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The Florida Sports Foundation, in conjunction with Polk County Sports Marketing presented the 28th Annual Sunshine State Games, June 9-10 and 15-17 at various locations throughout Polk County.  The Summer Games returns to Polk County in 2008.  Mark your calendar for the 2008 Summer Games, to be held in Polk County, June 13-15 with competition in the following sports.  Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Canoe/Kayak, Fencing, Judo, Karate, Kickball, Powerlifting, Racquetball, Rowing, Rugby, Softball – Fast Pitch, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Track & Field (Open & Youth), Ultimate,  Weightlifting and Wrestling.

Florida’s Capital City of Tallahassee has been selected to host the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival, August 1-3, 2008. Hosting the biennial event is the Tallahassee Sports Council, a division of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization of the State of Florida.

The 2nd Southeast Sports Festival features 10 sports, five team and five individual sports.  The finest amateur athletes in the Southeast have the chance to compete in Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Lacrosse and Soccer as well as Fencing, Gymnastics, Taekwondo, Tennis and Track & Field.  The 11 states eligible to participate in the Southeast Sports Festival are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Any athlete or team participating in their 2008 State Games event is eligible for the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival.  “Tallahassee is a perfect location for a multi-state regional event with exceptional athletic facilities and a variety of attractions and activities to provide athletes and their families,” said Brian Hickey, Executive Director of the Tallahassee Sports Council.  “Tallahassee has a proven track record of hosting sporting events including the Florida's Sunshine State Games, AAU Track and Field State Championships, AAU National Jr. Olympic Games and many more.”

The Southeast Sports Festival was created to give athletes of State Games programs a regional championship in which to compete and an opportunity to progress to the next level of competition following a statewide event.  “When the Southeast Sports Festival Committee asked Florida to host the 2008 Festival, Tallahassee was the perfect choice, having run several successful Sunshine State Games and its central location in the region,” said Stephen Rodriguez, the Director of Amateur Sports for the Florida Sports Foundation. “We are looking forward to work with the Tallahassee Sports Council again and show the athletes of the Southeast Sports Festival the outstanding facilities and hospitality Florida has to offer.”  The 2008 Southeast Sports Festival is expected to draw approximately 2,000 athletes to the area and provide Tallahassee with over $1 million of economic impact. The inaugural Southeast Sports Festival was held in July, 2006, in Shelby County, Alabama with over 1,200 athletes participating.

The Tallahassee Sports Council will partner with the Florida Sports Foundation along with Leon County Tourist Development Council, Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Leon County Schools, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College and Tallahassee Parks and Recreation Department to present the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival. 

The following Tallahassee sports venues will host Southeast Sports Festival competition:

Baseball  Tallahassee Community College, James A. Messer Park, Tom Brown Park, Springsax Park, Capital Park, Meridian Park, Godby High School, Lincoln High School, Leon High School and Chiles High School.

Basketball  Tallahassee Community College, Godby High School, Leon High School, Lincoln High School, Chiles High School, Tully Gymnasium.  The Tallahassee Comets will host and manage the basketball events at the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival.

Fencing and Taekwondo  Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center (Exhibit Hall).

Flag Football (Adult) and Lacrosse  Florida State University Intramural Fields.

Gymnastics  Randy Trousdell Gymnastics Center.

Soccer (Youth)  Elinor Klapp Phipps Park - Meadows Soccer Complex.

Tennis (Youth)  Tom Brown Park Tennis Complex (12 Hard Courts).

Tennis (Adult)  Forest Meadows Park (Clay Courts).

Track & Field (Youth & Masters)  Florida State University Mike Long Track.

For information about the Southeast Sports Festival, check www.southeastsportsfestival.org.