Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/144898
Sarasota News Leader July 19, 2013 Page 59 Representatives of US Rowing joined the delegation of local government officials and business leaders from Sarasota and Manatee counties for the Benderson bid presentation to the Council in Lucerne, Switzerland on July 14. [and] met the rowing federation officials from around the world; attended the FISA racing Championships [during which] the United States won [its] first World Cup in history" and participated in multiple meetings with FISA Council members. "We feel we hit it out of the "You very much had the feeling you were reppark!" resenting the United States," Reid told the News Leader. Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta wrote his colleagues in a July 15 email, "Paul The formal announcement of the winning bid did a superb job in presenting the proposal." will be made in Chungju, Korea, on Sept. 2, according to FISA's timeline. Reid told the News Leader that the entire appearance before the Council took about an US Rowing and U.S. Olympic Committee hour, as FISA members asked numerous quesmembers previously joined county representions after Blackketter provided a PowerPoint tatives in Washington this spring to secure presentation. The group received a standing support for the bid from President Barack Obama. The national organizations' involve- ovation afterward, Reid noted. ment in the effort underscores the significance of Benderson Park as a venue for the sport, Reid pointed out. The facility is considered the best in the Western Hemisphere, he added. With the increasing international publicity, he continued, area leaders hope they will begin to see teams from smaller countries without such facilities willing to travel to this area to train at Benderson Park. The venue for the event was a large hotel in Lucerne, he added. That evening, the Sarasota/Manatee delegation by happenstance encountered the delegation from Bulgaria, the only other entity bidding for the 2017 World Championships. They all were dining in the same restaurant, Reid said. "We celebrated with them," he noted. "It's huge," Reid added of the worldwide rec- Altogether, he said, "We had a wonderful trip." ognition. Rachel Brown Hackney As for the appearance before the FISA Council: Reid said Paul Blackketter, the chief oper- CORRECTION ating officer of the Suncoast Aquatic Nature A June 6 article, Fairness and the zoning Center Association — which manages events code, incorrectly identified one of the business at Benderson Park — took the lead in the owners interested in modifying the county 15-minute presentation. zoning code to permit outdoor merchandise In a July 15 email to Sarasota and Manatee displays. James Ritter is the manager of Siesta government officials, Blackketter wrote, "Our Key Outfitters, located at 5121 Ocean Blvd. in U.S. delegation visit to Lucerne went quite Siesta Village. A separate business, Siesta Vilwell and our TEAM came together as one, lage Outfitters, also is located in Siesta Village, rehearsed, worked, rehearsed some more at 5200 Ocean Blvd.