Bonita Springs, Fla. – The coaches, players and fans of the 2014 Gulf Coast Showcase will enjoy luxury accommodations just minutes away from the action as Lee County’s top resort destination, the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs, serves as the official host resort for this November’s tournaments. The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau champions the move to bring host accommodations back to Lee County as the event is estimated to generate more than $1 million in economic impact for the local community.
“We are very happy to be working with the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau to bring these fine student athletes, their coaches, families and supporters to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort,” said Joseph A. Murgalo, Jr., General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort. “Our dedicated staff is ready to provide the highest level of hospitality and service to make their experience truly memorable.”
With more than 2,000 visitors expected, restaurants, hotels, rental car agencies and retail outlets throughout Southwest Florida are expected to benefit from the event. Consider the statistics:
- Most team travel parties are a minimum of 20 people; some will top 30
- Most teams, officials and fans will stay a minimum of four nights; given the Thanksgiving holiday, many of the fans and officials typically book longer stays
- According to VCB stats, the average adult tourist will spend more than $150 a day while in Southwest Florida
“We are proud to welcome back this premiere event for its second year in our community,” said Jeff Mielke, Executive Director of the Lee County Sports Development. “There is no doubt that the field of teams will bring great exposure to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel this November.”
The 2014 men’s tournament will be played Nov. 24-26, 2014 featuring some of the top mid-major teams in the country and will include the FGCU Eagles making the 4.2 mile trek south to Germain Arena. Following a day off on Thanksgiving, the women’s field will be played on Nov. 28-30, 2014 and is headlined by nine-time and defending national champion Connecticut Huskies.
All-session ticket packages for the 2014 Gulf Coast Showcase will go on-sale on Friday, April 18th at www.germainarena.com. Single session tickets will go on-sale to the public this summer once the tournament brackets are released.
For complete information, visit www.gulfcoastshowcase.com or follow on Twitter at @GCShowcase.