2018 NHL All-Star Weekend Earns Prestigious Florida Sports Foundation Award

JACKSONVILLE, FL - The Florida Sports Foundation (FSF), the state’s leading sports promotion and development organization, presented five awards to recognize Florida communities and sports commissions for their outstanding efforts in sports tourism in the State of Florida.  The events were awarded or held between April 16, 2017 to May 1, 2018.

The awards were presented at the FSF’s annual Sports Summit, held this year in Jupiter, held in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.  The awards presented included:

• Best Awarded Event of the Year: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Golf Championships, Palm Beach County Sports Commission
• Large Market Event of the Year: NHL All-Star Weekend, Tampa Bay Sports Commission (Jan. 26-28, 2018)
• Mid-Market Event of the Year: 2017 World Rowing Championships at Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota County Sports Commission (held Sept. 23-Oct. 1, 2017)
• Small Market Event of the Year: Ocala Jockey Club International, Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau (held Nov. 15-18, 2017)
• Small Market Venue of the Year: Rotary SportPlex of Marion County, Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau

FSF’s current President and CEO, Angela Sugg also introduced the inaugural Larry Pendleton Award, named in honor the Foundation’s founding president.  The first recipient of the award went to Rob Higgins, the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission for his outstanding dedication and exceptional service to sports tourism and development. 

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