There are over 150 sports commissions in the U.S. which face
the everyday challenge of luring sporting events to their
community. The Orlando Area Sports Commission recently made a
bold bid to lure the Buccaneers from Tampa as a way to boost the
area's sports persona. Although that bid may fail, the OASC has
been busy securing events for the future. Commission President
Randy Johnson told THE SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY that one of their
strategies "is to create the feel that we are on the doorstep of
the Olympics, because in fact, we are." Johnson said Orlando is
"one of five cities that will actually have Olympic games held
within their city" -- soccer in July '96. Other Olympic-related
events planned for the Orlando area include the Handball National
Junior Olympics in December and the USA Olympic Boxing team in
June for a 10-day training camp. Johnson said they may also bid
to bring Dream Team III to train and play an exhibition game in
Orlando.
PRIVATE MONEY: Johnson also addressed the challenges in
attracting private and corporate financing. Johnson: "One of
the tests or quantifiers of success in the eyes of public funders
is if we have ignited the interest of our private, corporate
community. ... What they are asking us to do is to get our
private corporations more and more involved, and it is a great
concept, even though our operating cost will always need to be
publicly funded. ... I have made the commitment that within five
years we will have spending parity with private vs. public
funding. I think that is a very reachable and reasonable goal"
(THE DAILY).
