Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: July 29, 2025
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: N/A
FROM: Ray Walls, Deputy Director, OCCC
CONTACT: Ray Walls
PHONE: 407-685-5684
DIVISION: Fiscal and Operational Support Division
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approval of the Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee’s recommendations for sports incentive funding pursuant to the terms and conditions of funding agreements between Visit Orlando and the following applicants and authorization for Visit Orlando to enter into such agreements as follows: (1) $20,000 per year, for a total of $100,000, to the Greater Orlando Sports Commission to be used as bid fees for the Easter International Cup 2026-2030 and (2) $25,000 per year, for a total of $125,000, to Greater Orlando Sports Commission to be used as bid fees for the Presidential Classic 2027-2031. (Fiscal and Operational Support Division)
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PROJECT: Sports Incentive Committee Funding Requests
PURPOSE: On November 1, 2016, the Board authorized consolidated sports funding under the tourist development plan for incentivizing sporting events in Orange County venues. Since 2017, Visit Orlando has provided professional assistance in evaluating sports incentive funding proposals before the Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee (SIC). Sports incentive funds are held in a separate Visit Orlando account. On October 22, 2019, the Board approved a new tourism promotion agreement pursuant to which Visit Orlando will now administer both the evaluation of proposals and enter into funding agreements with applicants after the SIC funding recommendations have been approved by the Board. On May 21, 2024, the Board approved an amendment to the 2019 agreement with Visit Orlando whereby Visit Orlando will fund up to $10 million annually for incentivizing sporting events as part of this program and allowing that amount to grow in fiscal year 2028 based on increasing Tourist Development Tax collections.
At its July 28, 2025 meeting, the SIC recommended approval of two funding requests after hearing presentations from the respective applicants. Visit Orlando’s staff also provided an evaluation of the proposals for consideration by the SIC.
Easter International Cup 2026-2030 The SIC recommended approval of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission’s (GOSC) request of $20,000 per year, for a total of $100,000, to be used as bid fees for the 2026-2030 Easter International Cup to be held at Heroes Community Park in Lake Nona in either March or April of each year. The event is a youth soccer tournament spanning four days that caters to youth from across the United States between the ages of 10 though 19. Orange County attendance is projected at 14,000 per year, including approximately 1,300 non-local unique participants and coaches. Annual room night projections are 2,200 and the estimated economic impact of the event is approximately $2 million each year.
Presidential Classic 2027-2031 The SIC recommended approval of GOSC’s request of $25,000 per year, for a total of $125,000, to be used as bid fees for the 2027-2031 Presidential Classic event to be held at the Orange County Convention Center over three days in either January or February of each year. The event, owned and operated by USA Competitions, is a boys and girls youth amateur gymnastics invitational that has grown to be one of the largest youth team gymnastics invitationals in the United States and most recently attracted teams from 14 countries. Total combined attendance for the event is expected to be 18,000 annually, with a generation of 3,000 room nights each year, and an economic impact of approximately $3 million per year.
BUDGET: N/A