside chance to qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Finals in Barcelona, Spain, later this year. For more than 24 years the Live Oak International has been the industry standard for Combined Driving competition in North America. The event welcomes drivers, trainers, coaches and owners from all over Europe and North America. This year more than 10,000 spectators are expected to attend the weekend's program watching the Marathon and World Cup qualifying Show Jumping Event. Spring Training Report Dates The Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals will be the first two teams in Florida to provide the true baseball fans with their favorite words “Pitchers and Catchers Report.” The Phillies report to Clearwater and the Cardinals report to Jupiter on Wednesday, February 17. The FSF provides fans of Florida Spring Training with a variety of ways to follow the 15 teams in 14 locations throughout the 35 glorious days of Florida Grapefruit League action. Visit www.floridagrapefruitleague.com to find out how to order the 2016 Florida Spring Training Guide, subscribe to the Florida Grapefruit League Mobile Phone app, or follow @flaspringtrain on Twitter. Florida Hockey tops Atlantic Division If you haven’t checked the NHL standings lately, the fact that the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are the top two teams in Eastern Conference Atlantic Division may have gone unnoticed. They are also among top five in points scored in Eastern Division at the mid-season mark. The Florida Panthers have eight home games during February including a six-game homestand between February 12 and 25. The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered only two losses in January to reach their current spot in the standings and play seven home games in February including four between February 12 and 18. The Miami Heat, currently among the top five teams in the Eastern Conference, play five home games in February at the American Airlines Arena, with three between February 20-24 including the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, February 24. The Orlando Magic play seven home games in February at Amway Arena, with games against Western Conference leaders, San Antonio on February 10 and Golden State on February 25. Kissimmee Sports, Diamond 9 Sign Multiyear Deal The Kissimmee Sports Commission and Diamond 9 Events, LLC have signed a multi-year partnership agreement beginning in 2018 that will generate nearly $96 million in direct economic impact annually. As part of the agreement, Diamond 9 Events will host 11 baseball and softball events spanning January through October 2018 at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the Osceola County Stadium. The two parties also agreed to discuss possibly establishing a Diamond 9 Events headquarters, a national training facility, and improving Kissimmee’s existing softball and baseball venues. Pictured above (left to right): John Poole (Kissimmee Sports), Marc Reicher (Experience Kissimmee), Kevin O’Donnell (Diamond 9 Events), Suzanne O’Donnell (Diamond 9 Events), DT Minich (Experience Kissimmee), Don Fisher (Osceola County). Sunshine State Games begins 37th year of amateur sports in Florida The 2016 Sunshine State Games Calendar opens in Broward County with the SSG Dominoes Championship. Competition information has been posted and registration is now active. The 2016 SSG Calendar features 28 sports being held in 10 Florida communities. In 2015, more than 10,000 of Florida’s Finest Amateur Athletes competed in the nation’s longest- running State Games. Recently, a SSG alum received national recognition as figure skater Franchescha Chiera, competed in the 2016 U.S. Open Figure Skating Championships. A native of Coral Springs, Chiera (left in photo) has skated in the SSG Championships since she was 5 years old and was the 2010 Dorothy Dodson (right in photo) Award Winner for Figure Skating Excellence. Eight FSG Series Qualifiers begin or will be held during the month of February The 2016 Florida Senior Games calendar of Series Qualifiers is in full swing during the month of February with eight events being held in various locations statewide. The Florida Senior Games Series Qualifiers are the first step on the road to the 2016 Florida Senior Games in Clearwater, which are a qualifier for the 2017 National Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama. FSF Out and About With the 2016 Florida Legislative Session running from January through March, the FSF has kept a high profile at events around Florida’s Capitol. The FSF participated in Florida Tourism Day with staff members of Florida’s Sports Commissions on January 20 to promote the efforts of the state’s 28 sports commissions that bring over 3,000 sports events the Sunshine State. Florida Senior Day, held on January 27, borught more than 1,500 elders and advocates from across Florida to Tallahassee to honor the many contributions of Florida seniors. Tallahassee Senior athletes Barbara Center, Beverly Booth and Ivan Maldonado joined FSF staff members in promoting the Florida Senior Games program. Delray Beach Tennis Open brings top players to Florida An impressive list of ATP World Tour stars will play at the Delray Beach Tennis Open, February 12-21.