WATCH: Gov. Ron DeSantis Announces Brevard County as Host for 2020 AAU Junior Olympic Games

By  //  June 11, 2020

ANNOUNCEMENT Set for 12 P.M. at VIERA REGIONAL PARK

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visits Brevard County on Thursday to make the official announcement that the 2020 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games will take place all across the Space Coast for two weeks in late July and early August.

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to visit Brevard County today to make the official announcement that the 2020 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games will take place all across the Space Coast for two weeks in late July and early August.

Gov. DeSantis will make the announcement at Viera Regional Park at 12 p.m.

The Space Coast Tourism Development Council unanimously approved a proposal to host the Junior Olympic Games in late July and early August.

On May 22, Gov. DeSantis ended restrictions on youth activities throughout the state, saying “we believe that this makes sense based on the data and observed experience.”

The AAU Junior Olympic Games are the pinnacle competitions held annually by the AAU and the opportunity became available after Hampton Roads, Virginia lost the needed facilities because the local university there was unable to provide the facilities due to COVID-19 concerns.

“This will be a tremendous lift for Brevard’s tourism industry as we come to the rescue to save the event for the kids,” said Rusty Buchanan, First Vice President of the AAU and a resident of Cocoa Beach.

The AAU Junior Olympic Games are known as the largest national multi-sport event for youth in the United States. It has become the showcase event of the AAU Sports Program. (AAU image)

The AAU, founded in 1888, is one of the largest, non-profit multi-sport amateur sports organizations in the world.

The AAU Junior Olympic Games are known as the largest national multi-sport event for youth in the United States. It has become the showcase event of the AAU Sports Program.

Buchanan hosted the 1994 Junior Olympic Games in Brevard County, which featured more than 10,000 athletes and was one of the largest athletic events in the history of amateur games.

“We’re honored to be hosting the Junior Olympic Games for the second time and we’d like to thank Rusty Buchanan for finding a way to keep the games alive during these incredibly challenging times this year,” said Brevard County Tourism Development Council Chair Giles Malone.

“We’re honored to be hosting the Junior Olympic Games for the second time and we’d like to thank Rusty Buchanan for finding a way to keep the games alive during these incredibly challenging times this year,” said Brevard County Tourism Development Council Chair Giles Malone.

“The games are vitally important for the continued development of our nation’s student-athletes and the major economic impact from the games, benefitting the Space Coast, comes at a critical time.”

Brevard County commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of the funding proposal after hearing the projected economic impact of the event for Brevard could be in excess of $8 million.

“Bringing the event to Florida will provide a positive economic impact to Space Coast area with increased hotels room nights, restaurants and other local businesses benefiting from an influx of athletes, coaches, parents and their families to the area from in-state and out-of-state,” said Brevard County Tourism Development Office Executive Director Peter Cranis.

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