FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Gary Ewen, Visitor & Convention Bureau
                (941) 338-3500

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 10, 2001) – Lee County has received $35,000 from the Florida Sports Foundation to organize and market, among other things, a North American Roller Hockey Championships at TECO Arena.

This most recent grant brings to $403,000 the amount local organizations and venues have received over the last three years to promote and market sporting events through the county’s Sports Marketing Program and Sports Organizing Committee (see list below).

The grant, from the Florida Sports Foundation, is for the North American Roller Hockey Championships ($30,000), Independent Softball Association (ISA) Fun and Fast Pitch ($2,000), and Men’s Softball Events ($3,000).

The Florida Sports Foundation is the official sports promotion and development organization for the State of Florida. The Foundation is a private, not-for-profit corporation operating under contract with the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development under the Executive Office of the Governor. The Foundation functions as a private entity and is overseen by 15 board of directors appointed by the governor and 15 board of directors appointed from the private sector. Deputy County Manager Bill Hammond is Treasurer of the Foundation.

Each year through its Sports Grant Program, the Foundation makes grants designed to assist organizations in attracting sport opportunities that will generate significant out-of-state economic impact to Florida.

During the last three years, the county also has received event marketing funds from the Lee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and state Sports for Life (Tobacco Settlement funds) Program. The TDC is funded through a 3 percent local bed tax on short-term rentals. Below is a three-year summary of grant awards:

Sports for Life Program

23 local events funded at the amount of $84,000

Florida Sports Foundation

Lee Island Coast Invitational Baseball Tournament $8,000

Lee County Lacrosse $1,000

Independent Softball Association (ISA) $5,000

North American Roller Hockey Championships $30,000

ISA Fun and Fast Pitch $2,000

Men’s Softball Events $3,000

Total from the FSF $49,000

Funds could be used for event management and promotion

Lee County TDC Event Marketing 2000

Aggressive Skaters Association $30,000 (awarded but not claimed)

City of Palms Basketball Boys $10,000

City of Palms Basketball Girls $10,000

Fishing Frenzy $5,000

Florida Open Tennis $4,500

Fort Myers Beach Off Shore Grand Prix $20,000

Inaugural Wood Bat Baseball Tournament $13,500

Winter Invitational Soccer Tournament $6,000

Worlds Richest Tarpon Tournament $1,000

Lee County Sports Organizing Committee (various events) $20,000

Roy Hobbs $22,000

Tour de Cape $15,000

Lee County TDC Event Marketing 2001

City of Palms Basketball Boys $8,400

City of Palms Girls $11,000

Florida Open Tennis Tournament $3,400

Greater Ft. Myers Soccer Kick off Classic $3,350

Fort Myers Beach Off Shore Grand Prix $15,000

Lee County Sports Organizing Committee (various events) $28,000

North of the River Invitational High School Basketball $4,200

Roy Hobbs $25,000

Tour de Cape $15,000

TDC Total $270,350