Panama City Beach’s new Sports Complex, managed by Sports Facilities Management (SFM), is now open. On Monday morning, United States Fastpitch Association (USFA) World Series week one opened up the complex, with the first rounds of a 130-team tournament.
“We are so excited to open the doors and begin with the USFA World Series,” shares SFM General Manager of the Panama City Beach Sports Complex J.D. Wood. “It has been a team effort with hundreds of construction workers and our staff working hard to make sure that the fields are ready this week. We are welcoming athletes from all over the country to experience the brand new facility and enjoy our beautiful beaches and off-the-field activities as well.”
The Panama City Beach Sports Complex features nine Astroturf fields with zcap cooling system, four natural grass fields Bermuda 419, Qualite LED sports lighting, a dedicated tournament buildings, two championship fields with seating up to 1,500, within the multipurpose layout we can also have 10 youth softball fields and 5 full size baseball fields. “This project started as just an idea and has had a lot of moving pieces, and a lot of meetings and decisions leading up to this day,” Director of Sports Marketing and Special Events of Visit Panama City Beach. “So to have it all come together is a great feeling. As soon as we opened up the gate we had the first 12 teams from places like Texas, Indiana, Kentucky all streaming in and softball girls warming up and it was awesome to see it come alive.”
Although there are still minor construction tasks to be completed, local engineering firm Anchor Consulting, and local construction team of Phoenix and GAC have worked around the clock to get the project ready for play.
The brand-new $37 million complex offers visitors on ‘play-cation’ a place to enjoy multiple sports and activities on its 13-field complex. A 2017 study projected that in its first year of operation, the Panama City Beach Sports Complex will generate $867,000 in gross revenues, or $580,000 in income after expenses. The bookings already confirmed on the complex’s calendar are anticipated to generate 37,000 room nights at hotels in the area, bringing an estimated $13.9 million into Bay County’s economy. The official grand opening including special festivities for Bay County residents will take place on Saturday, October 5 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Panama City Beach’s Sports Complex is funded exclusively by tourism tax dollars and made possible through a public-private partnership with the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, St. Joe Company and Bay District Schools. More information on the new complex can be found at www.playpanamacitybeach.com. A link of renderings can be found here. If you are interested in booking tournaments or trainings, please contact J.D. Wood at [email protected].
About Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is situated on 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering clear, emerald-green waters where the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay converge. With 320 days of sunshine annually and attractions such as St. Andrews State Park and Pier Park, the region has long been favored by travelers seeking an affordable beach vacation with year-round offerings for families, couples, groups and adventure-seekers. These include championship golf courses, spas, sporting events, award-winning dining and diverse recreational activities.
In addition, Panama City Beach’s Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport offers non-stop flights on Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. For more information, call 850-233-5070 or visit the official website of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau at http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com. Live HD video of the world-famous beach is now available at http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/webcam/. Stay connected with Panama City Beach on Twitter (@Visit_PCB), Instagram (@Visit_PCB) and Facebook (@Visit_PCB).
About Panama City Beach Sports Complex:
The Panama City Beach Sports Complex is located within the Breakfast Point development and is the premier destination for travel sports tourism in the Florida panhandle. The facility features 13 rectangular fields including nine with artificial surfaces and two championship fields. The flexible design allows for soccer, lacrosse, rugby, football and flag football, as well as baseball and softball to be played. The Panama City Sports Complex is a facility managed by Sports Facilities Management, LLC. For more information, visit: www.playpanamacitybeach.com.
