New Sports Commission Formed to Attract Major Sport Events
From: News Release   Filed 5/25/08   GCN

A new Sports Commission, that can generate up to $200 million in economic impact from major sporting events on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was announced at a press conference on Friday in Gulfport.

John Dane, Chairman and CEO of Trinity Yachts and an Olympic sailor (Photo right), serves as Chairman of the Board of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission (MGCSC).

“Our mission is to become the community organizer that will bring together our cities, counties, state government, sports and business leaders, casinos, and tourism organizations to promote, attract and market local, state, regional, and national sporting events,” Dane said.

Scott Ratcliff, Executive Director of MGCSC, suggested (Photo left) the Mississippi Gulf Coast can attract and develop major PGA TOUR events, college bowl games, NFL preseason games, and high school football, baseball and basketball championships that can bring visitors and millions in economic impact..

Dane said the Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission (MGCSC) will be privately funded through membership contributions from business organizations and individuals interested in seeing the Mississippi Gulf Coast host major sporting events. The first year budget is approximately $250,000, which will be controlled by a twenty-three (23) member Board of Directors.

Ratcliff said there are immediate opportunities to attract events to the coast and offered as an example the AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL EVENT that could have an immediate economic impact of $2.5 million and bring national TV coverage for the event.

Dane said, “We all know the tremendous economic impact and the worldwide media coverage that The SUGAR BOWL brings to New Orleans each year. That event began with a few community leaders sitting around a table developing a vision, and the willingness to invest a few dollars to promote a sporting event created there at that table. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission (MGCSC) is our first step toward that type vision sharing and bringing together the considerable assets we have here in our three Coastal Counties of Mississippi.”

Ratcliff offered statistics from similar Sports Commissions in Kansas City and Birmingham to demonstrate the potential. Since 1990 Kansas City has produced $600 million in economic impact from sporting events, and since 1992 the Birmingham Sports Commission has generated $510 million in economic impact.