By Steve Lee

A recent grand opening made the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus the latest crown jewel on Pasco County’s sports scene. It follows the 2018 opening of AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel and precedes the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center in Zephyrhills, which is set to open in October.

RADDSports is behind the state-of-the-art campus that will host tournaments and offer extensive professional training in numerous youth sports, such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, pickleball and futsal.

So far more than 40 weekend events have been booked at the campus, which has a 98,000-square-foot gymnasium as its centerpiece. The $44-million project gives Pasco a piece of the amateur sports tourism market in an industry that reaps an estimated $10 billion annually.

“The youth sports travel industry is the most resilient tourism industry out there,” said Richard Blalock, the founder of RADDSports.

The 80-acre complex was built on land donated by the Porter family. The Porters, who are prominent cattle ranchers, established Wiregrass Ranch in 1942 and have donated land for several other area projects.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, who also chairs the county’s Tourist Development Council, noted that the campus will be so much more than a place for athletic events.

“Families come to compete, but also look for opportunities to be entertained off the field,” he noted. “We look forward to having them dine in our restaurants, shop at our stores and enjoy our local attractions, further contributing to Pasco’s economy.”

Added Adam Thomas, the county’s tourism director, “Not only will the sports campus provide a new level of play for amateur sports competitors, it also expands our meeting venue portfolio, allowing us to offer unparalleled, expansive space to meeting and event planners looking to host tradeshows, conventions and business-related events.”

The campus is located northeast of The Shops at Wiregrass. Additional plans call for a public park, amphitheater and Residence Inn by Marriott.

About Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus:

Florida’s Sports Coast is proud to announce the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County is officially open! The 98,000+ square foot youth sports facility is poised to be a game-changer for competitive sports play and tourism in the region and beyond. The Sports Campus has the following amenities:

* 16 Volleyball Courts

* 8 Basketball Courts

* Competition Cheer Studio

* 16 Pickleball Courts

* 8 Futsal Courts

* 2,500 bleacher seats

* 2 Cheer Competition Areas

* Athletic Training Center

* VIP Mezzanine

* Meeting Area

* Educational Lab

* Lounge Area

* Concessions Area, grab and go food options

* Full-Service Kitchen

* On-site hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott, coming Fall 2021

Learn more here: https://flsportscoast.com/sports-tour...

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