For full press release, visit WMACi2025

Alachua County Sports & Events Center Press Release – 1/10/2024

 

Alachua County, Florida – USA Track & Field (USATF), the Olympic national governing body for the sport of track & field, awarded this month the USATF Masters Indoor Championships to Alachua County in 2025. With the World Masters Athletics (WMA) announcement just weeks prior, this marks the second major event award for the Alachua County Sports and Events Center (ACSEC). USATF Masters Track and Field Committee Chair, Jerry Bookin-Weiner, stated “The USATF Masters Track and Field Committee is pleased to award our Indoor Championships to Alachua County. The Alachua County Sports and Events Center in Celebration Pointe is an ideal location, and we are confident the local organizing committee will deliver an outstanding championship and overall experience for our athletes.”

Concurrently with the pursuit of the WMA Indoor Championships, this was another collaborative bid effort between Alachua County, Viking Companies, Celebration Pointe, RADDSports, Visit Gainesville/Alachua County, and Gainesville Sports Commission. “This is just the type of event we envisioned when Alachua County decided to build the Alachua County Sports and Events Center,” commented Alachua County Commission Chair Mary Alford. “We welcome these athletes to Alachua County and invite them to explore all of the sporting, cultural, and natural opportunities it has to offer.”

The USATF Masters Indoor Championships is a 3-day event with an estimated 1,200+ athletes from throughout the nation. USATF permits international entries in this event, therefore it is an opportunity for national and international athletes to experience competition on the Jimmy Carnes Track at the ACSEC prior to the world championships.

Senator Keith Perry commented, “I am proud of what our community has accomplished in just a short period of time. The State of Florida’s investment in the Alachua County Sports and Events Center is already generating returns, which is a testament to the power of sport tourism.” Senator Perry and Representative Chuck Clemons partnered to provide the legislative leadership to fund the state-of-the art track facilities at ACSEC, which was vital to Florida’s selection to host these two events.

In total, the WMA Indoor Championships and the USATF Masters Indoor Championships are expected to bring an estimated 11,000+ visitors to the state of Florida, with an estimated $13.5 Million direct economic impact. “We are excited to be hosting both the national and world indoor championships in 2025,” said Celebration Pointe developer, Svein Dyrkolbotn, “We look forward to the many more events in the future and continuing to place Alachua County, Florida on the national and international sport stage.”

For more information on events at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center, visit www.alachua-sports.com

The Alachua County Sports and Events Center is North Florida’s premier sports and events destination, providing state-of-the-art facilities, exceptional services, and unforgettable experiences for visitors and residents alike. The ACSEC is an Alachua County facility, operated by Celebration Pointe and professionally managed by RADDSports.