The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted Tuesday to hire new staffers to run its sports and event center at Celebration Pointe and also officially declared its interest in hosting the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship in 2027.
Alachua County just held the track and field event in March, and the indoor version happens every other year. The BOCC approved a $750,000 maximum to prepare a bid for the championships and then work to promote and set up the event.
According to a study by UF, the March event resulted in 17,433 visitors and nearly $16 million spent within Florida, with $10.6 million of that in Alachua County.
The study also showed a high level of satisfaction among athletes and visitors.
Margit Jungmann, president of World Masters Athletics, sent a letter inviting Alachua County to bid for the 2027 championship. She said the organization is confident that the experience from 2025 will compound into a win-win situation for the next event.
“Because of the above and based on the WMA Board and management teams’ reports on the WMACi 2025 success, the WMA Board wants to invite/encourage you to bid again for the WMACi 2027,” Jungmann said.
The 2025 indoor championship was the first time the competition had been held in the United States.
At the Tuesday meeting, the BOCC also approved the staff’s plan to take over operations at the Alachua County Sports and Event Center, where the majority of the world masters event took place.
Alachua County owns the facility but contracted operations to Viking Companies, the owner of Celebration Pointe, where the building is located.
The decision comes while much of Celebration Pointe remains in bankruptcy, and Alachua County sent a notice that Viking Companies had failed to uphold its side of the contract to operate the facility.
Jessica Hurov, director of the Tourism and Economic Development, said taking over the facility would mean the creation of a sports and event division within her department. In total, the division would have three staff.
Hurov said Alachua County will take over operations starting Oct. 1, and she said the events won’t stall because of the switch. To finish off 2025, the facility is slated to host the Alachua County Public Schools Magnet Showcase, Infinity Con, Rocky Top on the Road Tailgate and the Buchholz wrestling Bobcat Round-Robin.
For 2026, the facility has 12 events already scheduled.
Hurov and the BOCC highlighted that the facility was funded with Tourism Development Tax funds that come from a 5% fee on hotel, motel and Airbnb stays. She said the facility will continue to operate on these funds generated by visitors, not Alachua County residents.
In the first year of operation, Hurov said the estimate is to cover 78% of the costs through the revenues that the facility will generate by renting out the space. The annual expenses are estimated at $2.1 million.