At a meeting on Tuesday, Sumter County commissioners reviewed requests for tourism grants brought by the Sumter County Tourism Council, and approved them for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. These grants will fund upcoming events at the squares, along with other activities that will benefit the county’s tourism sector.
With a $40,000 increase from last year, Lake Sumter and Brownwood Town Squares received $120,000 in grants to fund entertainment events. Spanish Springs Town Square is located in Lake County.
In addition to the squares receiving grants, The Villages Charter School was approved $60,000 to fund its annual Battle of The Villages basketball tournament, held by The Buffalo Scholarship Fund. The fifth annual tournament will take place this December at The Villages High School. The high school also received a $20,000 grant for the 65th annual Florida Athletic Coach Association’s All-Star Classic, and $15,000 for the 7v7 Association State Championship.
The Villages Homeowners Advocates are known for their fun-filled hoedowns, which consisted of gunslingers and local art this year. Next year’s event, which will take place in February, was just approved a $50,000 grant.
The other grants approved were $75,000 for the Blackjack Sporting Clays shooting state championship event scheduled for April 2020, and $50,000 for one of it’s Blackjack Open events. The Dade Battlefield Society will be given $10,000 for a re-enactment from the Second Seminole War. The re-enactment will take place this January at the Dade Battlefield Historic Park.
The Southern Draft Horse Association’s horse-pulling event which is held in February will receive $50,000 and will have 45 different teams participating. Another $1,000 will be given to the Hearts for Our Hospital Bicycle Challenge, a cycling race and expo sponsored by The Villages Regional Hospital Auxiliary.
Lastly, $20,000 was awarded to the commissioners themselves for Sumter County’s tourism website and mobile grant project. If you are interested in reading more into the recent grants awarded, you can find the agenda from Tuesday on Sumter County’s official website.
County Commissioners | Sumter County, FL - Official Website