The City of Florence has received the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Award for its sports tourism efforts. The city won in the economic development category. Forty cities and towns submitted their projects and initiatives for consideration in the annual awards.
Cultivating excellent recreational opportunities has long been a goal for the City of Florence’s comprehensive plan, and this focus has come to include sports tourism as well, allowing the community to invest in itself as a vibrant economic hub.
Florence’s expanding slate of sports facilities, drawing people from across the region and even the nation, now includes the 30-court Dr. Eddie Floyd Tennis Center, the 14-field Florence Soccer Complex, and the multipurpose Freedom Florence Recreation Complex. The newest facility, the Florence Sports Complex, is home to Carolina Bank Field, where the Coastal Plan League baseball team, the Florence Flamingos, play, as well as five Little League fields, a high-school baseball field and a collegiate-level track.
The city used installment and hospitality revenue bonds to fund the approximately $35.6 million construction costs of its newest facilities. Land donations came from the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation and philanthropist Dr. Edward Floyd. The facilities, spread among the city’s neighborhoods and commercial districts, have easy interstate highway access and trail system connections.
Planning for future expansions at every step, the city now aims to solidify its status as a premier sports destination with a four-field multipurpose complex, and an expansion of the three-court Pearl Moore Basketball Center with an arena-style facility.
“With a clear vision in place, the City of Florence is seeing economic success by not only building sport complexes to fit the needs of the community, but also positioning themselves as a destination for sports tourism,” said Todd Glover, executive director for the Municipal Association.
These winning entries represent innovative projects undertaken by Municipal Association member cities and towns. Information and a video about the project are available on the Association’s website www.masc.sc (keyword: Achievement Awards).
The Municipal Association of SC initiated the Achievement Awards in 1987 to recognize and encourage innovations and excellence in local government.
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