Pickleball Magazine 2-1 Courtesy of Pickleball Rocks | Page 37

MINTO US OPEN RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

2016 CHAMPIONS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT IN SPORTS TOURISM

Sports Destination Management recently announced that the Collier County Visitors Bureau and the MINTO US Open Pickleball Championships have been named the 2016 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism . The MINTO US Open Pickleball Championships was responsible for booking over 1,500 room nights and having an economic impact on the county of $ 2,500,000 in the first year of the event .

“ We were so honored to receive this award ,” said Terri Graham , founder of the event . “ Our goal from the very beginning was to build a world-class event for the sport of pickleball . Our team worked hard at creating the event and pickleball players from all over the world traveled to Naples , Florida , to be a part of it .”
Commissioner Donna Fiala stated , “ We always knew Naples was a great place to visit , and now , thanks to the MINTO US Open Pickleball Championships , thousands of new visitors are coming to our paradise community not only to visit but to live here too .” •
About Sports Destination Management 
 Sports Destination Management is written for the largest audience of sports event managers and tournament directors in the sports tourism market and maintains a focus on the important issues surrounding event location decisions and event management . With content from experts and thought leaders , SDM provides in-depth coverage of sports event planning and execution through incisive and relevant articles as well as insightful , real-world case studies showcasing best practices and successful event production . JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 | MAGAZINE 35