SportsTown Profile: Kissimmee-St. Cloud, FL
Transcription
SportsTown Profile: Kissimmee-St. Cloud, FL
S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N SportsTown Profile: Kissimmee-St. Cloud, FL mages that come to mind most when people think of what’s hot in Central Florida (apart from the great weather) usually involve memorable cartoon characters, exciting rides and exhibits, a world-class aquarium and movie studio tours. I PA G E 2 8 KISSIMMEE-ST. CLOUD CVB Kissimmee Sports Fan Demo Profile Information provided by ESPN Sports Poll. The Sports Poll conducts 2,000 telephone interviews each month with a representative sample of the U.S. population aged 12+. More than 115,000 people have been polled since January '94. THE SPORTS POLL...A Service of TNS Intersearch. Percentage is reflective of the percent of Kissimmee Sports Fans that fit into a particular category. An index of 100 equals the national average. Example: An index of 125 shows that a specific category is 25% more likely in a given area when compared to the U.S. population. ➤ Gender Male Female % 58.6 41.4 Index 121 80 % 9.9 9.2 11.9 17.9 17.8 13.0 20.2 Index 93 75 75 99 97 124 141 % 74.7 10.6 11.4 0.2 1.9 Index 104 89 104 20 50 Osceola County Softball Complex shows and much more. “Event planners shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that although we have Disney World at our doorstep, there are a multitude of other attractions, so they can return here more than once, Hemphill says. The centerpiece for Osceola Heritage Park is the new $27 million indoor Silver Spurs Arena, which replaces a historic 52-year-old arena that was one of America’s three largest outdoor rodeo facilities. The new climate controlled, 8,300-seat arena will be completed in October. Sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA), the 111th Silver Spurs Rodeo, set for Oct. 912, is the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi, attracting many of the country’s best cowboys and cowgirls to compete for thousands of dollars in prize money. Osceola County Stadium In addition to the Arena, a new 90,000square-foot Exhibition Building and the renovated Osceola County Stadium, spring training home of the Houston Astros, are other key additions to Osceola Heritage Park. “Among other things, the Silver Spurs Arena will play a major role in establishing Osceola Heritage Park as a complex honoring the community’s cattle ranching and agricultural past,” Hemphill says. Another sport perfectly suited for the Silver Spurs Arena is gymnastics. To that point, Kissimmee-St. Cloud - in partnership with the Central Florida Sports Commission - has secured the rights to host the 2004 USA Gymnastics Jr. Women’s National Championships. Set for April 30-May 2, 2004, the event attracts some 450 elite junior gymnasts from across the U.S. “We’re looking forward to a fabulous event and working again with Orlando Metro Gymnastics, Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention & Visitors Bureau and USA Gymnastics in making this competition a memorable one for the athletes, coaches and spectators in attendance,” Saboor says. According to Saboor, word is spreading quickly about the changes taking place in Kissimmee-St. Cloud and, besides gymnastics, the area is gearing up for a host of other notable regional, statewide or national competitions. On the baseball front, America’s pastime also remains a favorite among the folks in Kissimmee-St. Cloud, whether travelers or locals. Kissimmee-St. Cloud and the Houston Astros, in fact, have been partners since 1985 in bringing top-quality professional baseball to the area. As they prepare for the big league season, the Astros also enjoy an easy commute to other Grapefruit League venues throughout Florida. When not in use by the Astros, Osceola County Stadium hosts other competitions, umpire schools and baseball camps. The Stadium received a recent major $18.4 million makeover, with improvements that include increased seating capacity, a new 15,470-square-foot clubhouse with state-ofthe-art training facilities, and fan-friendly features such as an “Autograph Alley” and a party deck for private functions. “Improving the facility guarantees we’ll have a top-notch venue for fans to cheer on both the Astros and other favorite professional players and teams,” says Pete Rodriquez, stadium director. Osceola County Softball Complex The National Softball Association has consistently ranked another key venue, the Osceola County Softball Complex, as one of the nation’s best-maintained and well-utilized facilities. Softball players in various levels of tournaments and championships throughout the region, state and nation attest to the playability of the complex, which was built in 1996. Along those lines, the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s softball team chose Osceola County Softball Complex as its East Coast training base as it prepared to compete in the 2000 Olympics. KISSIMMEE-ST. CLOUD CVB But that long-held perception is being greatly expanded and enhanced as the Kissimmee-St. Cloud area continues to transform itself into an exciting sports destination - with new and refurbished facilities popping up everywhere. Kissimmee-St. Cloud’s emerging sports destination profile, in fact, offers a $90 million complex of facilities that serve both local residents and visitors. Osceola Heritage Park At the heart of that Kissimmee-St. Cloud transformation is the Osceola Heritage Park complex, which is creating excitement among sports and events planners nationwide. According to Tim Hemphill, executive director for the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention & Visitors Bureau, Osceola Heritage Park gives the area a capability it didn’t previously enjoy - a capability that offers event planners from across the country a great destination for the powerful combination of championship sports events and family vacations. “With OHP’s development, Kissimmee-St. Cloud’s destination profile is greatly enhanced in both new and traditional markets,” says Hemphill. “We’re selling OHP as a Hemphill choice opportunity for meeting and event planners in varying segments. And, best of all, they are very interested.” “Kissimmee-St. Cloud made its name by being in proximity to one of the top destinations in America, but it also is building on some niche strategies by making investments in facilities and infrastructure that emphasize the importance of the sports visitor,” says John Saboor, executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission, which works with local counties in securing sports events. “Our job is to fulfill our mandate of attracting the critical mass that fills and utilizes those facilities.” Collectively, Hemphill explains, facilities within Osceola Heritage Park will allow the complex to become a showplace for a broad cross-section of sporting events, including the area’s biannual and nationally sanctioned Silver Spurs Rodeo, along with boxing, soccer, softball, baseball, volleyball and basketball games, concerts, motorized events and ESPN Sports Poll Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex Street & Smith’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL ❘ WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM ➤ Age 12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ ➤ Race White African American Hispanic Asian Other ➤ Sports Fan Interest Level Interest Level Light Sports Fan Casual Sports Fan Avid Sports Fan Kissimmee Index 14.2% 97 41.7% 97 31.2% 107 ➤ Sports Fan Computer Habits Access to a personal computer Kissimee Index 74.4% 106 Uses a PC for Sports Information Kissimmee Index 50.9% 124 ➤ Sports Fan’s Favorite Sports Kissimmee Index Sport NFL 69.6% 104 College football 62.2% 111 MLB 53.3% 91 NASCAR 50.2% 111 NBA 47.6% 93 College basketball 45.2% 96 PGA (began in May 01) 43.8% 121 Pro figure skating 42.3% 85 Horse racing 35.4% 103 Pro boxing 34.7% 89 34.2% 114 ATP (began in May 01) 32.1% 93 WTA (began in May 01) Arena football league 31.5% 118 86 30.1% NHL 100 26.0% MLS Pro wrestling 25.2% 94 Austin-Tindall Regional Park Other area venues include the Austin Tindall Regional Park, which offers four World Cup-caliber soccer fields adaptable to events such as flag football and archery. At the See Kissimmee, page 29 MARCH 24-30, 2003 S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N SportsTown Profile: Kissimmee-St. Cloud, FL Major Kissimmee Sports Facilities ➤Osceola County Stadium Seating Capacity: 5,300 Major tenants: Houston Astros (spring training). Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpires Amenities: Four regulation-sized, lighted practice fields; two half-size practice fields and two 10-pack bullpens; automated batting tunnel; concession space; private deck (for parties and business function). ➤ Austin-Tindall Regional Park Seating: Bleacher seating Major tenants: Professional and amateur soccer teams. Amenities: Four regulation soccer fields (two lighted); five practice fields; video suite; expansive locker rooms; separate facilities for officials; covered concession area with seating; on-site parking, 24-hour security. ➤ Osceola County Softball Complex Seating: Bleacher seating Major tenant: Amateur softball teams, Spring Rebel Games. Amenities: Five fields; electronic scoreboards; public address system; bleachers; quality lighting; three-story clubhouse (with locker facilities for coaches, players, and officials); glass-enclosed pressbox. MARCH 24-30, 2003 week recreational fishing event that offers prize money to the public, including a $10,000 grand prize. There also are the host of fishing camps, fishing guides, bait and tackle shops and other related outfitters in the Kissimmee-St. Cloud area. KISSIMMEE-ST.CLOUD CVB Kissimmee, from page 28 Kissimmee Civic Center, sports organizers and participants enjoy an indoor facility popular for its suitability to medium-sized gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and wrestling competitions. “Our location affords event planners some great advantages,” says Hemphill. “But even though our main advantage is location, we also have an outstanding range of facilities and a longer season than other parts of the country.” Natural Wonders Hemphill says Kissimmee-St. Cloud also offers some fantastic natural wonders, especially its beautiful Chain of Lakes, which include Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho, for short), arguably the world’s best bass fishing lake. In fact, Kissimmee-St. Cloud’s more than 100,000 acres of lakes gives anglers, water skiers and wildlife watchers much more to add to their “must do” Central Florida vacation list. For one, largemouth bass fishing doesn’t get any better than in Kissimmee-St. Cloud, Hemphill explains. The professional anglers on ESPN’s BASSMASTERS tour, the oldest and most respected fishing tournament circuit in the world, apparently agree. Arizona pro Dean Rojas in particular considers the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes the best freshwater fishery in the world. And why not? His record-setting performance in the 2001 B.A.S.S. Top 150 is one of the best freshwater fishing efforts anywhere. During that competition, Rojas reeled in a one-day haul weighing more than 42 pounds, and a tournament record-winning total of 108 pounds, 12 ounces. The Chain of Lakes also is a favorite filming spot for a number of national fishing and outdoor shows, which visit the area annually to film trophy largemouth bass segments. It’s also home to the Big Fish Open, an eight- Bass Fishing at Kissimmee-St.Cloud Golf Out on the fairways, a new crop of challenging Kissimmee-St. Cloud golf courses have been in the works. Greg Norman created two championship courses at the Champions Gate Resort, each offering challenges for golfers on every level. According to Hemphill, the play at The National course is more reminiscent of U.S. courses, while the International course brings to Florida a test more commonly seen in Scotland, golf’s birthplace. The two courses opened to rave reviews in October 2000, and will soon be complemented by more than 4,000 hotel rooms, a 1,636-resort villa and multi-family units, along with retail space and restaurants. Other new courses include Mystic Dunes, with its alternating nines of traditional American architecture and the demands of links golf; and the Harmony Golf Preserve, which is product of the Johnny Miller Design Group. The Harmony weaves its holes around the natural beauty of the land. Miller built an 18-hole course over 285 acres in the town that will include large and small stores and restaurants, parking, and pedestrian walkways. Other new courses are on the way, says Hemphill, including the first Tom Watson-designed course in Florida. Accommodation-wise, sports visitors can choose from a number of lodging options right next door to the Walt Disney World Resort, and an additional 42,000 hotel rooms only minutes from Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and other internationally known attractions. Finally, Kissimmee-St. Cloud offers a range of entertainment, recreation, dining and shopping opportunities. And as if all this isn’t enough, coastal beaches are only 60 miles away. In the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, travel destinations have been looking for ways to entice visitors who may have been reluctant to travel. Kissimmee-St. Cloud believes that with its new facilities and emphasis on amateur sports, it offers the right formula. “It’s no secret that since 9/11 we’ve had some extreme peaks and valleys here,” says Hemphill. “It’s also obvious to us that amateur sports helps even out those peaks and valleys. And even if a trip to this area is to a sports competition, it’s also a great place for a family vacation. We believe that’s a tough combination to beat.’ Street & Smith’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL SBJ ❘ WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM PA G E 2 9 S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N SportsTown Profile: Mobile, AL T Magnolia Grove Golf Course Named for one of golfs greatest course designers, the trail was the brainchild of Dr. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. In the late 1980’s, Bronner believed that golf would be a huge boon for the state’s economy. What better way to attract visitors than to offer 378 holes of highcaliber golf stretching over 100 miles! His vision resulted in the largest course construction ever undertaken at one time anywhere in the world. While the RTJ courses at Magnolia Grove helped Mobile earn a top 10 ranking from Golf Digest as one of the best value destinations in the country, there are a wealth of others to choose from in the metro area: Linksman, Quail Creek, Rock Creek, Spring Hill and Timber Creek. Rock Creek and Timber Creek, both situated across the bay on the Eastern Shore, have previously joined the RTJ courses (Falls and Crossings) at Magnolia Grove in West Mobile, as designated “4-star” courses in Golf Digest’s Places to Play. Considering the quality and value of its courses – and knowing that there are 5,500 hotel rooms and an average annual temperature of 70 degrees wait- scores the growing success of this bowl over the last three years,” Mobile Mayor Michael Dow said. “We pride ourselves in having developed an event that is far more than just a football game and this support from GMAC proves they have tremendous faith in our concept.” Success for the city, as Dow pointed out, is measured in more than the final score. GMAC helps provide camps for youths, reading program contests for elementary students and access for thousands of Mobilearea youngsters to the game itself. With the GMAC Bowl acting as new kid on the block, the Senior Bowl has history on its side after 53 years of success in Mobile. A weeklong series of special events, including the Food World Fan Frenzy and Coca-Cola Meet The Players event, gives the Senior Bowl a special participatory flair. Since 1950, the game itself has attracted the nation’s top collegiate players and future NFL stars such as Joe Namath, Walter Payton, “Mean” Joe Greene, Dan Marino and Brett Favre. The Senior Bowl is perhaps America’s most unique football game as it’s the only contest in the country that features top senior prospects coached by the staffs of two NFL teams. In addition to the sellout crowds who watch the annual game live at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, the contest is also televised to a national au- Mobile Greyhound Park P A G E 30 ESPN Sports Poll Mobile Sports Fan Demo Profile Information provided by ESPN Sports Poll. The Sports Poll conducts 2,000 telephone interviews each month with a representative sample of the U.S. population aged 12+. More than 115,000 people have been polled since January '94. THE SPORTS POLL...A Service of TNS Intersearch. Percentage is reflective of the percent of Mobile Sports Fans that fit into a particular category. An index of 100 equals the national average. Example: An index of 125 shows that a specific category is 25% more likely in a given area when compared to the U.S. population. Gender Male Female % 50.3 49.7 Index 104 96 Age 12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ % 11.9 9.8 15.0 28.3 14.6 9.9 10.5 Index 112 80 94 157 80 94 73 Race White African American Hispanic Asian Other % 72.8 18.6 3.4 1.6 3.6 Index 102 156 31 160 95 Sports Fan Interest Levels Interest Levels Mobile 8.9% Light Sports Fan Casual Sports Fan 37.8% Avid Sports Fan 36.9% Index 61 88 126 Mobile Sports Fan Spending Spent any money at all on sports in the past 3 months Mobile Index 34.9% 89 MOBILE CVB Pick your pleasure: golf, football, baseball, basketball, greyhound racing, fishing, tennis or softball. Are you a spectator or participant? One thing is as evident as the moss on the majestic oaks that line the city’s streets: Mobile has something for everyone when it comes to the sporting life. And sports, now ever enhancing the draw of Mobile and delivering a deluge of visitors, mean big business and a better bottom line for the city. “Sports and sports meetings and related conventions in Mobile are very important to not only the economic impact of the city, but also as a promotion tool for the city of Mobile,” said Steve Stickford, MACVB Senior Vice-President of Sales & Marketing. As easy as it is for sports enthusiasts to get to Mobile, with three regional airports servicing over 75 flights daily, leaving may pose a Stickford problem when you consider all there is to see and do. Let’s start with the signature sport of golf and grow from there, much like this Southern city of nearly 400,000 has done in recent years. Stepping off a plane at Mobile Regional Airport, you are just minutes away from Magnolia Grove, past site of both the Nike ing for you – Mobile should figure prominently into plans for your next golf vacation or business conference. Sports wise, we said there was much to see and do in Mobile. When it comes to spectator sports, football has a long-standing tradition at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. This longtime fixture of the Mobile landscape was built after World War II and opened for gridiron business in 1948. Today, the debt-free facility stands as one of Mobile’s greatest assets with a replacement value of $50 million. Occupying 45 acres of land, Ladd-Peebles Stadium has the distinction of being the largest outdoor facility on the Gulf Coast from Tallahassee to New Orleans. Since the University of Alabama and Vanderbilt first waged war in this now 40,646-seat venue on Oct. 2, 1948, the stadium has gone on to host the Senior Bowl (an annual all-star game pitting the nation’s top college seniors against one another), home games for the Mobile Admirals, the Alabama vs. Mississippi All-Star Classic, the Annual Gulf Coast Classic with Alabama State University and, most recently, the GMAC Bowl. Billed as the “Battle in Bama,” the GMAC Bowl debuted in 1999 and two years later played host to the highest-scoring game in college football bowl history, a 64-61 overtime thriller between East Carolina and Marshall, won by the Thundering Herd. Satisfying the fans with exciting football is one thing, but the ultimate seal of approval for this marquee event came from GMAC Financial Services, which extended its contract to serve as title sponsor for the Mobile-based game through 2005. “This kind of commitment only under- Tour Championship and LPGA’s Golf Champions tournament. Part of the vaunted Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Magnolia Grove boasts 36 holes of championship golf along with an 18-hole par 3 course to hone those short-game skills. “The Falls,” which features a cascading waterfall beneath the elevated 570-yard, par 5 green on the 10th hole, is the primary and picturesque track at Magnolia Grove. The “Crossings Course” represents another serious full-scale challenge, with a hillier layout that characteristically takes advantage of the natural topography found so prominently along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. MOBILE CVB his coastal city’s heritage started with the sea, blossomed on a beautiful bay, and has evolved in recent times to include a wide variety of sports. As the Mobile Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (MACVB) likes to say, the Port City is also the Sports City. Street & Smith’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL ❘ WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM Mobile Sports Fan Computer Habits Has Access to a Personal Computer Index to Mobile 71.9% 103 Uses a PC for Sports Information Mobile Index 96 39.3% Mobile Sports Fan’s Favorite Sports Sport Mobile Index NFL 31.5% 114 NASCAR 26.4% 164 Pro wrestling 25.9% 291 College football 24.6% 137 Horse racing 13.3% 205 Pro figure skating 12.9% 95 MLB 12.8% 78 12.4% 89 College basketball 9.3% 64 NBA 8.8% 90 PGA (began in May 01) WTA (began in May 01) 8.3% 122 7.4% 148 ATP (began in May 01) 47 5.1% Pro boxing 115 4.5% Arena football league NHL 4.5% 63 MLS 2.2% 43 See Mobile, page 31 MARCH 24-30, 2003 S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N SportsTown Profile: Mobile, AL Mobile, from page 30 MOBILE CVB dience by ESPN. After a quarter-century absence, baseball’s made it back to Mobile and in grand style. In 1997, the Mobile BayBears began play in the Southern League as “AA” affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Success came soon, in the team’s second year, when the BayBears captured the Southern League championship. Baseball America went on to name Mobile’s beloved BayBears America’s “Minor League Baseball Team of the Year” after the crownclinching ’98 season. The team was also honored with the Southern League’s Community Service Award that same year. One man’s home run prowess has provided Mobile with a perpetual link to the game of baseball. Hank Aaron is well known as the sport’s all-time home run king after the Mobile native surpassed the legendary Babe Ruth back in the 1970s. Mobile paid tribute to its native son by christening Hank Aaron Stadium on April 17, 1997. This might be minor league baseball, but Mobilians enjoy a major league atmosphere when they visit Hank Aaron Stadium. A variety of amenities and activities exist: field-level luxury suites, closed circuit television, theater-style seating, state-of-the-art video scoreboard, a playground/arcade for children, and a stadium club restaurant. These enticements helped usher in, not only the new millennium, but the team’s one-millionth fan to Hank Aaron Stadium in just its fourth season of es, it would be Mobile. The city is home to the world’s largest public tennis facility with 50 outdoor hard courts equipped to handle play night and day. In light of the tremendous facility, the United States Tennis Association continually stages both regional and national tournaments in Mobile. Mobile Greyhound Park, which opened as the first Alabama racing facility in 1973, offers the excitement of year-round racing. While watching the races, visitors can also enjoy superior clubhouse cuisine including the Gulf Coast’s famous seafood. You don’t have to catch your own dinner, but fishing is another one of the most popular sporting activities along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Tournaments for serious anglers run from June through October and there are also over 100 boats available for charter if you aren’t a seasoned professional. The creation of more than 200 artificial reefs off the Alabama Gulf Coast makes for great angling action and it’s a short, scenic drive from downtown Mobile. Fishing for success takes on a whole new meaning for members of the Mobile Revelers of the NBA’s National Basketball Development League (NBDL). The Revelers play a 56-game regular season schedule that runs from mid-November through March. Home games are played at the 10,000-seat Mobile Civic Center. In the midst of so much to see and do sports wise, remember to take care of business, but also to leave time for your pleasure when visiting Mobile. Business can bring you Mobile BayBears play, in 2000. If watching the BayBears in action gives you the urge to hit the diamond yourself, Mobile sports 29 softball fields spread across a 30-minute radius throughout the greater metro area. As a result, the Sports City has gained a reputation for truly being a tournament town. The city has played host to numerous Amateur Softball Association national championship tournaments in the past, beckoning thousands of athletes and their families to Mobile. Tennis anyone? Or maybe better stated, tennis everyone? If ever there were a city capable of accommodating the racquet mass- here, but sports will help keep you coming back to this memorable city by the bay. “With the long history of sports in Mobile and the year-round outdoor climate, it is a natural that sports programs consider Mobile along with the vast array of facilities and family atmosphere,” Stickford said. “Mobile is a great choice for meeting planners who are seeking an exciting and affordable sports venue.” For additional sports information contact: Mobile Sports Commission @ (251) 208-2505 Or for meeting and event planning call the Mobile Area Convention & Visitors Bureau @ (251) 208-2001. Major Mobile Sports Facilities ➤ Ladd-Peebles Stadium 41,000 seat Home to Senior Bowl, GMAC Bowl, Alabama-Mississippi High School AllStar Football Classic ➤ Hank Aaron Stadium Home of AA Mobile BayBears ➤ Mobile Tennis Center The world’s largest public tennis facility with 50 lighted outdoor hard courts. ➤ USS Alabama Battleship Park (unlighted) 7 regulation-size lighted fields NAIA 1994 & 1995 Men’s and 1998 Women’s Soccer National Championships Book a meeting in Mobile to experience what’s new in the Old South. Historic Mobile enters a new era with exciting developments like the sparkling new 240-room Battle House Hotel and office tower that will overlook the grand mansions surrounding the downtown area. A new Maritime Museum will take visitors on a tour of our seafaring past. A renovated GM&O Transportation Hub and a new fleet of high-speed ferries will take visitors to points around Mobile Bay. And all of this within ront convention walking distance of our waterf center – over 317,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space in a beautifully designed facility that anchors the new riverwalk. Book now, and get ready to experience what’s new in the Old South. The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion – 1855 MARCH 24-30, 2003 Street & Smith’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL ❘ WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM PA G E 3 1