SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Federation of Rowing Associations (FISA) announced this week that Nathan Benderson Park (NBP) in Sarasota County, Florida has been selected to host the 2017 World Rowing Championships. Set for fall 2017, this is only the second time the event will be held in the United States and the first time it will be held in Florida. The last event was held 30 years ago in Indianapolis.
"Our team has been working so intensely on this bid for the past 10 months, to see our dream now realized is an incredible moment," says Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County. "We now have this opportunity to show off our wonderful community and our hospitality to the world,"
FISA officials cited the park's close proximity to I-75, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, beaches, shopping and the year-round nice climate as reasons for choosing the venue.
The potential for significant international exposure of Sarasota County is strong. More than 2,000 athletes hailing from more than 70 countries and an estimated 40,000 spectators are expected to attend the event and it will be broadcast to an estimated 130 million people across the globe.
In the past several years, VSC has provided support in hosting elite-level rowing and aquatic competitions at NBP. In August 2013, the U.S. Masters Rowing Championship lauded the park for its exceptional quality and injected the region with substantial economic impact. In coming years, the park will host the International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Races, as well as other elite rowing events for both Olympic-caliber, scholastic and collegiate level rowers. NBP is also well-known in the national rowing community as an ideal venue for training, particularly in the winter months.
For more information on Sarasota County visit http://visitsarasota.org or contact Visit Sarasota County's Communications Manager, Lynn Hobeck Bates at lhobeck@visitsarasota.org. For more information on Nathan Benderson Park visit http://worldclassrowing.com.
About Sarasota County
Located on Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast, Sarasota County offers a vibrant arts and cultural scene, a diverse array of culinary experiences and a variety of opportunities to take advantage of the clear waters and the great outdoors. Sarasota County provides the quintessential, laid-back beach getaway with numerous sprawling, white-sand beaches, including Siesta Key Beach, named "America's Best Beach" in 2011 by Stephen Leatherman, aka, Dr. Beach. Dubbed "Home of the American Circus," Sarasota County served as the headquarters for the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus for 75 years, and visitors can experience its unique circus heritage first-hand by following the circus trail or catching a performance by one of two local circus companies. For more information on visiting Sarasota County, visit http://visitsarasota.org or call (800) 522-9799.