FHSAA to begin negotiations for state finals venues

Posted Jun 5, 2012 by Rick Harmon

Updated Jun 5, 2012 at 10:39 PM

The Florida High School Athletic Association has completed its review and rankings for all proposals for hosting state championship events in baseball, cross country and soccer beginning with the 2012-13 school year and has selected its top venues for each of the three sports. Negotiations will begin with the highest-ranked sites and contracts are expected to be signed by Aug. 1.

The following sites have been selected as the top proposals:

Baseball: Lee County Sports Authority - JetBlue Park
Cross Country: Tallahassee Sports Council - Apalachee Regional Park
Soccer: Space Coast Sports Promotions - Melbourne Central Catholic Sports Complex

Most of these bidders are offering the FHSAA a lucrative deal to host the events. The Tallahassee Sports Council, for example, is reportedly giving the entire gate to the FHSAA. Last year’s state finals had 4,200 paying customers at $9 a head. That’s $37,800.

Apalachee Regional Park is the home cross country course of Florida State, which will be hosting an NCAA regional meet there this fall.

The meet in Tallahassee marks the second state final in the last year that has gone north. The state track and field championships were held this season for the first time in Jacksonville, at the University of North Florida.

JetBlue Park opened in March, 2012. It’s primarily the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. The naming rights were purchased by jetBlue Airways.

Melbourne Central Catholic Sports Complex is on the campus of the school. Soccer is played at Hustler Stadium, which features artificial turf.