Lee sports director speaks at chamber luncheon
Lee County Sports Authority Executive Director Jeff Mielke relayed a positive message about the progress his agency has experienced since its inception in 2003 at the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Thursday at Big Game Bar & Grill. He is the key figure for marketing the region as a destination for state, national and international sporting events and sports business.
The sports development agency was created due to the development of sports becoming a big business in the county. It is 100 percent funded by the county bed tax, a five percent tax added to visitors’ room rates.
Mielke said his office’s benchmark increased from generating 25,000 hotel room nights in 2003 to 95,000 in 2009 -a 300 percent jump in sports tourism business. His office handles sports events ranging from USA Swimming, youth soccer, rugby, tennis, cheerleading, fishing tournaments and other amateur sports.
“It’s an exciting time for sports in our community,” said Mielke. “Our job is to bring in sports events that wouldn’t otherwise be here. We get to use some of the most amazing sports facilities that the state has to offer.”
The unnamed Cape Coral aquatic complex was one county sports project which Mielke provided detail about. He said the reason for building new facilities was due to the maximum potential reached in existing venues.
“In a five year period, we really maximized all of our fields and indoor space whether it be Germain Arena, Harborside or Estero Community Center,” Mielke said. “If we are going to make another quantum leap, we have to build new facilities. An aquatic center is one area we are seriously deficient in. We need a bigger facility that will not only meet the original intended use of the FGCU facility but will expand upon what I think will make us an aquatic swimming destination. An aquatic center we are talking about building would potentially host the Olympic trials.”
Mielke also expanded on events happening on the Beach during the next few months. Two events -the Beach Soccer Championships and National High School Gymnastics Organization Senior Championships- are slated to happen during the weekend of May 22-23. A third is under negotiations.
“(The Beach Soccer Championships) can potentially become the second largest beach soccer festival in the United States,” said Mielke. “When they came down here and saw the beach in front of the Holiday Inn, they were amazed. We signed a three-year contract.
“That same weekend at (Bay Oaks Recreational Center) we are going to host the National High School Gymnastics Association Senior Championships. That will be over a four-day period. We are also negotiating with a sport called Brazilian Foot Volleying, a combination of a soccer and volleyball over-the-net sport where you can’t use your hands. It’s something that is very prominent on the East Coast of Florida.”
Mielke also mentioned the Open Water Swimming Festival occuring off of Fort Myers Beach a few weeks later.
“USA Swimming became very involved in Lee County because of the Fort Myers Beach event,” he said. “That’s how we got to know USA Swimming and gain its trust. That’s a reason why they have really thrown their support in building the aquatic center because they understand what kind of community we are and the kind of support we give our sports programs.”
Lee sports director speaks at chamber luncheon
Lee County Sports Authority Executive Director Jeff Mielke relayed a positive message about the progress his agency has experienced since its inception in 2003 at the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Thursday at Big Game Bar & Grill. He is the key figure for marketing the region as a destination for state, national and international sporting events and sports business.
The sports development agency was created due to the development of sports becoming a big business in the county. It is 100 percent funded by the county bed tax, a five percent tax added to visitors’ room rates.
Mielke said his office’s benchmark increased from generating 25,000 hotel room nights in 2003 to 95,000 in 2009 -a 300 percent jump in sports tourism business. His office handles sports events ranging from USA Swimming, youth soccer, rugby, tennis, cheerleading, fishing tournaments and other amateur sports.
“It’s an exciting time for sports in our community,” said Mielke. “Our job is to bring in sports events that wouldn’t otherwise be here. We get to use some of the most amazing sports facilities that the state has to offer.”