Panel discusses economic impact of new Seminole County indoor sports complex
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Panel discusses economic impact of new Seminole County indoor sports complex
Seminole County has worked to develop an indoor sports complex for years. The county created a Tourism Improvement District earlier this year. The TID generates revenue from a $1.75 nightly per-room fee for hotels with 60 or more rooms. An initial plan to build a 172,000-square-foot indoor facility with an additional parking deck is expected to cost up to $100 million. But the county will need additional funding sources if they plan to building a facility that costs that much.”There is big business in sports tourism, especially amateur sports business,” hotel chief says.
The Seminole County Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel featuring a conversation about the economic impact of the project and how it will be funded.
For years, the county has worked to develop an indoor sports complex at Moores Station Fields, which is near the existing Boombah Sports Complex on Lake Mary Boulevard.
Robert Agrusa is the CEO of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association and said the project will be an economic driver to businesses throughout the county.
“There is big business in sports tourism, especially amateur sports business. So we want to keep driving that to our destination,” Agrusa said.
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Earlier this year, the county created a Tourism Improvement District (TID), which generates revenue from a $1.75 nightly per-room fee for hotels with 60 or more rooms. They estimate it will generate $3.2 million annually, which they could put toward building an indoor sports facility that would attract more tournaments and events.
“This protects their assets from the ownership standpoint like no other investment in Seminole County,” Economic Development and Tourism Director Gui Cunha said.
[MORE: Seminole County leaders propose new district for sports tourism]
An initial plan to build a 172,000-square-foot indoor facility with an additional parking deck is expected to cost up to $100 million. A second option without a parking deck could cost around $66 million,
However, the county will need additional funding sources if they plan to build a facility that costs that much.
Commissioner Andria Herr, who attended the panel, said she expects to see changes to the project and wants to make sure any funding decision is a responsible one.
“My concern has always been that we make the most fiscally-responsible decision that builds a center, that gets the hoteliers what they need because they’re doing this, and that the community is served and it’s not serving the complex,” Herr said.
In May, commissioners gave county staff approval to find an expert who can help refine their vision and how they will pay for it.
[WATCH: Seminole County revises plan for indoor sports venue]