SPORT_195_Layout 1 11/9/17 7:18 AM Page 127 SOUTH CAROLINA GUIDE • 2018 Eat SPG Happily, Heartily in the Palmetto State Venues, Partnerships Make South Event-Ready6 Carolina a Destinations Sports Tourism For Your Leader Next Event A Premier Travel Media publication www.SportsPlanningGuide.com SPORT_196_Layout 1 11/9/17 7:22 AM Page 128 f you're searching for a place to hold a professional, amateur or collegiate sporting event, look no further. Play here. South Carolina is just right. We're just right for soccer games, baseball tournaments, golf championships and tennis playoffs. And let's not forget about football, basketball and the awesome mud run challenges, 5K walks and runs, and fishing tournaments. The Palmetto State has played host to national and worldwide organizations including the PGA Tour, USTA Women's ProCircuit Tennis Events, Bassmasters, International Quidditch IAssociation, USA Cycling and so many more. Whether your event is small or large, professional or amateur, the members of the South Carolina Sports Alliance (SCSA) are committed to helping you create an atmosphere where your sporting event can achieve the utmost success. From the deep forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the beautiful beaches of the Grand Strand, South Carolina's diverse landscapes promise a memorable escape to the great outdoors. Our charming small towns, coastal cities and inland areas offer a unique setting for indoor and outdoor sports. With award-winning restaurants, affordable accommodations and plenty of exciting attractions to keep athletes, families and spectators entertained, we can deliver an unforgettable experience. Did we mention the unrivaled Southern hospitality our visitors are certain to receive? You just might want to come back for your vacation! Start planning your event in South Carolina today. Our team is ready to assist you in planning a winning event that your participants won’t forget. When you step into South Carolina, you step onto your HOME TURF. Sincerely, South Carolina Sports Alliance 2018 State TOC's_Layout 1 11/10/17 12:54 PM Page 197 SOUTH CAROLINA 4 Formula for Success – Venues and Partnerships 6 Eat Heartily, Happily in South Carolina ©iStock.com/bgblue 10 COLUMBIA, SC 23 SUMTER, SC 13 MYRTLE BEACH, SC 16 GREENVILLE, SC SI 18 AIKEN, SC 20 SPARTANBURG, SC SportsPlanningGuide.com Sports Planning Guide 3 SPORT.pg198-201_Layout 1 11/6/17 8:26 AM Page 198 South Carolina’s formula for success – venues and partnerships South Carolina’s facilities and hospitality help the state maintain its status as a sports tourism leader. Among the state’s many top-notch facilities are the Sheila and Morris Creggar Track at the University of South Carolina. anked 24th in population among U.S. states, South Carolina has to enhance the ESPN broadcast. Nearby Clemson University is adding become a leader in sports tourism. Location and accessibility are new campus athletic venues, including rectangular fields and sand R always important, but it’s facilities and hospitality that maintain volleyball courts. The Southern Wesleyan University Joe R. Gilbert Track the state’s leadership. South Carolina destinations certainly have their and Field facility is already welcoming track and field competitions. share of new venues, however, it’s the continuous upgrades and mainte- On the coast, the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex has taken nance of existing venues keeping the Palmetto State in a leadership role. its outstanding competition fields and enhanced them with great amenities In Greenville, the new Copa Indoor Soccer venue is the only state-of-the- for both competition and recreation. This year, the big addition was Shark art indoor soccer facility in the Upstate. The facility has two professional- Lake Park. Cable wakeboarding is an extreme adventure that uses cables grade playing grounds. Though the main usage of the field is for indoor and does not require a boat. Myrtle Beach venues are streaming all games soccer leagues and training, several other sports are able to use the facility, live and providing Gatorade for every bench. creating a versatile option for many looking for a safe indoor sports venue. In the Midlands, Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission introduced the The J.B. Red Owens Sports Complex in Easley has further enhanced Palmetto Health Fields at Saluda Shoals Park featuring six natural turf the facility with new batting and pitching cages built to protect players from fields perfect for soccer, lacrosse and other sports. In preparation for the weather. New wiring has also been installed on the championship field hosting Division I Men’s Basketball Championship rounds one and two, the 4 Sports Planning Guide @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG SPORT.pg198-201_Layout 1 11/6/17 8:27 AM Page 199 Early on, South Carolina saw the projected growth of sports tourism and what it would take to be successful. It’s that awareness that has propelled the state to become a leader in the marketplace The University of South Carolina’s Colonial Life Arena has upgraded to a new scoreboard and improved lighting in preparation for hosting the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship rounds one and two. University of South Carolina Colonial Life Arena will have a new scoreboard provides a forum for education, exchange of information and all things in and lighting. the hospitality arena related to sports tourism. Sumter plans to break ground this fall on the first of three phases at the That same spirit of cooperation flows down to the 25 individual partners Palmetto Tennis Center (PTC). First will be a new entranceway and plaza of SCSA. Although local government officials may desire to keep events and and a 3,000-square- foot, two-story operations building. Additional courts the accompanying tourism dollars in their own jurisdiction, sports tourism of- will follow with a stadium court, six standard courts and an official youth ficials know it’s often better to have a piece of the pie, then none of the pie. court doubling as pickle ball courts. All PTC courts are lighted hard courts It’s with that cooperative attitude that often brings Spartanburg, with deco turf surface; a surface made for tennis professionals. Greenville, Easley or Clemson together for major events. Experience Co- South Carolina sports tourism destinations boast venues that appeal lumbia SC Sports, Irmo-Chapin Recreation, Lexington County Recreation to virtually every sporting event. However, it’s the partnerships displayed & Aging Commission and the Richland County Recreation Commission are on the state, regional and local level that have contributed to its success. in continuous partnership. The Myrtle Beach Regional Sports Alliance It certainly begins with the South Carolina Sports Alliance (SCSA). consists of 12 cities and two counties, allowing the area to pursue A nonprofit organization, its purpose is to promote and develop the virtually every type of sporting event. continued success of the sports industry in South Carolina. The alliance Venues and partnerships are what South Carolina is made of. SPG SportsPlanningGuide.com Sports Planning Guide 5 SPORT.pg198-201_Layout 1 11/6/17 8:34 AM Page 200 Eat Heartily, Happily in South Carolina South Carolina has an abundance of venues, accommodations and dining options 6 Sports Planning Guide @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG SPORT.pg198-201_Layout 1 11/6/17 8:31 AM Page 201 rom the upcountry to the midlands to the coast, you’ll find all tion of cooking pulled pork slow and low, the slower the better. Many of your favorite hamburger and pizza joints. They may be your the barbecue restaurants in South Carolina have always been a family usual, but you’ve come so far, why not go local when in South affair with the pit master methods passed from generation to generation. F Carolina? So, how does a visitor identify a good barbecue joint? One restaurant When your games are on the edge of the continent, you should owner states he needs to see smoke, smell smoke and see a wood pile probably enjoy the fresh catch of the day before you leave. From North before he stops. To hear what barbecue experts recommend and to Myrtle Beach to Hilton Head Island, you’ll find no shortage of seafood download a complete guide to the South Carolina Barbecue Trail visit restaurants from award-winning white tablecloth spots to delicious fish online (discoversouthcarolina.com/barbecue). shacks. The all-you-can-eat seafood buffets are also a favorite of visiting Being a mostly rural state with an agricultural heritage and culture, families. Every local has a favorite, but visitors cannot go wrong the farm to fork movement of using fresh local ingredients has come nat- checking their destination’s website and TripAdvisor. One caution is in urally to the Palmetto State’s chefs and restaurant owners. It’s the rule order: Do not be fooled into believing the 170-item is better than the 140- rather then the exception to see a restaurant’s menu alive with local item buffet. After all, how many types of coleslaw can you eat? ingredients. That’s the foundation of farm freshness and South Carolina’s South Carolina is known for producing incredible food, from barbecue and blue crabs to its fabled Meat and Three meals. A true southern classic and a favorite lunch or dinner option with many finest eateries are onboard. The Fresh on the Menu program includes South Carolinians is the Meat and Three. Either off the menu, or on a participating restaurants that agree to prepare menus that dedicate a small buffet, you’ll have a choice of a meat entrée, most likely, fried minimum of 25 percent of their ingredients as certified South Carolina- chicken, pork chops, fried fish, beef stew, or sausage. Next, you’ll add grown products.