SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
Issue link: https://sportsevents.epubxp.com/i/634578
January 2016 48 www.sportseventsmagazine.com F L O R I D A t post-event opportunities, Naples has a unique appeal that not many other desti- nations can offer. Hotel rooms: 8,060 Hotel tax rate: 10 percent Major facilities: North Collier Regional Park features eight multi-pur- pose felds and fve softball felds, as well as one gym. Sugden Regional Park hous- es a 60-acre lake and seating for 1,000. Contact: Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB, www.paradisecoast.com. Ocala Ocala has venues for regional and nation- al competitions at both the amateur and professional levels for sports including golf, baseball, basketball, softball, soccer and tennis. The northern Florida city is also a popular spot for equestrian events and is known as the "Horse Capital of the World." Hotel rooms: 3,500 Hotel tax rate: 10 percent Major facilities: Rotary Sportsplex has 11 baseball felds, four full-size rectangular felds and one multi-purpose feld. Shocker Park has six softball felds. Ocala Regional Sportsplex offers four softball felds, four rectangular felds, one baseball feld, two basketball courts and four volleyball courts. Contact: Ocala/Marion County VCB and Ocala/Marion County Sports Commission, www.OcalaMarion.com. See Ad On Page 47 Palm Beach County Palm Beach County is on Florida's Atlantic coast and is home to an array of dynamic private and public sports facilities, including Roger Dean Stadium, Delray Beach Tennis Center and International Polo Club. The area is also home to 47 miles of beaches and more than 100 miles of freshwater canals, rivers and lakes. Hotel rooms: 16,500+ Hotel tax rate: 12 percent Major facilities: Roger Dean Stadium is a baseball complex that consists of one primary baseball diamond and 12 sup- plementary practice felds. International Polo Club has eight polo felds. Florida Atlantic University houses a 30,000-seat stadium offering a view of the Atlantic Ocean. Delray Beach Tennis Center fea- tures 14 clay courts, seven hard courts and an 8,200-seat stadium. Convention center: Palm Beach County Convention Center is a $600 million complex with two primary levels totaling 350,000 square feet. The facility is able to host sports like martial arts, fencing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics and cheer and dance. Contact: Palm Beach County Sports Commission, www.palmbeachsports.com. See Ad On Page 49 Panama City Beach Panama City Beach is home to sports venues, 27 miles of white sand beaches, a number of dining options, and attrac- tions. Located in Florida's Panhandle, the city also boasts plenty of sunshine, making outdoor sports possible any time of year. Hotel rooms: 16,500+ Hotel tax rate: 12.62 percent Major facilities: Frank Brown Park is undergoing a renovation that will be completed in 2016 and will offer nine softball/baseball felds, one T-ball feld, one Miracle League feld, three soccer felds, four multi-purpose felds, four ten- nis courts, two outdoor basketball courts, one gym and one aquatic center. Aaron Bessant Park & Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater has three multi-purpose felds for soccer, football and lacrosse. Convention center: The city has three resort conference centers, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, Boardwalk Beach Resort and Wyndham Bay Point Resort, which hosts sports including cheerlead- ing, gymnastics, dance and boxing. Contact: Panama City Beach CVB, www.visitpanamacitybeach.com. Pensacola Pensacola is a waterfront city in the pan- handle of Northwest Florida. The city is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by a barrier island, providing protection from the city's beaches. A regional airport and Interstate 10 provide access from both air and land. The city offers venues for most sports, including Blue Wahoos Stadium/Vince J. Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park, which was named "Ballpark of the Year" in 2012, and has a variety of dining options, attractions and hotel accommodations. Hotel rooms: 9,300 Hotel tax rate: 11.5 percent Major facilities: Blue Wahoos Stadium/Vince J. Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park is a multi-use minor league baseball stadium that seats 5,000. Roger Scott Tennis Center includes 18 lighted hard tennis courts and 10 clay courts. Ashton Brosnaham Park has a multi-purpose feld and seating for 2,500. Escambia County Equestrian Center has a covered all-weather arena with ► Roger Dean Stadium in Palm Beach County