year , also sports a clubhouse , games room , restaurant and community garden .
Ø The Daytona International Speedway is ( well ) internationally famous and aside from racing hosts the CLASH triathlon and numerous other events – sports , recreation and entertainment .
Ø Since 1994 , LPGA International ( Ladies Professional Golf Association ) – with two world-class courses – has gained notoriety as the host of numerous tour championships and is now the host of the final stage of the LPGA Tour Qualifying School .
Ø Nearby on LPGA Boulevard is the 24-court Florida Tennis Center , home to more than 30 major USTA and FTC tennis tournaments annually .
Ø Baseball enthusiasts are drawn to Jackie Robinson Memorial Ballpark on Daytona Beach ’ s City Island . On the National Register of Historic Places , it is the ball field where Jackie Robinson integrated modern professional baseball in 1946 while playing here for the Montreal Royals , the Brooklyn Dodgers ’ Triple-A farm team . The ballpark is now home of the Daytona Tortugas , minor
league team of the Cincinnati Reds . Numerous historic placards are throughout the park entrance area , including a bronze statue of Robinson .
Ø The also-historic Peabody Auditorium , adjacent to the Ocean Center , not only hosts national and international performances but also major dance competitions , including the National Dance Alliance .
These and other sports-related facilities ( city and college fields and stadiums ) and natural attributes ( weather , beaches and the Atlantic Ocean ) are a boost in marketing the Daytona Beach Area .
Ocean Center , CVB and hotel managers collaborate well to market for sporting events , partnering at trade shows and meeting with potential clients together . “ A strong , succinct team is an attractive lure for events considering new destinations ,” comments the Ocean Center ’ s Buckley .
The CVB has a Sports Advisory Committee with members representing area sports facilities and hotels . In addition , the CVB is a member of the Florida Sports Foundation as well as most visitor bureaus in Florida . “ If we as a destination are unable to host a particular event for any reason , we work with the Foundation to keep the business in Central Florida ,” Little says .
Bill Boggs , director of the NCA and NDA College Programs
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