SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
Issue link: https://sportsevents.epubxp.com/i/261418
February 2014 32 www.sportseventsmagazine.com ndless opportunity can be found in North Carolina. With snow-covered mountains, vibrant cities and beautiful coastlines, this Southern state has it all—including world-class venues and a history of hosting major events. "No matter the size of the event, our sports tourism partners across the state work together, truly like a team, with one goal: bringing sports events to North Carolina," said Kristi Driver, group travel manager of the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development. "Our vibrant urban areas, as well as our smaller towns, deliver an amazing experience, in quality venues, all with our legendary Southern hospitality." ■ WHAT A ZOO! The Greensboro Science Center is more than a zoo. It also offers a museum, OmniSphere Theater and the recently opened Carolina- SciQuarium, a LEED-certified aquarium. The 22,000- square-foot SciQuarium, the state's only aquarium, offers visitors a chance to see African penguins, sharks, otters, stingrays, eels, an anaconda and turtles. www.sportseventsmagazine.com What's Going On… Explore Asheville.com Asheville The city of Asheville in western North Carolina is situated in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which serve as a scenic backdrop for sporting events. Hotel rooms: 7,000+ Major facilities: U.S. Cellular Center's ExploreAsheville.com Arena can seat 7,200. The University of North Carolina- Asheville is home to Kimmel Arena, a multi-sport arena that seats 3,200. JB Lewis Soccer Complex is located on 155 acres and features four soccer fields and two baseball fields. Buncombe County Sports Park contains seven soccer fields, a sand beach volleyball court, a bocce ball court and disc golf course. McCormick Field is a 4,000-seat baseball park. Asheville Racquet Club has 40 indoor and outdoor courts. Contact: Asheville Area CVB, www.exploreasheville.com. Burlington/Alamance County Burlington is situated in north-central North Carolina in Alamance County. The area offers an abundance of facilities that can accommodate a number of sports, from auto racing to water sports. Hotel rooms: 1,800 Major facilities: Springwood Park houses four baseball/softball fields, six full-sized soccer fields and a youth soccer field. City Park has five softball fields. Contact: Burlington/ Alamance County CVB, www.visitalamance.com. Cabarrus County In the south-central portion of the state is Cabarrus County, which is composed of S I T E S E L E C T I O N G U I D E | N O R T H C A R O L I N A ▼ DON'T MISS! The Blue Ridge Mountains serve as a scenic backdrop for sport- ing events in Asheville. NORTH CAROLINA E Greensboro Area CVB Exploreasheville.com North Carolinians are often called "Tar Heels," a nickname that dates back to pre-Revolutionary days when tar, pitch and turpentine were extracted from North Carolina pine forests for British naval stores. DID YOU KNOW? See ad on pg. 38 *28-44 SE FEB 2014_SportsEvents TEMPLATE 2/11/14 12:28 PM Page 32