SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
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August 2014 40 www.sportseventsmagazine.com outhern hospitality isn't the only quali- ty you'll find in Georgia. The Peach State is packed with sports fans, big cities, small towns and more that make it a prime destination for any sporting event large or small. "Georgia's diverse landscape gives visitors the opportunity to scale our mountains, take a swim off our coast and enjoy the vibrancy of our cities—all within a short scenic drive," said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner of tourism. "This, as well as our world-class sporting event facilities, makes Georgia the perfect sports destination." ■ WATER WORLD The Chattahoochee River in Columbus offers the longest urban whitewater course in the world. Chattahoochee Whitewater Park, picked by USA Today as one of the "Top 12 man-made adventures in the world," consists of class III-V whitewater at high water. The main difference between the Chattahoochee River and other rivers is the volume of water in the river when it is rafted. Rapids at the Chattahoochee can reach up to 13,000 cubic feet per second in volume, making it the largest south of Canada and east of the Colorado. www.chattahoochee riverwhitewater.com www.sportseventsmagazine.com What's Going On… S A WILD TIME! Albany Albany is located in southwest Georgia. From archery to water skiing, the city offers a venue for practically every sport. Hotel rooms: 2,000+ Major facilities: The YMCA Sports Park offers facilities for archery, bad- minton, boxing, bocce, judo/wrestling, rac- quetball, rugby, soccer, softball, swim- ming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. Legacy Park hosts fishing, football, soccer, baseball and softball. Gordon Sports Park is a baseball and softball facility. Convention center: Located in down- town Albany, the James H. Gray Sr. Civic Center hosts sports such as basketball, boxing, football, volleyball and fencing. Contact: Albany CVB, www.visit albanyga.com. Alpharetta Alpharetta is situated 22 miles north of Atlanta and offers facilities like a newly designed disc golf course and an equestri- an center. The past four years, the city has hosted the IronKids Triathlon, the largest youth triathlon in the United States. Alpharetta is also host to Tour De Pink, the Atlanta area's only cycling event for breast cancer awareness. Hotel rooms: 2,762 Major facilities: The Alpharetta Family Skate Center, or The Cooler, holds two rinks. Alpharetta North Park has four base- ball fields, four softball fields and two multi-purpose rectangular turf fields. Wills Park offers eight baseball fields. Contact: Alpharetta CVB, www.awesomealpharetta.com. GEORGIA Classic Center Arena in Athens can seat up to 2,000 and offers a 17,000-square- foot removable ice rink. S I T E S E L E C T I O N G U I D E | G E O R G I A ▼ The Classic Center