The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Pasco County Tourism

Pasco attracts 1.3 million visitors

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The numbers are in — and they’re looking good for Pasco County tourism.

While much of the country is still rebounding from the impacts of COVID-19, Pasco County set new records in the number of visitors it attracted and tourism’s impact on the local economy, according to a 104-page report delivered by Adam Thomas, tourism director Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, the county’s tourism arm.

A look at Gerry Austin and her tandem instructor as they soared through the clouds at Skydive City. (File)

Thomas shared the findings from the 2021 Economic Impact & Visitor Tracking Report, completed by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants on the county’s tourism efforts.

Thomas delivered the good news to the Pasco County Commission at its Feb. 8 meeting.

Perhaps the biggest news is Pasco’s record-shattering number of visitors, which the study put at 1,358,200 — compared to the previous high mark of 1 million, set in 2019.

“From right off the heels of a pandemic, we welcomed over 300,000 additional visitors,” Thomas said.

Those guests generated about 1.4 million room nights, 16.6% growth over fiscal year 2019.

The tourism impact report was based on 2,499 interviews completed with Pasco County visitors online and in-person at local attractions, parks, hotels and events, between Oct. 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021.

The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills is altering its membership pricing model for the coming year. (File)

The total economic impact was calculated based on direct spending by visitors, and indirect and induced impacts, such as increased business and household spending generated by tourism dollars.

Downs & St. Germain Research uses economic modeling to calculate the multiplier based on direct expenditure data collected from visitors to Pasco County, according to the report.

The multiplier used for Pasco County is 1.41.

Based on those calculations, the overall economic impact from tourism in Pasco County last year was $721 million.

Visitors spent an estimated $511 million on restaurants, gas, lodging, attractions and entertainment, up 10.6% from fiscal year 2019.

Directly and indirectly, there are more than 9,200 jobs in Pasco that support the tourism industry, and those jobs generate more than $231 million, Thomas said. That’s up (about) 38%, year-over-year from 2019, he added.

The report also breaks down why people are visiting Pasco, where visitors are coming from, and offers demographic information on those traveling here.

Here are some specifics:

Why they came:

  • 29% to visit friends and family
  • 16% to attend a sporting event, throughout Pasco
  • 11% for a getaway

Who came:

  • Typical travel parties consisted of 2.7 people.
  • One in three travel parties included someone under age 20.

Where they came from:

  • 64% of visitors came from five states: 46% from Florida; 4%, Georgia; 4%, Illinois; 4%, New York; and 4%, Ohio.

How they arrived

  • 85% drove; of those who didn’t, the vast majority flew through Tampa International Airport.

The economic impacts from tourism go beyond the businesses that serve tourists, such as hotels, restaurants and gas stations, Thomas said.

For instance, the tourism industry saves every Pasco household more than $385 a year in state and federal taxes, the tourism director said.

It also draws attention to Pasco County, and that can prompt visitors who own businesses to decide to set up a venture here, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

Thomas also noted that the county gets a good return on investment for its tourism marketing efforts.

For every dollar spent on marketing Pasco County, visitors spend $70, Thomas said.

“Our strategy is really focused on hitting the right visitor, at the right time, in the right medium — to get the ultimate return,” he said.

Pasco County Tourism, by the numbers
Economic impact
2021 $721,719,800, up 10.6% from 2019

Visitor spend
2021: $511,857,800, up 10.6% from 2019

Visitors attracted
2021: 1,358,200, up 30.8% from 2019

Room nights generated
2021: 1,419,000, up 16.6% from 2019

Jobs supported
2021: 9,254, up 17.6% from 2019

Wages and salaries generated
2021: $231,648,800, up 37.8% from 2019

Source: Florida’s Sports Coast, FY 2021 Economic Impact & Visitor Tracking Report (Downs & St. Germain Research)

Published February 16, 2022

Pasco County tourism decreased in 2020

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Tourism in Pasco County came back to earth in 2020 — following a record year the year before,  which saw the area surpass the million-visitor mark for its first time.

An informational presentation from Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — the county’s branded tourism arm — reveals some sobering facts and figures in a fiscal year impacted largely by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Adam Thomas, director for Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (File)

Pasco attracted 959,700 visitors in fiscal year 2020, down 7.6% from fiscal year 2019 when it drew 1,038,700 visitors, according to an analysis by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants to the county.

Other tourism economic impact indicators registered noticeable reductions across the board for the county when compared to the previous year:

  • Room nights generated — 1,069,849 (12.1% decrease)
  • Direct expenditures — $391,642,500 (15.3% decrease)
  • Total economic impact — $552,216,200 (15.3% decrease)
  • Jobs supported by tourism — 6,790 (13.7% decrease)
  • Wages paid by tourism — $149,461,500 (11.1% decrease)
  • Tourist Development Tax (bed tax) — $2,639,427 (13.2% decrease)
  • Taxes supported — $51,789,400 (14.8% decrease)

County tourism manager Adam Thomas shared these annual findings and other details during a Pasco County Commission meeting last month.

The 113-page visitor report shows that about one in four visitors to Pasco came to visit friends and family, while one in 10 visitors traveled to attend or participate in a sporting event.

The areas within the county attracting the most visitors were New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Port Richey and Lutz, according to the report.

Perceptions of Pasco based on coded, open-ended tourist responses generally found the area as a friendly and pleasant place, with tropical Florida weather, and lots to do.

In the way of visitor satisfaction, Pasco earned an 8.3 rating, out of a possible 10, as a place to visit or vacation in 2020, with 95% of respondents saying they plan to return to the county.

Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, places an emphasis on its state-of-the-art athletics facilities and outdoor recreation opportunities. County visitation decreased 7.6% in 2020 from 2019, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 85% of all visitors drove to Pasco in 2020, while 11% flew in through Tampa International Airport.

Florida made up the bulk of the county’s visitation, with 51% of all visits, followed by the rest of the Southeast (16%), then Northeast (12%) and Midwest (12%) regions of the country. Six percent of visitors were international, while 3% came in from the West.

Relatedly, 60% of all the visitors to Pasco were from 10 states.

Besides a majority of Florida-based visitors, roughly 5% of tourists came in from Georgia and New York. Smaller subsets were from Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee; top origin markets were Tampa Bay (29%), Orlando (6%), Atlanta (4%) and New York City (4%).

Another notable data point is that length of stays were shorter during the past year, according to the report.

A typical visitors length of stay in Pasco measured an average of 4.8 nights in 2020, down from 5.7 nights in 2019. The reduction is believed to be a result of the pandemic.

Despite reversing course in fiscal year 2020, Pasco’s tourism efforts have spearheaded in recent years, following a shift in philosophy to emphasize youth and amateur sports and recreation opportunities.

The Experience Florida’s Sports Coast branding efforts highlight the county’s growing list of modern athletics venues, including AdventHealth Center Ice, the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center and the Wiregrass Sports Campus of Pasco County. Tourism efforts also showcase the county’s myriad outdoor activities that include golfing, saltwater fishing, skydiving and scalloping.

The county’s day-to-day tourism efforts are under the direction of Thomas, a former minor league baseball pitcher who led the Citrus County Visitor and Conventions Bureau before being hired to Pasco in September 2017.

Bullish on tourism future
Following the annual report presentation, county commissioners commended Thomas and his tourism staff for the work they’ve done of late, and expressed optimism of a rebound — figuring the depressed 2020 was a temporary setback and anomaly because of COVID-19.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the Pasco County Tourist Development Council, highlighted how the tourism agency achieved national recognition throughout the past year.

Pasco County’s 10-day bay scallop season in July could help boost tourism efforts in 2021.

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast won three Telly Awards, including gold, for its scalloping promotional video. The Telly Awards is recognized as the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. It received over 12,000 entries from all 50 states.

The tourism department also claimed two silver Flagler Awards in 2020 for its website design and meeting planner guide. The Flagler Awards serves to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida.

Continuing on the positives, Moore pointed out bed tax collections actually increased in September 2020 compared to September 2019, despite the pandemic.

Moore gave Thomas kudos for “amazing, amazing work,” to lock in enough amateur and recreational sporting events to make that happen.

Others on the dais also voiced strong approval for Thomas and his tourism staff’s varied efforts.

“I don’t remember what it was like before, but since you’ve been here, it’s really been booming, even with COVID,” Commission Chairman Ron Oakley said of Thomas. “It’s a great team.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano noted Thomas was hired at an ideal time for the county almost four years ago, as projects like AdventHealth Center Ice and the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County were on the ramp-up.

Mariano also noted more tourism options on the county’s west side are taking shape, with seawall plans for Hudson Beach and improvements to SunWest Park — the latter of which could pave the way for some major sand volleyball and wakeboarding events in the future. “It’s going to be real exciting times coming forward,” Mariano said.

Commission Vice Chair Kathryn Starkey, too, acknowledged the staff of eight at Experience Florida’s Sports Coast has done a solid job.

As for what more can be done to make the county an attractive tourism destination, however,  Starkey turned to the county’s current slate of nature and parks offerings.

She referenced a point in the report’s visitor surveys that indicated those features generally fell below expectations. Moreover, about 43% of polled visitors desired more outdoor activities, despite the county boasting over 24 miles of coastline to the west, hilly terrain to the east, and more than 100,000 acres of wilderness to explore in between.

Upgrades in these arenas should be on the way, Starkey noted, thanks to a recently approved bond issue. “We haven’t had the money to make all of our parks as premier as we’d like them to be, but it’s coming,” she said.

Published February 17, 2021

Pasco’s tourism boosts county’s economy

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An analysis by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants to Pasco County, reveals that 965,000 tourists visited Pasco County during 2018, with a $615 million impact on the county’s economy.

Downs & St. Germain Research conducted the county’s first-ever visitor tracking study. They completed face-to-face, phone and online surveys with Pasco County visitors. As a result, the researchers were able to profile visitors coming to Pasco, and to quantify economic impacts of tourism in Pasco.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore drops the puck during a ceremonial face-off between Tampa Bay Lightning Alumni captain Dave Andreychuk and National Standing/Amputee team captain David Levesque during the 15th annual Toyota-USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival, held this year at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

Nearly three-quarters of Pasco’s visitors in 2018 came from Florida, New York, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Canada, the researcher’s report says.

Of  those,  57 percent  stayed  at  hotels or motels; 23  percent stayed with relatives or friends; 14 percent stayed in a personal second home; 4 percent stayed at campgrounds/RV; and, 2 percent at vacation rental homes.

The typical travel party was made up of 2.4 people, and among those visiting, nearly a quarter reported they were accompanied by at least one person 18 or younger.

The vast majority of those visiting Pasco County drove in: Nearly 91 percent reported that’s how they arrived. Seven percent said they flew into Tampa International Airport.

Top reasons for visiting Pasco County were: Visiting friends or family, special events, attractions, relaxation, vacation and outdoor activities.

Ninety-eight percent of visitors said they will return to Pasco County.

Adam Thomas, Pasco County’s tourism director, briefed the Pasco County Commission on some of the report’s findings during a recent meeting.

“We’re a job generator,” Thomas said. “In 2018, we generated over 7,480 jobs that are supported by tourism that created wages of over $156 million on an annual basis.”

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano was impressed by the report’s findings.

“I think you’ve got some awesome information in there,” Mariano said.

“The average vacationer is 44,” Mariano said. “The median household is $75,000. Twenty-six percent travel with children.”

When visitors are asked to identify additional activities that they would like to see, they  identified more outdoor activities, more family friendly activities, a water park, a music festival, more shopping options and more restaurants, Mariano said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said the impact from tourism is already impressive, but he said it will increase, as the county’s new tourism brand — Florida’s Sports Coast — takes hold.

“When the Wiregrass Sports Complex is finished, you can imagine how those numbers are going to increase,” he said.

Moore noted that AdventHealth Center Ice — which was used as a practice facility by the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team — already attracts big events.

This is Pasco County’s tourism brand logo.

Over the weekend, the ice arena hosted the 2019 Disabled Hockey Festival, and will host more games this coming weekend.

The ice arena is the first in Florida to host the hockey festival, Moore said, via comments shared with The Laker/Lutz News by his aide, Andy Taylor.

“I am honored to participate in an event that shows anybody can participate and be included. I thank USA Hockey for their commitment to the disabled community and coming to Wesley Chapel,” Moore added.

Thomas said the event is generating nearly 1,200 room nights.

The tourism director told commissioners the county is working on a different event that’s expected to generate close to 1,400 room nights.

Moore told his board colleagues, “The focus is the room nights because if they’re spending a night in a hotel, they’re going out to dinner, they’re buying their gas here, they’re going to the shops. They’re doing everything in Pasco County.”

Now, as the county negotiates future events, Moore said, “the stipulations are, they stay in Pasco County.”

Thomas described the county’s tourism approach this way:  “We’re going after the active family, the active couple, the active traveler that’s looking for outdoor adventure, but also looking for the youth tournaments.”

Tourism’s impact on Pasco County
Overall economic impact: $615 million
Visitors to Pasco: 965,000
Room nights generated by visitors: 1,132,926
Jobs: 7,480
Wages: $156 million
Source: 2018 Economic Impact Study of Tourism in Pasco County

Published April 03, 2019

Dade City attracts thousands to 22nd Kumquat Festival

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Thousands streamed to the 22nd annual Kumquat Festival in historic downtown Dade City on Jan. 26

Members of the Mexican dance troupe, the Folkloric Toltecatl, featured 11 Mexican folklore dancers. They are from Dade City. (Fred Bellet)

In an open letter, John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, recapped the event, and offered a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the army of volunteers who helped to pull it off.

“Over 400 vendors and sponsors sold and promoted their wares and services,” Moors said, in a news release.

“Our entertainment stage at the Historic Courthouse featured free live performances from wonderful local talent all day. Many of the shops and restaurants in Dade City, and the surrounding area, enjoyed their busiest day of the year,” Moors added.

A 10-year old Treeing Walker Coon Hound, named Zissou, waits patiently by his master, Nicholas Moo’s side, as Moo and his wife, Jenna, of Altamonte Springs, select bags of the Nagami-type kumquats to take home. It was the family’s first visit to the Kumquat Festival.

On behalf of the chamber, its board and its staff, Moors extended “heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors (especially our headlining sponsor, AdventHealth Dade City), vendors and supporters.”

The festival was supported by a $60,000 marketing campaign and, in conjunction with the City of Dade City, Pasco County Tourism and Visit Florida — which all promoted Dade City and the area as a unique place to visit, Moors noted.

He credited Bobby Van Allen and Jason Sasser, the festival co-chairs, for leading the efforts of more than 200  volunteers.

Moors estimated that the event generated more than $1 million in economic activity, based on calculations derived from the State of Florida Economic Impact Multipliers.

Zephyrhills winter resident Karen Bennett’s face says it all, as she discovers the taste of a very tart Nagami-type kumquat. She and fiance, Russ Spreeman hail from Houghton Lake, Michigan.

Moors also credited a number of others for making the festival a success.

Dade City Police Chief Jim Walters and Lt. Bill Rowe co-chaired the event’s safety and security team, including support from multiple agencies, Moors noted.

Others pitching in included the Pasco High School and the Saint Leo University ROTC, who helped with parking.

The Pasco-Hernando State College Fire Cadets helped with numerous tasks, and Joyce and Rick Dodd organized our “Welcoming Committee” for the early morning volunteers, Moors wrote.

Plans are already starting for next year’s event.

Published January 30, 2019

At the corner of Third Street and Church Avenue, 3-year-old Holly Reffuse and her cousin, Lisa Yawns, of Dade City, were selling parking spaces in Yawn’s yard during the Kumquat Festival. Cars would stop and they would be directed into their yard where Chris Yawns directed the parking.
Two-year-old Dixie Cross, of Brandon, discovered there’s nothing quite like a hot dog, after having her face painted. Her mom, Jamis Cross was ready with a napkin.
After waiting in a long line, Carolyn Bartow of Tampa, top center right, and her daughter, Alison Place, of Tampa, right, eat slices of Kumquat refrigerator pie, as Place’s 3-year-old daughter, Nora, waits from her stroller for a taste. They headed north to Dade City instead of attending Tampa’s Gasparilla, held the same day.

Pasco tourism ‘booming,’ officials say

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Tourism is “booming” in Pasco County and shows little signs of slowing down.

That was the message delivered by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore and Pasco County Tourism Director Adam Thomas during a recent appearance at a Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, right, and Pasco County Tourism Director Adam Thomas were the guest speakers at a Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce September meeting, at Golden Corral in Zephyrhills. Their talk centered on the county’s tourism efforts. (Kevin Weiss)

“We’re at the highest (tourism) levels ever,” said Moore, who joined Smith, as the featured speakers at the chamber’s September breakfast at the Golden Corral in Zephyrhills.

While Pasco County is not Orlando, Moore said it has much to offer.

Besides being a great place to live, to work and to play, it’s also a great place to visit, Moore said.

The speakers shared a number of tourism-related figures from January through June of this year. The figures were compiled with the help of Tallahassee firm Downs & St. Germain Research, which conducts the county’s quarterly and annual visitor profiles.

Here are some findings from that six-month period:

  • 451,000 people visited Pasco County, spending a combined $234 million
  • The stays represented 487,000 room nights
  • Hotel occupancy is up nearly 3 percent in Pasco County compared to last year, with hotels now averaging 75 percent occupancy
  • Tourism yielded $23 million in taxes, with $15 million in state and federal taxes, $8 million in local taxes
  • Tourism provided $83 million in income, with 3,645 jobs sustained by tourism in Pasco, representing 5 percent of all income and 7 percent of all jobs in the county
  • Tourism contributes $250 in state and local taxes, for each Pasco household

Those visiting the county apparently had a good experience.

Ninety percent of those responding to a survey said they would return, and 99 percent said they were satisfied with the county’s offerings.

Moore, who is chairman of the Pasco Tourist Development Council, is bullish that those promising figures will continue, noting that there are several projects and initiatives coming online the next few years.

Specifically, Moore mentioned the forthcoming Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex, a $44 million, 98,000-square-foot facility that broke ground in June.

The complex, expected to open in late 2019, will be able to host other sporting events and recreational activities, such as martial arts, wrestling, gymnastics, curling, badminton, soccer, lacrosse and pickleball. It will even play host to “unconventional sports tourism,” such as the World Championship of Cornhole.

Besides the indoor facility, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground.

Once complete, the facility will be one of the county’s “great assets,” Moore said.

“We’re going to have thousands of people come on the weekends for multiple tournaments, whether it be cheerleading or wrestling or volleyball or gymnastics — people from all over the nation, sometimes maybe even all over the world,” Moore said. “It’s exciting. We’re excited about that.”

Meanwhile, other future sports-related endeavors in Pasco include the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center in Zephyrhills and the Christopher N. Chiles Aquatic Center in Land O’ Lakes, each of which could become a magnet for hosting regional and national tournaments.

Smith said those facilities, plus the Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, which opened in January 2017, make Pasco an attractive sports tourism destination.

“The heartbeat of tourism right now is our sports,” Smith said, noting his office’s target audience is young families with children. “That’s our bread and butter.”

Smith, too, suggested the county’s inshore and offshore fishing offerings, as well as hiking, biking and walking trails all help create a bevy of other family friendly activities for those visitors who travel in for various sporting events and tournaments.

“We’re an outdoor recreation, ecotourism, adventure travel destination,” Smith said. “We have a lot to offer that a lot of other destinations don’t have, so we want to differentiate our product and sell what’s unique about our destinations.”

Another future selling point for Pasco is the return of scalloping, the speakers said.

For the first time since 1994, state waters off Pasco County were open to bay scallop harvest for a 10-day trial season in late July. Harvest areas included all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, as well as all waters of the Anclote River.

Moore said there may be additional scalloping days next year and a full scalloping season by 2020.

Moore also noted that without the scallop trial season, families would have otherwise traveled north to Hernando County, all but bypassing Pasco. “I’ve never seen that many boats in the water in Pasco County in my life. It was packed,” the commissioner said of the 10-day trial season.

Smith coined the popular family friendly activity “an underwater Easter egg hunt.”

“It’s a great opportunity for folks, not only around Florida or the southeast region of the United States, but all across the nation, to get in our waters, to explore our aquatic life and to have this experience to take home with them. …That’s the memories that we’re trying to create here for our guests and families — to come in and experience some of the things that we have on an annual basis,” Smith explained.

Aside from sports and outdoor activities, the tourism director said there’s also been a renewed emphasis to lure annual conventions and shows and corporate retreats, taking advantage of large meeting space at Saddlebrook Resort, Hyatt Place Wesley Chapel, and eventually the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex.

Published September 12, 2018

Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex breaks ground

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Construction has begun on a long-awaited sports field house in Wesley Chapel that is expected to provide more athletic and economic opportunities in Pasco County.

The June 7 groundbreaking ceremony for the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex attracted a crowd of more than 100 people, including a Who’s Who of Pasco County dignitaries.

The $44 million sports complex is being built at  3211 Lajuana Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, just off State Road 54, near The Shops at Wiregrass.

A groundbreaking ceremony on June 7 celebrated the start of construction for the new Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. (Kevin Weiss)

Members of the crowd came from all walks of life, including government officials, community leaders, business leaders, Wesley Chapel residents and representatives of sports organizations, local schools and universities.

They came to gather details about the 98,000-square-foot complex that will include eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a cheer and dance studio, a fitness center, and sports medicine and athletic training offerings.

The complex also will be able to host other sporting events and recreational activities such as martial arts, wrestling, gymnastics, curling, badminton, indoor soccer and lacrosse and pickleball.

In addition to the indoor gym, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground.

The Pasco County Commission approved the project as a public/private partnership in 2017.

RADD Sports, a private company, will operate and manage the sports complex.

The county will own the facility and share in anticipated profits.

The county also has a ground lease for an $18 million, 128-room Marriott Residence Inn that will be built with private funds at the complex. The hotel and its “suite-style” units will cater primarily to traveling sports teams and families as well as active business travelers looking to access the facility.

The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is set to open by late 2019.

It will operate on Monday through Thursday as a community-based sports center for youth, adults and seniors.

The $44 million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is expected to open in late 2019. The 98,000-square-foot complex will have eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a cheer and dance studio, a fitness center, and sports medicine and athletic training offerings. Also, besides the indoor gym, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground. (File)

Weekends will be set aside to host tournaments, competitions and other events that will generate hotel stays and tax revenues for the county.

Secondary uses of the complex include graduations, banquets, exhibits and concerts.

The facility is being built on land donated years ago by the Porter family – developers of Wiregrass Ranch.

Until recently, several proposals for such a facility on the land fell apart over the years, including one for a baseball complex in 2015 .

“This has been something that’s been on our minds for the past 15 years,” said Wiregrass Ranch developer J.D. Porter. “(We’re) trying to do something that’s very good for the community, bringing people into Pasco County.”

Pasco’s offerings continue to expand
The complex also adds to a growing list of premier, state-of-the art sports facilities in Wesley Chapel — and further markets the area as a sports tourism destination primarily for youth and amateur sports.

Other nearby offerings include Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, which opened in early 2017 as the largest hockey complex in the southeastern United States; Saddlebrook Resort & Spa, an upscale resort renowned for world-class golf and tennis training; and, Wesley Chapel District Park, which sits on 144 acres and contains 10 full-sized athletic fields and lighted outdoor tennis courts and basketball courts. Efforts also began recently in a quest to build a premier aquatics facility in Land O’ Lakes.

“Pasco County is rapidly positioning (itself) to be a leader in the nation in hosting sports events, and training athletes,” said RADD Sports president and CEO Richard Blalock.

Blalock last year estimated annual economic impact would be about $6.5 million for the new facility. Over 10 years, about $8 million or more in sales and use taxes would be generated, not including tourism taxes from hotel stays.

“We’re excited of the fact that it’s going to put itself where we can attract not only for the locals, but also state, regional, national and international events,” he said.

“It’s not just the out-of-state visitors that’ll come,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

“It’s our visitors from Orlando, our visitors from Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Miami. They’ll come here, they’ll visit our small businesses, they’re going to stay at our hotels, they’re going to buy our gas, our food, (and) they’re going to help our economy.”

Moore said amateur sports tourism is one of fastest-growing market segments of the travel industry, adding “Pasco County’s about to become a major player in this $10 billion-a-year industry.”

“When we say this is huge — it’s huge,” Moore said.

According to VisitFlorida, the state’s leading tourism resource, approximately 106 million non-resident visitors came to the state last year. Of that total, 16 million were drawn to Florida by its sports economy, representing about 15 percent of the state’s tourism economy.

But it’s about more than just tourism dollars and economic impact, said Pasco County Tourism Director Adam Thomas, who spent over a decade as a professional minor league baseball pitcher.

Thomas, who has two young children, underscored the social and competitive benefits of the facility for youth — the ability to participate in local tournaments that’ll host quality in-state and out-of-state teams and athletes.

“They’re going to be exposed to a different level of playing, so we’re going to raise the bar a little bit for our student-athletes,” he said.

Reactions to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex
“What a great opportunity we have to continue to grow the economic environment here (and) to attract people. For all those reasons everybody moves here…They’ll continue to come back because we have a great thing to offer here in Pasco County.” — J.D. Porter, Wiregrass Ranch developer

“This is going to change the game for our athletes in Pasco County, give them the opportunity to raise the level of play and, really have the opportunity for families and kids to get to college and playing those sports, so I think it’s a great opportunity,” —State Rep. Amber Mariano, R-Hudson

“This is huge. (People’s) ability to show up today just shows the importance of this project, not only to Pasco County tourism but the business community right here in Wesley Chapel,” — Adam Thomas, VisitPasco director

“I’m excited. I’ll continue to be excited. I can’t wait to see this thing moving. I’ll probably down here every day as this goes up because I live down the street,” — Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore

Published June 13, 2018

Tennis center secures management

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Plans to serve up more tennis opportunities for Zephryhills residents — while also creating a regional asset — have moved yet another step forward.

The Zephyrhills City Council on Oct. 9 unanimously approved a 20-year contract with Tennis P.R.O. Florida, LLC, to operate and mange the proposed Zephyrhills Tennis Center.

Tennis P.R.O. is owned by Pascal Collard, shown here. Collard was the director of tennis at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Wesley Chapel from 2003 to 2006. He most recently served as the tennis director at The Merion Cricket Club, a private club in Haverford, Pennsylvania. (Kevin Weiss)

Tennis P.R.O. is owned by Pascal Collard, who was the director of tennis at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Wesley Chapel from 2003 to 2006.

Most recently, he was tennis director at The Merion Cricket Club, a private club in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

Under the agreement, Tennis P.R.O. will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the facility, which will include providing lessons and running concessions. The firm also will handle memberships and fundraising.

Moreover, Collard’s company will pay $300,000 upfront for capital improvements to the facility — covered court, hitting walls, indoor and outdoor playground and so on.

The agreement also calls for the proposed facility to be open at least 80 hours per week, as weather permits.

“I’m very excited about starting as soon as possible,” Collard told council members.

“I’m already working on the marketing, trying to find out what can we do to make it a big success. We want the community to be involved. We’re also going to have a foundation, where we’re going to try to do a lot of outreach programs,” he said.

Council members unanimously agreed in May to enter negotiations with Tennis P.R.O. LLC, to operate and manage the proposed tennis facility. The firm was selected over Management Partners and Net Results.

The planned $2.19 million complex will include eight clay and two hard surface courts, two sheltered courts, two mini-courts and several pickleball courts, built to U.S Tennis Association (USTA) professional standards.

It also will feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second floor, if added, will include an observation deck overlooking the courts with concessions and a lounge for players.

This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), two sheltered courts, two mini-courts and several pickleball courts, built to U.S Tennis Association (USTA) professional standards.
The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a community room, and two office spaces. The project could break ground as soon as March.
(File)

The complex will be located on 4.7 acres of donated land at The District at Abbott’s Square, a new real estate development situated north of Dean Dairy Road and west of Simons Road.

Officials say the project could break ground as soon as March, with construction estimated at 12 to 16 months.

Once complete, it will be renamed Sarah Vande Berg Memorial Tennis Center, after the former Zephyrhills High School district champion who became a scholarship player on the University of South Carolina Upstate women’s tennis team. Vande Berg, the daughter of the Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg, died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015.

City Manager Steve Spina said the city will receive no revenues in the first three years of the complex opening, to help Tennis P.R.O. recoup its upfront costs. For the remainder of the agreement, however, the firm will pay rent to the city based on a percentage of its profits.

Spina said the public-private partnership resembles the one Zephyrhills has with the East Pasco Family YMCA, in which the city owns the building property, but outsources programming and facility management.

Meanwhile, recreation impact fees from The District at Abbott’s Square and other developments will be used to finance most of the facility’s construction costs, city officials say. The city also is looking into additional funding from USTA grants, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants, Penny for Pasco, and partnerships with Pasco County Parks and Recreation, and Pasco County Tourism.

Memberships, or hourly court rental fees, will be required to access the tennis facility, though Zephyrhills residents will see a price break compared to non-residents.

And, while those figures haven’t yet been configured, they are expected to mirror other clay-court tennis centers in nearby communities.

The eight-court Cindy Hummel Tennis Center, in Auburndale, has yearly memberships ranging from $75 to $171, for unlimited court access. Elsewhere, the 10-court Plant City Tennis Center offers individual annual passes for $350, and family annual passes for $700. Hourly court fees range from $1 to $7 at both facilities.

“If you go to Plant City, if you go Auburndale, if you go to Tampa — to have clay courts you have to have fees,” Spina said.

Aside from serving east Pasco residents, officials believe the new tennis complex could become a draw for college and USTA-sanctioned events.

“We think this is more than a local tennis club; we think it will be a regional asset,” Spina told the council.

“This is a feather in our cap,” said Alan Knight, council president.

“I’m excited about it,” said Lance Smith, council vice president. “I think it’s going to bring some people in here, and we don’t really have any idea how big this is going to be. …I think it’s going to be a great success. I’m looking forward to seeing it come along.”

Published Oct. 18, 2017

Firm selected to manage planned Zephyrhills tennis center

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The Zephyrhills City Council has selected a firm to run the city’s proposed tennis complex, the latest step in guiding the ambitious project forward.

During a May 22 meeting, council members unanimously agreed to enter negotiations with Pennsylvania-based firm Tennis P.R.O. LLC, to operate and manage the proposed tennis facility.

Construction could begin by year’s end.

This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court. The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second level, if added, will contain an observation deck, players lounge and concessions.
(File)

The council also considered Tennis Management Partners and Net Results, before making its choice.

Tennis P.R.O. is owned by Pascal Collard, the director of tennis at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Wesley Chapel from 2003 to 2006. He currently serves as the tennis director at The Merion Cricket Club, a private club in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

Once finalized, the public-private partnership agreement will first call for Tennis P.R.O. to offer input to the facility’s final engineered site design and architectural plans.

Elsewhere, the firm will be responsible for local tennis operations, and facilitating other elements such as membership and fundraising.

City Manager Steve Spina said the arrangement mirrors the one Zephyrhills has with the East Pasco Family YMCA, in which the city owns the building property, but outsources programming and facility management.

Councilman Lance Smith was enthusiastic about the concept.

“Having a professional firm that knows what they’re doing and can operate it properly is the way to go, in my mind,” Smith said.

The planned Zephyrhills Tennis Center will be located on 4.7 acres of donated land at The District at Abbott’s Square, a new real estate development situated north of Dean Dairy Road and west of Simons Road.

Renderings unveiled in November show the estimated $2.19 million project includes 10 courts — of which eight are clay and two are hard surface. Plans also show three mini-courts and one exhibition court, built to U.S Tennis Association (USTA) professional standards.

The planned tennis facility is expected to be named the Sarah Vande Berg Memorial Tennis Center, after the former Zephyrhills High School district champion who became a scholarship player on the University of South Carolina Upstate women’s tennis team. Vande Berg, the daughter of the Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg, tragically died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015.

The complex also is expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces.

Recreation impact fees from The District at Abbott’s Square and other developments will be used to finance most of the the facility’s construction costs, city officials say.
But, additional frills — such as a clubhouse and observation deck — would likely need to be financed by the city and other funding sources, including, USTA grants, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants, Penny for Pasco, and partnerships with Pasco County Parks and Recreation, and Pasco County Tourism.

Once operational, memberships will be required to access the facility.

However, Zephyrhills residents will get a price break.

Officials believe the tennis center could become a national draw for college and USTA-sanctioned events.

Meantime, the facility is expected to be named the Sarah Vande Berg Memorial Tennis Center, after the former Zephyrhills High School district champion who became a scholarship player on the University of South Carolina Upstate women’s tennis team.

Vande Berg, the daughter of the Zephyrhills planning director Todd Vande Berg, died in an automobile accident at the age of 21 in October 2015.

Earlier this month, the council voted unanimously to send the proposed tennis center name to a committee made up of city staffers who will vote on an official recommendation to the council, which is standard procedure under a city resolution that governs the naming of city facilities.

In other action, Zephyrhills City Hall will permanently close June 9, to make way for construction of a new city hall complex, at 5335 Eighth St. The temporary quarters will be housed at 5344 Ninth St.

Beginning June 12, city council meetings will be at the Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., for approximately one year.

Board meetings, including airport authority and planning commission, will also be at the library, during that period.

Published May 31, 2017

New tennis center on tap for Zephyrhills

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Pasco County residents longing for greater tennis opportunities soon will have that wish granted.

Todd Vande Berg, planning director for the city of Zephyrhills, unveiled plans for a two-story, outdoor tennis facility, designed to United States Tennis Association (USTA) standards.

The Zephyrhills City Council gave Vande Berg a consensus to proceed with an engineered site plan and an architect plan, at its Nov. 14 meeting.

The facility, presently known as the Zephyrhills Tennis Center, will be located on 4.7 acres of donated land at The District at Abbott’s Square, a new real estate development situated north of Dean Dairy Road and west of Simons Road.

This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court. The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second level, if added, will contain an observation deck, players lounge, and concessions. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)
This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court. The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second level, if added, will contain an observation deck, players lounge, and concessions.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The estimated $2.19 million project will likely include 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court.

The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces.

A second level, if added, will house an observation deck, players lounge, and concessions.

The facility was initially expected to feature a “50-50 mix” of five clay and five hard surface courts. However, the USTA advised Vande Berg to plan for additional soft surface, clay courts.

“Most people prefer playing on a soft court,” Vande Berg said. “Wherever you go now, most courts in Florida are going with a majority clay courts.”

Though ground has yet to break on the forthcoming project, the planning director has already received several inquiries for its use.

“A lot of interest is out there,” Vande Berg said. “I’ve gotten calls from people in New England who want to run the facility. We have colleges asking if it’s going to be available this summer for training.”

The facility, too, opens the door to hosting local and regional USTA-sanctioned events.

“We could bring in some pretty good sized tournaments,” Vande Berg said.

“It will be an economic draw for not only Zephyrhills, but all of Pasco County,” he said.

“You could bring in probably 50 to 100 kids and their families that would be staying the weekend to play in tournaments,” he added.

Vande Berg said the tennis center will be funded over the next two fiscal years. He noted that recreation impact fees from The District at Abbott’s Square and other developments should total about $2.13 million, all but financing the entire project.

Other possible funding sources include: USTA grants, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants, Penny for Pasco, and partnerships with Pasco County Parks and Recreation, and Pasco County Tourism.

“This isn’t a city of Zephyrhills project. This is a countywide project,” Vande Berg said. “There’s going to be a lot of countywide people using this facility.”

Memberships will be required to access the facility, though Vande Berg indicated that prices will be “more economical” for Zephyrhills residents, compared to non-residents.

“We need to fully vet that aspect out,” he said, “to see exactly what our community is comfortable with…”

Vande Berg and City Manager Steve Spina have sought direction from other tennis facilities in nearby communities, including Auburndale and Plant City.

The eight-court Cindy Hummel Tennis Center, in Auburndale, has yearly memberships ranging from $107 to $240, for unlimited court access. Meanwhile, the 10-court Plant City Tennis Center offers individual annual passes for $350, and family annual passes for $700.

In east Pasco, many residents have pleaded for additional tennis facilities and programming.

During a May open house at the Alice Hall Community Center in Zephyrhills, several residents told The Laker/Lutz News the foremost reason they use Zephyr Park is because of its tennis courts.

One east Pasco resident, Fred Hall, was particularly vocal about the subject. “The single most used thing in (the) park is the tennis courts,” Hall said, in May. “Those are used in the morning from 7 a.m., until the lights go off at night. Seven days a week.”

Published November 23, 2016

Tennis pro wants to grow sport in Pasco

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Jeanette Marcus wants tennis to flourish in east Pasco County.

Marcus, a certified USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association) instructor, operates the Dade-City based Tennis 4 U/Tennis Para Ti Inc.

The 56-year-old Marcus, a bilingual instructor, offers developmental and intermediate lessons for both youth and adults at her two-acre tennis facility, 35949 Bozeman Road in Dade City.

Jeanette Marcus, left, is shown here with John Isner, one of the top-ranked players on the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour. (Courtesy of Jeannette Marcus)
Jeanette Marcus, left, is shown here with John Isner, one of the top-ranked players on the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour.
(Courtesy of Jeannette Marcus)

For novices, she teaches the “basics,” including proper racket grip, groundstrokes, serves, singles and doubles strategy, and court etiquette.

For more avid players, she remedies shoddy technique.

Her youngest client is four years old. Her oldest? 89.

“The biggest thing with tennis,” she said, “is you have to have fun.”

Marcus, also a former assistant pro at Lake Jovita, says east Pasco is lacking in public tennis programs and opportunities — especially for underprivileged youth.

“It’s like there’s nothing here,” said Marcus, who moved to Dade City from Lutz about eight years ago. “Pasco is very limited.”

One problem, Marcus said, is the lack of public tennis courts throughout east Pasco.

“When you get into central Pasco and east Pasco, the parks (department) doesn’t recognize putting the money in courts,” she said. “Dade City has two courts, Wesley Chapel has four courts and Zephyrhills has five courts.”

The absence of USTA (United States Tennis Association)-sanctioned programming and leagues, too, is another issue.

“You’ve got to be a member at all these (country) clubs to be able to play on a league,” Marcus said. “A lot of the kids that I teach can’t join a country club.

If you cannot afford to pay a membership at a country club, you don’t have an opportunity to play.”

Despite living in Dade City, Marcus — along with fellow tennis buddies — often travels to Hillsborough County to find open courts.

“Lutz has well-maintained courts, they have lights, and there’s always somebody on them,” said Marcus, who also drives to Hillsborough Community College and Davis Islands for matches.

She added: “I’ve been working for years trying to get a new tennis center to east Pasco.”

Her wish may soon be a reality.

In Zephyrhills, plans are underway to construct a 10-court tennis facility on 4.7 acres of land at the District at Abbott’s Square.

The estimated $1.9 million project will likely be funded over the next two fiscal years, according to Todd Vande Berg, planning director for the city of Zephyrhills.

Half the courts will have Har-Tru, a brand of clay surfaces, Vande Berg said.

“A lot of facilities are going more towards the soft courts versus the hard courts,” the planning director said. “It’s so much easier on the body — the joints.”

The facility, Vande Berg added, will open the door for additional tennis opportunities and events, including USTA-sanctioned tournaments.

“The goal is to develop comprehensive tennis programs, and have memberships and league play,” he said.

The forthcoming project has Marcus excited.

“When Zephyrhills builds this, it’s going to be nice,” she said. “You’ve got to have a court where your kids can practice on.”

One request of hers is roofing.

“The rain is a very frustrating thing,” Marcus said. “I don’t consider tennis to be an outdoor sport anymore. Our big, big events — the U.S. Open in New York, the French Open, Wimbledon — they’ve all had to make indoor courts.”

Vande Berg said partially covered courts are a possibility if partnerships are forged between local steel and aluminum companies.

“It would really be a windfall, especially in Florida with the rain that we get,” he said. “There would be demand. …There’s a cost, but there’s a real opportunity there.”

Funding options for the tennis facility include recreation impact fees, Penny for Pasco, various USTA grants, and partnerships with Pasco County Parks and Recreation and Pasco County Tourism.

Published November 2, 2016