SPACE COAST DAILY TV: USSSA Begins Operations at Space Coast Stadium With Groundbreaking Ceremony

By  //  April 27, 2017

USSSA agreement guarantees brevard county 75,000 hotel room nights in first year – 100,000 hotel room nights by year three

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday for the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) as the organization moves their National Headquarters to Space Coast Stadium in Viera.

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday for the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) as the organization moves their National Headquarters to Space Coast Stadium in Viera.

USSSA is the world’s largest multi-sport athletic organization, which was founded in 1968. Since that time, USSSA has grown to more than 4.5 million participants, competing in 14 nationally sanctioned sports including baseball, fastpitch, slow pitch, karate, basketball and soccer.

USSSA Board Chariman and CEO Don DeDonatis outlined plans for the future use of the complex and how his organization will contribute to the project.

Improvements to the stadium and sports complex will include 15 all-turf fields, including the 8,000 seat main stadium, outfitting all fields with the latest in Musco lighting technology, as well as media and broadcasting capabilities.

Renovation of the former Washington Nationals 18,000 square-foot training facility and batting cages is also underway.

“I could not think of a better use of the tourist tax revenue since it will boost hotel occupancy significantly as well as increase overall economic impact to Viera and surrounding counties,” said Eric Garvey, Director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism.

The money will come from revenue generated by the county’s 5 percent Tourist Development Tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals.

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“USSSA’s history of room night generation in Osceola County speaks for itself and I for one am excited for the Space Coast to now benefit from this move,” said Garvey.

It is estimated that USSSA’s guaranteed room nights, which is 75,000 in year one and 100,000 in year three, would generate $500,000 a year in added tourist tax revenue, based on an average room rate of $100 a night.

USSSA will be responsible for operations and routine maintenance of all buildings, fields and facilities.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, the USSSA Florida Pride, a professional women’s softball team, boasting Viera’s own Olympic Gold Medalist Kelly Kretschman, was in attendance. Kretschman was a 2012 inductee into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

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In addition, board members from the unique all-access sports park, Field of Dreams, will show their support. USSSA donated a digital scoreboard to this park designed for special needs athletes.

Young ball players in uniform represented the youth of our nation showing that sports teaches leadership and fellowship and prepares kids not only for the next game, but also for much broader roles in life.

Jamey Carroll, former professional baseball infielder for the Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals, will hand off, to these young players, the symbolic bat from the old to the new, transforming the Space Coast into the “youth sports capital of the world.”

ABOVE VIDEO:  Kelly Kretschman starred in softball, basketball, soccer and volleyball for Satellite High School. Upon graduation from Satellite High in 1997, Kretschman attended the University of Alabama where she was a four-time All-American in softball. She also earned a Gold medal in the 2004 Summer Games in Greece and a silver medal in the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing as a member of the U.S. softball team.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPACE COAST SPORTS INDUCTEES

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday at 11 a.m. for the United States Specialty Sports Association as the organization moves their National Headquarters to Space Coast Stadium in Viera. (Image for Space Coast Daily)