REV FL Cover_Layout 1 11/8/17 11:39 AM Page 235 FLORIDA GUIDE • 2018 A Great State To Enjoy SPG Outdoor Activities Florida Sports Foundation Boosts State’s Sports Industry 13 Site InSpections of Event-Ready Destinations and Their Top Venues A Premier Travel Media publication • www.SportsPlanningGuide.com SPORT.pg124_Layout 1 11/8/17 11:52 AM Page 236 angela suggs President & CEO, Florida Sports Foundation People love sports, either as an athlete or as a fan. But they love the sports experience, too – the fun and excitement surrounding the actual event. So as you plan the logistics of your amateur or professional sporting adventure, you also want to create great memories for your athletes and fans. Florida’s got what you need. When athletes compete or fans cheer them on, they’re focused on the event. Things need to work seamlessly. Twenty-eight sports commissions across Florida are ready to provide behind-the-scenes support to make your event a success. Thousands of world-class indoor FLORIDA’S and outdoor sporting venues dot the Sunshine State and even extend offshore, providing the perfect setting for your competition. And because of Florida’s ideal weather, your athletes can compete in a natural setting at any time of year. GOT Florida’s got what you need. Your athletes and fans want attention before and after the game, as well. Because Florida WHAT is such a popular vacation destination, travel to the state is easy. Hotels and restaurants are well accustomed to serving guests from across the country and the world. YOU NEED Beaches line both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts for those who want to kick off their shoes and relax in the sun. State and national parks offer serene settings for those who want to hike, canoe, fish, or otherwise enjoy up-close-and-personal encounters with nature. Those seeking city life will embrace Florida’s music and cultural scene. History buffs will revel in the artifacts of our nation’s past. And, of course, for those seeking family fun, Florida is amusement park heaven. So as you select the perfect setting for your next amateur or professional sporting adventure, remember: Florida’s got what you need. See you in the Sunshine State! Angela A. Suggs President & CEO, Florida Sports Foundation 2018 State TOC's_Layout 1 11/10/17 1:29 PM Page 125 FLORIDA 4 Sunshine State a Great Place to Enjoy Outdoor Activities 6 Florida Sports Foundation Bolsters State’s Sports Industry ©iStock.com/bgblue 13 EMERALD COAST, FL 25 PASCO COUNTY, FL 26 PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL 30 ST. PETERSBURG, CLEARWATER, FL 13 GAINESVILLE, FL 32 TALLAHASSEE, FL 14 KISSIMMEE, FL 34 POLK COUNTY, CENTRAL FL 18 BRADENTON, FL 11 TREASURE COAST, FL 20 OCALA/MARION COUNTY, FL 17 ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER, FL SI ORLANDO NORTH, FL 22 SportsPlanningGuide.com Sports Planning Guide 3 REV FL State Guide Features_Layout 1 11/6/17 7:33 AM Page 126 THE SUNSHINE STATE IS A GREAT With optimal year-round weather and miles of coastline, Florida is a haven for nature lovers hile Florida is loaded with spotlight-grabbing attractions like Bahia Honda State Park is a scenic destination on a virtually unin- Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, South Beach and habited island in the Florida Keys that encompasses more than 500 acres W Busch Gardens, there are countless outdoor jewels that also and provides some of the best snorkeling and kayaking in the country. add to the state’s allure. The park’s 2.5-mile natural white sand beach attracts swimmers of all skill One such example is Destin, a town that boasts the largest fishing level and kayakers and snorkelers can catch a glimpse of reef fish, rays, fleet in the state and has been nicknamed “the luckiest fishing village in barracuda and even small nurse sharks. Another locale that will appeal to the world.” Located on Florida’s Emerald Coast in the state’s panhandle, water enthusiasts is Molasses Reef, located in the Florida Keys National Destin provides world-class fishing and is a perfect location for anglers to Marine Sanctuary. The reef is a popular destination for scuba divers and catch snapper, king mackerel, grouper and triggerfish. As prosperous as snorkelers thanks to an area filled with remnants of sunken ships as well Destin’s waters are, it is merely one reason Florida has been dubbed the as a thriving ecosystem replete with eels, parrotfish and angelfish. fishing capital of the world. Caladesi Island State Park, located on Caladesi Island in the Gulf of Florida features more than 12,000 miles of rivers, streams and canals Mexico, is another fabulous snorkeling, boating and kayaking location. and more than 7,700 lakes covering 3 million total acres, many of those Formed in 1921 by a hurricane, the island is famed for its unspoiled beach spots brimming with fish. Thus, it is no surprise anglers spend almost 60 and provides visitors with pristine views of shore birds and sea turtles. million days fishing each year in the state and the sport is a $7.5 billion Another kayaking hotspot is Coldwater Creek in the Florida panhandle. business. This 19-mile paddling trail in Milton has been deemed the “Canoe Capi- Other superb angling spots include Islamorada, a village located on six tal of Florida” thanks to its spring-fed creek filled with clear, shallow water. of the Florida Keys that offers a diverse array of saltwater gamefish; The creek possesses some of the swiftest currents in the state (topping Clewiston, a city in Central Florida that features hefty largemouth bass; out at faster than 3 miles per hour), giving kayakers a vigorous workout. and Cedar Key, an enclave hidden on Florida’s Gulf Coast that is For a unique experience, paddlers can take part in a bioluminescence renowned for its redfish. kayaking tour on the glowing waters of the Indian River Lagoon. Located Clearly, Florida has a pre-eminent fishing scene, but its waters are also on the Atlantic Coast an hour from Orlando, it is the most biodiverse lagoon ideal for scads of other activities. Be it swimming, boating, snorkeling or ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere and is home to more than 10,000 kayaking, the state offers various sanguine locales that aren’t overrun. species of plants and animals. Also, it is one of the few points on the planet 4 Sports Planning Guide @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG REV FL State Guide Features_Layout 1 11/6/17 7:34 AM Page 127 PLACE TO ENJOY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Florida is the country’s most popular golfing state as it boasts more than 1,100 golf courses, the most in the United States. that offers bioluminescence in nature. Kayakers looking to witness one cycle trail that appeals to hardy mountain bikers. Sporting a variety of of nature’s most exclusive phenomenon can take evening tours on the wildlife, the forest features alligators, wild boar, bats, bobcats and the lagoon. As they paddle, visitors will get an eyeful of dinoflagellate plank- state’s highest concentration of the Florida black bear. ton and comb jellies that light up the waters with brilliant blue and green neon hues, better resembling a space odyssey than any earthly terrain. A GOLFING UTOPIA Those who prefer to remain landlocked will also find plenty of room to Florida is the country’s most popular golfing state as it boasts more stretch their legs as Florida offers more than 34 million acres of public than 1,100 golf courses, the most in the United States. Florida lays claim and private land, including 5.8 million acres of wildlife management areas. to an impressive array of golf facilities and hosts numerous championship One of the finest of these is the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, a golfing events, making it a key industry contributor to the state’s econ- 2,000-mile self-guided highway route that connects 510 birding and omy. With an economic impact of $16.5 billion per year and its golf in- wildlife viewing sites throughout the state. A birdwatching utopia, many of dustry employing more than 170,000 workers-the most of any state-the Florida’s 514 species can be found along the trail that stretches from the sport’s influence on Florida is colossal. coastline to the northernmost forests while the panhandle section extends With so many golfers taking up space on links, one might consider the from the Alabama border in Perdido Key to the Tallahassee area. task of finding an excellent golf course that isn’t teeming with humanity a Another striking territory is the 1,400-mile Florida Trail, which begins difficult one. In truth though, Florida is replete with underpublicized gems. at Big Cypress National preserve in Southwest Florida and ends at Fort For instance, Camp Creek Golf Club in Panama City Beach resides on an Pickens on Santa Rose Island in Northwest Florida. As one of only 11 Na- immaculate portion of North Florida land and is spotted with palm trees tional Scenic Trails in the country, the trek is teeming with swamps, and lush foliage, while RedTail Golf Club in Sorrento offers guests a spec- forests, prairies, springs and a host of wildlife including black bears, alli- tacular 18-hole course on 480 exquisite acres. Not to be outdone, Juliette gators, cattle, sea turtles and bald eagles. Ocala National Forest is an- Falls in Dunnellon, is one of the finest courses in the state, featuring man- other spectacular hiking locale, as it spans more than 607 square miles made ponds, waterfalls and rock formations on a naturally rolling terrain.