PRESS RELEASE
AAU FLORIDA GYMNASTICS SELECTS
CHARLOTTE HARBOR EVENT & CONFERENCE CENTER FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Championship Will be the First Sporting Event at the
New Multi-Use Event and Conference Center
CHARLOTTE HARBOR & THE GULF ISLANDS, Fla. (July 8, 2008) – Florida gymnasts will convene in Punta Gorda this December when the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center hosts its first sporting event by welcoming the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Fall State Gymnastics Championship. Five hundred to 700 female athletes between the ages of 4 and 18 are anticipated to compete during the two-day championship, December 13 and 14, 2008.
“Being the first sporting event at the new event and conference center is an honor,” says Kathy Steunkel, District Chair for Florida AAU Gymnastics, “Because of the new facility we’re able to bring a gymnastics event of this size to Charlotte Harbor.”
The Charlotte Harbor Visitor’s Bureau worked closely with Steunkel, founder of Horizon Gymnastics & Dance Academy in Port Charlotte, to secure the championship by compiling a winning bid packet. According to Sean Doherty, the Bureau’s Sports Marketing Manager, the proposal showcased the capabilities of the new event center, the variety of accommodations and the area’s unique attractions and amenities.
While this will be the first sporting event hosted at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center, the Charlotte Harbor Visitor’s Bureau is accustomed to hosting championship tournaments and events. These range from professional fishing tournaments to triathlons and collegiate baseball tournaments to BMX championship races.
“Having a venue the caliber of the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center means the destination can look forward to hosting additional indoor sporting events such as boxing, martial arts and cheerleading,” said Becky Bovell, Director for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor’s Bureau, “We’ve demonstrated we can successfully accommodate outdoor sporting events and we’re now equipped to host indoor sporting tournaments and championships.”
Horizon Gymnastics & Dance Academy is the host club for the event and can be contacted at (941) 627-5342. For updated schedule information on the AAU Fall State Gymnastics Championship, visit the AAU Florida Gymnastics Web site at www.teamfloridagymnastics.net.
About AAU
The AAU was founded in 1888 to foster amateur athletics among young men and women. It is one of the largest non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. The multi-sport organization is comprised of more than 500,000 athletes in 34 sports programs and 250 national championships.
About Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination. Known for its pristine beauty, the area has hosted seven major feature films, been featured on SAIL magazine’s list of the “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as the “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” For more information about area events, activities and attractions, contact the Charlotte Harbor Florida Visitor’s Bureau, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte, FL; (941) 743-1900, or call toll free at (800) 652-6090 for a free Visitor’s Guide; or visit the Web site at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.
Contact:
Jennifer Huber
Tourism Public Relations Manager
Charlotte Harbor Visitor's Bureau
Tel: (941) 743-1900
jennifer.huber@charlottefl.com
Charlotte County Visitor’s Bureau
18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502
Port Charlotte, FL 33948
941-743-1900, FAX: 941-743-2245
www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com
