Thrive
Sporting events generated over $111 million in Pinellas

Premier sporting events continue bringing big crowds and dollars to Pinellas County, although a storm-damaged facility could present a new hurdle.
Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC) announced Wednesday that 132 athletic contests generated a $111.35 million direct economic impact throughout fiscal year 2024. Shuffleboard, softball and cycling fans contributed to the windfall.
World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Royal Rumble, held in January at Tropicana Field, kept local cash registers ringing to the tune of $47 million. The marquee event also brought over 48,000 people from all 50 states and 40 countries to St. Petersburg.
“I just want to reemphasize that the Royal Rumble was a big deal for us,” said Brian Lowack, CEO of VSPC. “I think we all saw the impact that had. More than that, it showed St. Pete-Clearwater can pull off massive worldwide events.”

The Jan. 27 Royal Rumble brought 48,044 people from all 50 states and 40 countries to Tropicana Field – when it still had a roof. Photo: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.
However, Caleb Peterson, senior manager of VSPC’s Sports Commission, spotlighted several lesser-known events that helped keep area restaurants and hotels full to the Tourism Development Council (TDC). The previous fiscal year began in October 2023, when the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club celebrated its 100th birthday by hosting the sport’s world championships.
Peterson said the International Shuffleboard Association’s event attracted people from Brazil and several European companies. He also noted that VSPC partnered with “some business owners in downtown St. Pete” to host a unique cycling race.
Nathan Stonecipher, co-owner of Green Bench Brewing, and Michael Rideout, founder of Mad Coffee, spent years working behind the scenes to bring professional cycling to the city. Their perseverance paid off as the CRIT Championship attracted thousands of people to the EDGE District.
Peterson also highlighted the J/70 World Championship yacht races, held at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, a prominent professional volleyball tournament hosted by the Sand Key Resort on Clearwater Beach and the collegiate American Baseball Championship in Clearwater.
Tropicana Field also hosted the Gasparilla Gymnastics Classic. Peterson said the event attracts 16,000 people annually.
Top-tier College softball tournaments were again a big win for Pinellas. ESPN broadcasted the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational, while the MLB (Major League Baseball) Network highlighted the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.
The Trop’s impact
The 132 sporting events – which excludes professional baseball and the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg – attracted 181,680 overnight visitors who purchased 177,098 hotel rooms and short term rentals. Peterson expects to host between 125 and 130 in fiscal year 2025.
“We’re going to lose a few because Tropicana (Field) is out of commission,” he said of the storm-damaged ballpark. “Some of the larger events we host are at the stadium.”
The county commission belatedly approved a bond authorization to finance its contribution to a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium a day before the meeting. “That just highlights the importance of the decision we made last night,” Commissioner Brian Scott told the TDC.
Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector believes beach volleyball tournaments could help fill the gap. Russ Kimball, CEO of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, agreed with that sentiment.
Kimball also stressed the importance of sports to the local tourism industry. “Meetings are great, but this is really where it is, too,” he said.

An aerial view of the Toytown site highlights its proximity to I-275 and major employers. Image: Pinellas County Government.
Toytown
A former landfill in north St. Petersburg could provide a boost. The county received $15 million from the Florida Legislature in April 2022 to transform the 240-acre Toytown site into a youth sports center.
The county-owned landfill near I-275 and Roosevelt Boulevard closed in 1983. However, environmental remediation has impeded development.
Lowack said officials are accepting proposals for a youth sports complex through mid-January. He noted there are “simply not enough fields” in surrounding counties.
“A number of other sports developments have been constructed on former landfills throughout the country,” Lowack continued. “We want to see what that looks like here in Pinellas County.”
Additional tourism highlights
Sporting events were just one aspect of an industry that generated $11.2 billion in Pinellas through fiscal year 2024. That surpassed the previous year’s benchmark.
Over 15.4 million visitors provided $6.4 billion in direct spending and paid more than $1.6 billion for 6.4 million overnight accommodations. Pinellas collected $96 million in bed taxes – a 6% surcharge overnight stays – surpassing the $95 million benchmark for the third consecutive year.
Officials must dedicate the money to marketing and capital projects that support visitation. Those include a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium in St. Petersburg and a long-anticipated new spring training complex for the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater.

Tom Tito
January 20, 2025at8:04 pm
The Trop hosted big events that the smaller replacement cannot. So why brag about bringing over 40,000 visitors to an event when you plan to downsize?
The Trop could be renovated with a permanent roof at half the cost, or less, of the new stadium. Wasteful spending does not help grow the economy.
S
December 20, 2024at6:42 pm
What AI thought about these claims.
Assessment of the Claims: Sporting Events in Pinellas County
The claims presented by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC) about the economic impact of sporting events and their ability to attract visitors warrant a closer examination, particularly given the significant financial stakes and potential conflicts of interest inherent in self-reported data. Here’s a breakdown:
Claim 1: $111.35 Million Direct Economic Impact from Sporting Events in FY 2024
Analysis:
While VSPC touts an impressive figure, the methodology behind calculating this impact is unclear. Direct economic impact estimates often rely on multipliers and assumptions about visitor spending that can inflate numbers. For example:
• Visitor Numbers: Claims like 181,680 overnight visitors and 177,098 hotel rooms appear precise but lack third-party verification.
• Spending Patterns: Assumptions about spending per visitor (e.g., lodging, food, activities) might overestimate contributions, particularly if events attract local attendees or day-trippers who spend less.
Without an independent audit, these numbers should be viewed skeptically, as the entity reporting them benefits directly from positive outcomes.
Claim 2: WWE Royal Rumble’s $47 Million Economic Impact
Analysis:
The Royal Rumble undeniably attracted a large, diverse audience (48,000+ people from all states and 40 countries), making it a significant event. However:
• $47 Million Estimate: Breaking this down suggests an average spending of nearly $1,000 per attendee (including tickets, lodging, food, transportation). While plausible for international visitors, it seems high for domestic fans, especially those making short trips.
• “Worldwide Events” Reputation: While the Royal Rumble may boost the area’s reputation, it is unclear if such marquee events will consistently choose Pinellas County, particularly given the storm damage to Tropicana Field.
Claim 3: Smaller Events Driving the Local Economy
Examples Provided:
• Shuffleboard world championships, cycling races, yacht regattas, volleyball tournaments, and gymnastics competitions.
Analysis:
These events undoubtedly contribute to local tourism and business, but their impact is likely overstated:
1. Niche Audiences: Events like shuffleboard and yacht racing attract specific demographics, often smaller in scale. Claims of substantial international participation (e.g., shuffleboard attendees from Brazil and Europe) need substantiation.
2. Exaggerated Attendance: Phrases like “thousands of people” at cycling races and beach volleyball events are vague. Attendance may include local spectators rather than economic-impact-driving visitors.
Claim 4: Tropicana Field’s Role and Challenges
Analysis:
The storm-damaged Tropicana Field presents a genuine hurdle. VSPC’s acknowledgment that losing events hosted there will impact FY 2025’s numbers suggests a reliance on specific venues for large-scale events. This raises questions about:
• Sustainability: How dependent is the county on one or two facilities for such a large portion of its economic impact?
• Alternative Solutions: Promoting smaller beach volleyball tournaments or other events may help mitigate losses but won’t fully replace the economic draw of events like the Royal Rumble or major collegiate competitions.
Overall Concerns
1. Financial Conflicts of Interest:
VSPC, as a tourism promotion agency funded by bed taxes, has an incentive to paint an overly optimistic picture. Positive reports justify its funding and existence, creating a potential bias.
2. Lack of Independent Verification:
No mention is made of audits or third-party reviews to confirm these economic impact claims. Transparency about data sources, methodologies, and assumptions is critical to validate the numbers.
3. Economic Overdependence on Tourism:
The reliance on sporting events highlights a broader vulnerability in the local economy. Diversifying tourism offerings and building infrastructure that supports varied industries could reduce reliance on marquee events or single venues.
Final Thoughts
While sporting events undoubtedly bring visitors and economic benefits to Pinellas County, the scale and specifics of VSPC’s claims appear inflated and insufficiently substantiated. The lack of independent audits raises legitimate concerns about the accuracy of their reports. Policymakers and taxpayers should demand greater transparency and verification before accepting these figures at face value. After all, shuffleboard and wrestling may be fun, but the numbers deserve a closer look.
S
December 20, 2024at6:38 pm
Visit St. Pete Clearwater: A Tourism Spin Machine with a Calculator?
Visit St. Pete Clearwater (VSPC) is like the cool uncle of Pinellas County government agencies—technically part of the family but somehow always off on vacation. Officially, VSPC is tasked with promoting the area as a tourist destination. Unofficially, it seems to specialize in putting a glossy spin on guest numbers and spending habits while burning through its budget faster than a snowbird’s suntan lotion.
Where does the money come from?
VSPC is funded primarily by the Pinellas County “bed tax,” a surcharge on hotels, motels, and short-term rentals. This is money collected from visitors who are blissfully unaware that their $12-a-night resort fee is feeding a quasi-government PR machine. In fiscal year 2024, VSPC reported that tourists spent a staggering $112 million in the area on activities like shuffleboard, softball, cycling, and—presumably—buying tiny shells and overpriced beach towels.
Financial Conflict or Convenient Calculations?
Here’s where it gets interesting: VSPC is not just reporting the numbers—it needs those numbers to look good because its funding and success depend on proving that tourists are single-handedly keeping the local economy afloat. If tourists didn’t actually spend $112 million, VSPC’s own existence might be called into question. It’s a bit like trusting a restaurant critic who also owns the diner they’re reviewing.
But who’s checking these numbers?
Good question. Where are the auditors? Has anyone outside VSPC actually verified that a fleet of shuffleboard enthusiasts really pumped millions into the local economy? Did the softball dads and cycling retirees really unleash an economic hurricane, or is VSPC just counting every round of Mai Tais as a $1,000 infusion?
Without independent verification, we’re left to trust the word of a tourism agency that exists because of, and for, tourism. And trusting a financially conflicted agency to deliver accurate numbers is like asking a fox to guard the henhouse and then relying on it to provide the chicken inventory.
The Bottom Line
Until someone demands independent audits or data transparency, VSPC will keep cranking out numbers that sound great on paper but leave us wondering if we’re being played. After all, shuffleboard might be fun, but it’s not $112 million worth of fun.