Hillsborough County Celebrates State-of-the-Art Facility Opening December 2018

TAMPA, FL – On Thursday, Nov. 1, Hillsborough County along with partners, held a ceremony to celebrate progress on the Hillsborough County Tournament SportsPlex, a state-of-the-art, “tournament-only” facility that will host championship-level athletic events and draw teams from across the country.

Centrally located in the heart of Hillsborough County, less than 25 minutes from Tampa International Airport and 15 minutes from downtown Tampa (on Columbus Drive between U.S. Highway 301 and Falkenburg Road), the Tournament SportsPlex will showcase 15 fully lit multipurpose fields, capable of hosting a multitude of sports such as soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey, ultimate frisbee, rugby, and cricket. This facility also features many notable “firsts” for a County sports complex, including:

• High-tech LED lighting that will bring a new dimension to night games, while cutting energy consumption by up to 65 percent
• Wireless internet access throughout the complex
• A championship field with bleacher seating, adjacent to a large vendor village area
• A robotic field striper that uses GPS to automatically line fields

Championed by Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, the $17 million Tournament SportsPlex emanated from a strong partnership between Hillsborough County, the Tampa Sports Authority, and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. Owned and built by Hillsborough County, the complex will be managed by the Tampa Sports Authority. Construction is funded by the County, with additional funding through the Tourist Development Tax and support courtesy of the Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council.

The Hillsborough County Tournament SportsPlex is expected to attract events in the booming youth and amateur sports market, as well as top adult and senior athletic competitions, bringing thousands of visitors to the area. A feasibility study projects the SportsPlex will produce an economic impact of $7.3 million in its first year, and $25 million in the fifth year. The first major tournament has already been secured, with the United States Flag and Touch Football League’s National Championships scheduled for Martin Luther King weekend (Jan. 18-20, 2019). 

Additional information on the Hillsborough County Tournament SportsPlex, here.