The Laker/Lutz News

AdventHealth Sports Arena

2021 offered special moments in local sports (Part One)

By

This past year levied countless memories in the local sports scene — from shattered records and career achievements for individuals and teams, to several major events and showcases in the area.

Here is a look back at some of the moments in sports in 2021, from across Pasco and Hillsborough counties, in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

(This is Part One of a two-part series.)

Land O’ Lakes Little League celebrates 50th anniversary
The start of each Little League season often elicits a heightened level of nostalgia.

Alissa Canter, vice president Land O’ Lakes Little League, holds the 50th Anniversary charter with director, Gary Gwinn. (File)

With spring in the air, youth of all ages and skills partake in America’s favorite pastime, testing their mettle on the mound, at the plate and in the field.

For Land O’ Lakes Little League, this year’s Opening Day festivities took on added significance: The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary on Feb. 27, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, off Collier Parkway.

The organization actually formed back in 1967 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center (now Heritage Park) off U.S. 41, but it didn’t receive its first Little League charter until 1971.

The local league has come a long way since its initial startup — boasting upwards of 800 boys and girls, ages 4 to 16, playing baseball and softball across 10 fields.

The large ballfield took center stage in the league’s season-opening event.

Teams from all age divisions were spread across the infield and outfield, signaling the league’s staying power and sustained growth.

First pitches were accurately thrown from veteran baseball players, as well softball Little League players.

Local players sang the national anthem and read the league pledge.

There was the unveiling, too, of a framed 50th anniversary “golden ticket” issued and signed by the Little League International Headquarters, which is based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The beauty of the organization is it’s a recreational format.

It welcomes the novice player that may never make an all-star team or play high school ball, to others who have the potential to earn college scholarships and maybe play professionally someday.

“I think every kid should play Little League,” Land O’ Lakes Little League President Gary Gwinn told The Laker/Lutz News.

NBA hopefuls showcase hoops skills in Wesley Chapel
Pasco County and the greater Tampa Bay region isn’t really known for its basketball prowess, but that reputation, or lack thereof, may soon change.

Pursuing dreams of playing professional basketball, a large group of athletes dropped by Wesley Chapel, of all places.

Six-foot-11-inch Nate Reuvers, from the University of Wisconsin, takes a few practice shots prior to the start of the 3-point and slam dunk competitions held during the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. Some 50 players from throughout the country converged in Wesley Chapel for the basketball event. (File)

In early June, some 50 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft-eligible hopefuls descended upon the area to showcase their athleticism and hoops skills in the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC), at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

The elite-level hoopers — many from recognizable high and mid-major NCAA Division I programs — dribbled, dunked, jumped, shot and passed their way into the eyes and impressions of various NBA and international coaches and scouts.

Several names may be familiar from deep runs in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball March Madness tournament, such as University of Southern California guard Tahj Eaddy, University of Houston forward Justin Gorham, and University of Loyola-Chicago center Cameron Krutwig, among others.

The three-day event featured drills, games (5-on-5, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3), athletic testing and measurements, as well as a 3-point shootout, dunk contest and more.

The player selection committee was led by ESPN television analyst Fran Fraschilla and BasketballNews.com NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock, who were there to evaluate players during the weekend.

The competition came together in a matter of about six weeks, seeking to replicate the Virginia-based Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a long-running hoops combine event canceled a second-straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quade Green was the leading scorer at the University of Washington this past season, at 15.4 points per game.

Like others, it was his first time stepping into the Wiregrass Sports Campus.

He came away impressed with the state-of-the-art digs.

“This is a beautiful gym,” Green said, in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “Lot of great players here, great people around you, too. They’ve got connections. Life connections, too, for the long run.”

Zephyrhills runner competes in U.S. Olympic trials
Evan Miller’s sprint for a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Summer Olympics may have come up short — but it was still an experience most athletes can only ever dream about.

The Zephyrhills athlete on June 25 competed in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at the legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Miller — then a rising senior at University of South Carolina — clocked 21.04 seconds in the first-round heat of the men’s 200-meter dash, finishing 23rd overall.

Evan Miller (File)

He competed in the same heat against other widely known professional sprinters, including Terrance Laird and Jaron Flourney, among others.

The competition was televised live nationally on NBC Sports Network.

Miller’s trials mark was a shade off his personal best of 20.50 seconds — which he recorded at the Weems Baskin Relays hosted on-campus at South Carolina in late March; he wound up earning second-team NCAA All-American honors during the season, too.

Miller was one of about 30 sprinters nationwide who either qualified or accepted an invitation, and declared for the men’s 200-meter trials event.

From there, the top three men’s 200-meter finishers at trials earned spots on the U.S. Olympic team — Noah Lyles (first, 19.74 seconds), Kenny Bednarek (second, 19.78) and Erriyon Knighton (third, 19.84).

While disappointed with his own trials output overall, Miller relished the opportunity so very few earn — let alone coming off a 2020 track season hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All around, it was a really good experience,” Miller told The Laker/Lutz Newspaper. “It was kind of surreal that I was there with the top athletes in the country. It was just a really good feeling. I was kind of trying to take it all in, but I also couldn’t like believe it at the same time.”

Before college, Miller had made a name for himself as a sprinter at Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

His senior year, he won the Class 1A individual crown 100-meter dash (10.75) at the 2018 FHSAA State Track & Field Championships. He also was a leg of the school’s 4×100 relay team that won back-to-back state crowns in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Locals athletes taken in 2021 MLB Draft
It’s not uncommon for at least a few ballplayers from area high schools and colleges to be taken in the Major League Baseball (MLB) first-year player draft.

The year 2012 was no different, as five local athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were taken in the nationally televised draft, which spanned 20 rounds (and 612) picks from July 11 through July 13:

  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (Cleveland Indians/Guardians, Comp B, 69th overall)
  • Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard (Boston Red Sox, 13th round, 376th overall)
  • Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham (Pittsburgh Pirates, 18th round, 523rd overall)
  • Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette (Toronto Blue Jays, 18th round, 543rd overall)
  • Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams (Kansas City Royals, 19th round, 559th overall)
Sunlake High/University of Florida product Tommy Mace was selected 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians (now named Guardians) in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft. (File)

Every player, except for Ehrhard opted to sign with their drafted team, for various dollar figures.

Mace — the highest selection from the local community — inked with the Indians (now Guardians) for a $1.1 million signing bonus; Graham signed with the Pirates for $125,000; Burnette signed with Blue Jays for $50,000; and, Williams signed with the Royals for $25,000.

Ehrhard, meanwhile, will play collegiate baseball at NCAA Division I Oklahoma State University, majoring in applied exercise science with a focus on strength and conditioning. He was this year’s recipient of the 2021 Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, which honors a high school baseball player in Hillsborough County on the basis of outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements.

(While slightly outside our coverage area in west Pasco County, Fivay High/University of Mississippi product Gunnar Hoglund went in the first round (19th overall) to the Blue Jays. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander from Hudson ultimately signed with the team for just under $3.25 million.)

National champion returns home to teach aspiring players
Land O’ Lakes native Shannon Saile was a part of history — guiding the University of Oklahoma women’s softball team to the 2021 NCAA Division I national title, serving as one of its top senior pitchers.

With her decorated athletic career in tow, Saile’s next major task was organizing a series of fastpitch softball clinics to train the next generation of youth standouts.

Shannon Saile, left, a national champion softball pitcher for the Oklahoma Sooners, explains the fundamentals of the fast pitch to 11-year-old Laila McClelland, center, of Odessa. (File)

To do that, the 23-year-old returned to her central Pasco hometown and set foot on the same park ballfields that forged a pathway for myriad athletic accomplishments.

The upstart Shannon Saile Pitching Clinic was held on July 25 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, home to Land O’ Lakes Little League.

About 30 girls — ages 8 to 15 — took part on a steamy Sunday, eager to take in guidance from Saile and other widely known pitching instructors and volunteers.

With Saile’s tutelage, young campers sharpened their fastballs and secondary offerings like changeups, through arm path mechanics and leg drive techniques, as well as various speed, agility and balance drills.

“I just hope that I can teach them the foundation of pitching, because it’s much more important than just getting out there and throwing pitches,” Saile explained to The Laker/Lutz News. “The drills are super important, because they help me grow my strength and my confidence in my pitches.”

Besides learning newfound softball techniques, campers also had an opportunity to get signed autographs and take pictures with Saile, who’s become a household name in the sports world. She was invited to ESPN’s nationally televised 2021 ESPY Awards, for being part of one of the best moments from the year in sports.

Saile goes down as one of the most accomplished — if not most accomplished — fastpitch softball players to ever come out of Land O’ Lakes High School and the greater Tampa Bay area.

As a Gator, she amassed 517 strikeouts and a career 1.76 ERA in four varsity seasons from 2013 to 2016, also compiling a combined 41 wins, 31 complete games, 11 shutouts and five no-hitters.

The advancement to the college ranks likewise went swimmingly for the 5-foot-7 right-hander.

Saile began her Division I softball career at Florida International University, finding immediate success with a pair of sub-2.00 ERA seasons in the circle, before transferring to Oklahoma.

As a redshirt senior this past season, Saile posted an impressive 1.70 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while being second on the team in wins (17), innings pitched (100.1), complete games (six), and strikeouts (132).

Published December 29, 2021

NBA hopefuls showcase hoops skills in Wesley Chapel

By

Pasco County and the greater Tampa Bay region isn’t really known for its basketball prowess, but that reputation, or lack thereof, may soon change.

Pursuing dreams of playing professional basketball, a large group of athletes recently dropped by Wesley Chapel, of all places.

Six-foot-11-inch Nate Reuvers, from the University of Wisconsin, takes a few practice shots prior to the start of the 3-point and slam dunk competitions held during the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. Some 50 players from throughout the country converged in Wesley Chapel for the NBA Draft event. (Fred Bellet)

More than 40 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft-eligible hopefuls descended upon the area to showcase their athleticism and hoops skills in the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC), held June 3 through June 5, at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

The elite-level hoopers — many from recognizable high and mid-major NCAA Division I programs — dribbled, dunked, jumped, shot and passed their way into the eyes and impressions of various NBA and international coaches and scouts.

Several names may be familiar from deep runs in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball March Madness tournament, such as University of Southern California guard Tahj Eaddy, University of Houston forward Justin Gorham, and University of Loyola-Chicago center Cameron Krutwig, among others.

Draft hopefuls participate in drills during an open gym event on Day One of the three-day Tampa Bay Pro Combine, at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel. Players showed analysts their best skills.

The local hoops combine was designed to give exposure to players for the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29, or merely get on the radar as undrafted signees or internationally.

The three-day event featured drills, games (5-on-5, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3), athletic testing and measurements, as well as a 3-point shootout, dunk contest and more.

The player selection committee was led by ESPN television analyst Fran Fraschilla and BasketballNews.com NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock, who were there to evaluate players during the weekend.

The competition came together in a matter of about six weeks, seeking to replicate the Virginia-based Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a long-running hoops combine event canceled a second straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Six-foot-five-inch Makuach Maluach, a star player from the University of New Mexico, stretches as part of a drill on Day One at the Tampa Bay Pro Combine for NBA draft prospects. Maluach hails from Sydney, Australia.

Darryl Hepburn, a former Leto High and Hillsborough Community College basketball standout who played professionally throughout Asia, co-founded the TBPC with Rashaad Ubah, a former sports talent agent who played college hoops at the University of California-Irvine and Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Hepburn, Ubah and others quickly leveraged their connections with players, agents, coaches and media outlets to make the TBPC a go.

“There’s a void that was needed (to be filled),” Ubah told The Laker/Lutz News on the event’s first day.

“We thought that Tampa Bay was the perfect place, just because of the setting. Honestly, the (basketball) scouts want to come down here,” he said.

Six-foot-four-inch Justin Turner, of Bowling Green reaches for 11 ½ feet in a vertical jump test on Day One of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine.

Naturally, they targeted the brand-new Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus as a locale.

The 98,000-square-foot facility offers eight full-size basketball courts, including a center spine separating courts, as well as an athletic training center and second-level mezzanine for bird’s eye viewing.

“It was a big team effort of people who had different reaches in different areas,” said RADD Sports CEO Richard Blalock, whose private company is charged with managing the sports complex’s day-to-day operations. “We went on board with them to help them provide the facility and help them any way we could.”

The Pasco Tourist Development Council also leaped in as title sponsor, spending $50,000. Besides providing residents and basketball lovers a tangible event, participating players combined have millions of social media followers, garnering nationwide attention to Pasco and its tourism arm, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (FSC).

Six-foot-11-inch Jordy Tshimanga, from Dayton University, goes up for a basket prior to the start of the slam dunk and 3-point shot competition.

Adam Thomas, FSC’s tourism director, put it like this: “It really expands the professionalism of Florida’s sports coast and provides another level of exposure that we couldn’t create without the partnership of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine.

“This actually gives Florida’s Sports Coast and Pasco County that professional look that we’ve been looking for, outside of our youth and amateur events.”

The expectation is to make the TBPC an annual affair “for the next 20 or 30 years, if possible,” Ubah said, dependent upon the community’s level of support.

The long-term vision for the event is to create a hoops hub of sorts at the Wiregrass Sports Campus, attracting college, professional and international players to maintain a training residency there for anywhere from a week to a month — staying at adjacent hotels.

“We feel like it’s a place where we can bring basketball down here, the same way that (Major League Baseball) Spring Training is here,” Ubah said. “We want this to be something that’s here every year, and something that we can get the community involved with, especially in Pasco County that doesn’t necessarily have professional sports, so this is a chance to get those communities and kids integrated to something that’s tangible,” he said.

Quade Green, who took part in the combine, was the leading scorer at the University of Washington this past season, at 15.4 points per game.

Participants ran drills on Day One. Here, competitors were Basic Athletic Measurement (BAM) tested and timed, running patterns.

The 6-foot guard and former McDonald’s All-American used the event as a chance to face “good competition,” particularly to show scouts he can handle long-limbed wings and big guards.

“I’m trying to play to my strengths,” Green said, “see what I can get better on.”

Like others, it was his first time stepping into the Wiregrass Sports Campus. He came away impressed with the state-of-the-art digs.

“This is a beautiful gym,” Green said. “Lot of great players here, great people around you, too. They’ve got connections. Life connections, too, for the long run.”

Sterling Manley’s hoops career at the University of North Carolina was often burdened by injuries, including surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He missed all of the 2019-2020 season.

The inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC) ran June 3 through June 5 at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Pro Combine)

The 6-foot-11-inch center from Pickerington, Ohio, ventured to TBPC to demonstrate he’s healthy and can still hold his own against other top-notch bigs.

“I think the biggest thing is just showcasing my skills and being able to be around good talent and a good group,” Manley said, “and just playing against good competition and showing I belong.”

Manley came away pleased with the entire showcase.

He referenced the “very nice” facility, plus organizers bringing in BAM (Basic Athletic Measurement) electronic sensor tracking technology. It provides accurate athletic assessments on sprint speed, agility and vertical jumps, he said.

“We get good testing, legit numbers and measurements,” he added.

Another bonus? “The hotel’s only a walk away,” Manley said, “so everything’s in a good distance.”

Former University of Tampa star Mark Borders was among several instructors on hand, guiding players through various skills and drills, such as pick and roll situations.

Pinpoint passing is an area he knows a thing or two about, as the Division II program’s all-time career assists leader, tallying 649 total from 2003 to 2006.

Borders detailed how the event provides an outlet for overlooked but solid pro prospects, while also giving basketball lovers — particularly college hoops fans rooting for a player from their favorite program — an opportunity to watch high-end talent either in-person or via livestream.

“It’s a historical event, giving these kids an opportunity of a lifetime,” he said.

For information, visit TampaBayProCombine.com.

Tampa Bay Pro Combine rosters

Black Team
Jahvon Blair (Georgetown University)
Nojel Eastern (Howard University)
Ethan Esposito (Sacramento State University)
Loren Jackson (University of Akron)
Sterling Manley (University of North Carolina)
Obadiah Noel (University of Massachusetts — Lowell)
Nate Reuvers (University of Wisconsin)
Terry Taylor (Austin-Peay University)
Andre Melendez (None)
Coach: James Posey

Green Team
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (University of Illinois)
Chudier Bile (Georgetown University)
Ryan Daly (St. Joseph’s University)
Jimma Gatwech (Core4 Atlanta)
Javion Hamlet (University of North Texas)
Jalen Johnson (Mississippi State University)
Micah Potter (University of Wisconsin)
Justin Turner (Bowling Green State University)
Brandon Williams (University of Arizona)
Coach: Xavier Silas

Red Team
Troy Baxter (Morgan State University)
Manny Camper (Siena University)
Tahj Eaddy (University of Southern California)
Jordan Goodwin (Saint Louis University)
Loudon Love (Wright State University)
Ashbjorn Mitgaard (Grand Canyon University)
Chandler Vaudrin (Winthrop University)
Keith Williams (University of Cincinnati)
Coach: Bob MacKinnon

Blue Team
Mitch Ballock (Creighton University)
Jayvon Graves (University of Buffalo)
Quade Green (University of Washington)
Cameron Krutwig (University of Loyola-Chicago)
Makuach Maluach (University of New Mexico)
Joel Ntambwe (Texas Tech University)
Jordy Tshimanga (University of Dayton)
Richard Washington (San Jose State University)
Coach: Doc Martin

White Team
Marcus Burk (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis)
Hasahn French (Saint Louis University)
DJ Funderburk (North Carolina State University)
Justin Gorham (University of Houston)
Justin Jaworski (Lafayette College)
Damien Jefferson (Creighton University)
Clay Mounce (Furman University)
D’Mitrik Trice (University of Wisconsin)
Coach: Jesus Verdejo

Published June 09, 2021

Pasco County celebrates economic successes

By

Despite unanticipated challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, Pasco County still had much to celebrate in terms of growth, tourism and economic development.

That was the primary theme of “TeamUp! Building a Strong Economy Together,” an event hosted by Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (FSC) and Pasco Economic Development Council — two marketing organizations charged with driving the success of the county’s economy.

The May 6 event was held at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, with 175 socially distanced guests attending in person, and others taking part remotely.

Various awards were presented during the TeamUp! event. Congressman Gus Bilirakis, third from left, was the recipient of the Experience Florida’s Sports Coast Chairman’s Choice Awards, for his efforts in boosting tourism in the region and state of Florida. Also pictured, from left: Pasco EDC president/CEO Bill Cronin, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast tourism director Adam Thomas, and Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. (Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast Office of Tourism Development)

The evening ceremony highlighted accomplishments of both marketing organizations,  corporate businesses, entrepreneurs, hoteliers, attraction partners and restaurateurs.

The idea for the special gala was spurred from a conversation between Pasco EDC president and CEO Bill Cronin and FSC tourism director Adam Thomas, regarding the economic struggles both corporate businesses and tourism industry partners had faced in the previous year because of COVID-19.

Blending the two brands, TeamUp! featured a figure skating showcase, networking hour, awards dinner and joint economic presentation fronted by Cronin and Thomas, along with other speakers.

Also, FSC and Pasco EDC screened their first collaborative video showcasing Pasco as an attractive place to live, work and play.

The six-minute video takes a bird’s eye and grounded tour around the county, stopping at popular destinations while delving into specific need-to-know information for those looking to relocate their businesses, travel to the destination, or host a conference or event in the area.

Recognizing excellence
Various awards were bestowed, as well, honoring those who have made a lasting impression on the county’s diverse and growing economy:

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast Awards

  • Chairman’s Choice Award: Congressman Gus Bilirakis
  • Lodging Partner of the Year: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Tampa-Suncoast Parkway
  • Tourism Legacy Award: Thomas Dempsey, founder of Saddlebrook Resort & Spa

Pasco EDC Awards

  • Leadership Award: Dr. Arthur Kirk Jr., president emeritus of Saint Leo University
  • Recruitment Project of the Year: Santander Consumer USA
  • Expansion Project of the Year: The Soule Co.

The evening concluded with a special keynote address by Mike Rayburn, who blended comedy, music and thought-provoking messaging — while sharing his story of going from playing guitar for seven people in a bar in Virginia to playing in Carnegie Hall.

New companies, new jobs
Speaking from a well-lit, lifted stage, Cronin detailed how area economic development efforts emerged strong even during 2020’s trials and tribulations.

This included welcoming $104 million in new capital investment and 15 new company projects adding more than 1,400 direct jobs.

In fact, Cronin said these figures yielded the private, nonprofit organization’s “best year so far, for investment and job creation in Pasco County.”

The Pasco EDC’s ongoing efforts required creativity and adaptations to get work done, given various limitations brought about by COVID-19, Cronin explained from the luminated dais.

“The pandemic pushed us all to find new methods to manage old routines,” he said.

“Economic development was no different, and I’m proud to say that our team at the Pasco EDC rose to the challenge and found innovative ways to bring new investment and new jobs to the county.

“Like so many other businesses, we turned to virtual platforms to accomplish things that we could no longer do in person. We hosted site visits, business workshops and special events, all virtually.”

Cronin highlighted other economic-related marks from the past year, including the opening of Pasco EDC’s third small business incubator location — SMARTstart Grove Entrepreneur Center in Wesley Chapel — designed to help entrepreneurs expand their business and turn ideas into realities.

Interestingly enough, desserts prepared for the event were concocted by a trio of SMARTstart restaurant entrepreneur members and alums — Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread in Dade City; Sweet Luminous Bakery in Dade City; and, Hillbilly Farms in Dade City.

Cronin also mentioned how the Pasco EDC partnered with Pasco County government to provide emergency relief to more than 1,200 small businesses struggling to meet the demands the pandemic placed on them.

“Despite the challenges that 2020 presented,” Cronin said, “we kept moving forward.”

Tourism on the rebound?
Likewise speaking to the sizable crowd, Thomas acknowledged Pasco’s tourism “took a hit” from the pandemic, and remains in recovery mode.

However, the county’s tourism brand leader presented a mostly upbeat outlook for 2021 — noting visitor numbers steadily increasing the second half of this year and beyond.

“After a year of strict restrictions, people are itching to get back on the road and back in the air,” said Thomas, also quick to point out tourism industry analysts reporting that nearly 80% of Americans are dreaming of or planning to travel this year.

Thomas added the CDC’s recent guidance indicating vaccinated individuals can now safely travel without risking their health brings “another encouraging sign from our tourism industry for the second half of this year.”

Though the pandemic put a dent into some of Pasco’s original grandiose tourism plans and projections for most of 2020, there were some wins from the prior year.

Among other entertainment venues, shopping and hotels coming online, Thomas in particular highlighted the opening of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center in Zephyrhills; AdventHealth Sports Arena at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, in Wesley Chapel; and Widow Fletcher’s, a new waterfront restaurant in New Port Richey.

Thomas told the audience how FSC remained aggressive following the pandemic’s initial scare.

It was one of the first tourism agencies in the state to return to marketing after what Thomas labeled “a two-month industry blackout.”

The group ran an outdoor adventure-focused marketing digital campaign promoting the county’s 10-day summer scallop season along the Anclote River.

The campaign resulted in visitation growth of more than 60% and related economic impact, Thomas said.

Pasco, too, was one of Florida’s first to return to hosting sporting events amid the pandemic, Thomas said, with the TORHS 2Hot4Ice roller hockey national championships in July.

The event — with strict pandemic protocols in place — brought together 113 teams who played a staggered schedule over 10 days at AdventHealth Center Ice.

Thomas presented other encouraging tourism-related figures.

More than 25% of county visitors last year were first-timers who plan to return, he said.

Visitor spending was down compared to fiscal year 2019, but tourists still created more than a half-million dollars of economic impact to the county, saving every resident over $260 in their annual taxes, he said.

Though the FSC has mainly focused on youth and amateur sports and outdoor recreational offerings to attract visitation, Thomas indicated the agency next plans to branch into the business meeting marketplace.

The county in October will play host to the inaugural SMERF (Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal) Express conference — an overnight tourism-based trade show featuring social functions, community service, team building and one-on-one appointments between meeting planners and destination marketing organizations.

And, in January there will be a similar but sports-tourism focused conference called Sports Express-Indoor.

Thomas also discussed how FSC is building on in-state tourism drive markets of Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville, along with out-of-state drive markets of Atlanta and Raleigh-Durham.

The agency also is launching new promotions geared toward people in the New York, New Jersey and the Great Lakes region.

“When they’re ready to travel,” Thomas said, “we’re ready to welcome them.”

The speaker also touted the reach and impact of FSC, which has increased its staffing levels and has received national recognition in the tourism industry for its various campaigns and efforts.

Thomas said: “We focus on telling our community story — the experiences that make Pasco County the best destination in Florida, and the place we all love to call home, whether we’re fishing in the gulf, skydiving in Zephyrhills, or hiking in our nature parks, or playing hockey right here at AdventHealth Center Ice.”

Published June 02, 2021