CFP Exec Dir Bill Hancock on Wednesday said that renovations to Sun Life Stadium will "enhance but won't assure that South Florida will be chosen to host a national championship game before the end of the decade," according to Craig Davis of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. Hancock "led a delegation that toured the stadium, hotels and other facilities this week in evaluating South Florida's bid" for the '18 championship game. The CFP is "considering nine sites contending to host title games" in '18, '19 and '20. South Florida is "in an all-or-nothing sweepstakes for the first of them, Jan. 8, 2018." The '19 game "was not an option because Sun Life will be used for a semifinal that season," and a bid was not submitted for '20 because the region is "putting resources into a quest to host the Super Bowl." Santa Clara, Houston and Atlanta, which will "have a new stadium opening" in '17, are also "vying" for the '18 game. Hancock said that the site will be "chosen in early November." Hancock: "I am very intrigued by what's happening with the stadium here. It will position the city in a better place to host big-time events like ours" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 8/20).
PRIZED MONEY: In Jacksonville, David Bauerlein noted the '16 football game between Notre Dame and Navy at EverBank Field "won support Wednesday" from the Duval County (Fla.) Tourism Development Council, "making it the latest big-time sports event to receive a share of hotel bed taxes." The tourism council "voted to set aside $125,000 for the game and will decide on spending another $125,000 at a later date." Other sports events that got grants Wednesday "were $100,000 for Jacksonville hosting the Southeast Conference’s women’s basketball tournament next March; $420,000 toward the Tax Slayer Bowl in January; $60,000 for the Florida-Georgia football game in October; and $15,000 for the USA Curling National Championship in February" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 8/20).
