Byline: Monica Scott
Aug. 2--TAVARES, Fla. -- Sports officials say Lake has been missing out on a lucrative market by failing to invest in sports complexes and fields that draw major regional and national events.
'Lake County is missing out on a great economic opportunity because it lacks sports complexes and fields,' said Chet Lemon, a Lake resident and president of the Florida Amateur Athletic Union. 'We have had to go away from Lake to do our major events that bring in huge sums of revenue.'
Lemon, a former Detroit Tigers player, said the state AAU has more than 500 teams and its events bring players, their families, friends and sports enthusiasts for several days. And all those people would need lodging, food and entertainment.
The Central Florida Sports Commission says Lake could host any type of sporting event if it had four types of venues. The commission, which recruits events for Lake and other Central Florida counties, discussed the possibilities during Wednesday's county Tourist Development Council.
The list of venues -- a multi-field baseball complex, a softball stadium/complex, civic center/multipurpose facility, and a soccer complex -- will be used for planning.
Scott Aldrich, Lake sports-marketing manager for the commission, developed the proposed venues based on information from bidding for and hosting events. The list included no price tags or locations.
This spring, the council recommended a proposal to double the hotel tax to 4 percent to generate another $700,000 a year. If approved, one proposal is to use the money to build one of the venues -- a multipurpose indoor athletic complex in Clermont as well as other sports facilities and to boost marketing.
The County Commission is expected to discuss the proposal in the fall.
Mike Stone, president of the Lake Soccer League Inc., also says the county is way behind in capitalizing on a growing market and should invest in facilities.
'I don't think there is any doubt the demand is there,' Stone said.
'Greater Orlando has up to 600 teams and are begging for complexes to host tournaments.'
Greg Mihalic, county economic development and tourism director, said the county is looking to become partners with cities and other public agencies to develop facilities. He said they are talking with Leesburg about a softball complex at its planned Sleepy Hollow Recreation Complex.
'I think it's becoming clearer and clearer that sports is one of the crucial components that we need to be pursuing,' Mihalic said of economic development. 'Only the facilities are holding us back.'
So far, there has been no vocal opposition to the plan, but some city and business officials say the process needs to move more slowly. Among the concerns is what venues should be built -- and where they should be. The proposed multipurpose complex is aimed at enhancing the USA Triathlon National Training Center campus, which is under development in Clermont.
Its emergence has driven discussions about the niche market for sports.
The campus is aimed at attracting world-class athletes and teams to its equipment and Olympic-size pool.
Mihalic said the county needs quality venues across the county to compete for events.
County Commissioner Debbie Stivender, a TDC member, said the breakdown of fields and complexes will be helpful as the county attempts to map out where it needs to have parks. She said she is leaning toward supporting the hotel-tax proposal.
'It's taxing people coming into town and a way to get facilities to bring people here [Lake] to help promote tourism and the economic base.'
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(c) 2002. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
