Seminole County is doubling down on its sports tourism strategy with plans for a hefty indoor sports complex near Sanford Airport and the existing Boombah Sports Complex on Lake Mary Boulevard. The vision includes transforming Seminole County into a go-to destination for sport-related travel, banking on the region's already established reputation for hospitality and its strategic location in Central Florida.
The proposed facility, which could encompass up to 180,000 square feet of prime athletic real estate, aims to drive a whopping $2 billion economic impact by hosting events like indoor soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, and karate. Guilherme “Gui” Cunha, director of the Office of Economic Development and Tourism, stated, as per WFTV, "When it comes to sports tourism visitation, we’re a player in that market.”
Economic projections are optimistic, with the facility's potential to host sports like volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading competitions bolstering the ongoing success of the Boombah Sports Complex, which, according to WESH, has generated $1 billion since its construction. Local hoteliers have agreed to self-tax through a special tourism improvement district to fund the indoor center, recognizing the mutual benefits of the additional tourist activity.
With design still in the brainstorming phase and no concrete renderings made public, the ambitious project anticipates a construction start date somewhere around 2027. County leaders are looking to learn from other facilities, like one in Georgia, and are in the process of hiring professionals to finalize the plans.
