The Lake County Board of County Commissioners, Visit Lake and The Florida Region of USA Volleyball are hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Hickory Point Beach Athletics Center. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 27341 State Road 19, Tavares.
The $1.8 million facility, fully funded through Lake County’s Tourist Development Tax, will support Florida’s largest permanent sand volleyball complex, as well as soccer fields, fishing docks and nature trails, at the Hickory Point Recreational Park on Little Lake Harris in Tavares. The Athletics Center includes a clubhouse, locker rooms, meeting space, training room, officials’ room, concessions and public restrooms. It is designed to attract additional tournaments to Lake County and increase sports tourism in the area.
“Hickory Point has become the sporting destination we envisioned four years ago,” said Lake County Commissioner and Tourist Development Council Chairman Tim Sullivan. “This athletics center will pay for itself many times over, attracting athletes and their families to enjoy sporting in Lake County and encouraging them to discover why we are Real Florida. Real Close.”
Immediately following the ribbon-cutting ceremony the athletics center is proud to host the 2019 Sunshine State Athletic Conference High School Jamboree – the season kickoff event for high school beach volleyball teams across Florida. During the event, athletes will have the opportunity to compete against other schools outside of their respective districts; athletes and coaches will also receive training.
“We will be able to build on the momentum established since the sand volleyball complex opened in July 2014 and enhance our future local, regional, national, and international events,” said Steve Bishop, Executive Director/President of Florida Region of USA Volleyball, Inc. “The support and shared vision by Lake County staff and the Lake County Board of County Commissioners has been extraordinary.”
