| Pigeon
Forge, TN – October 2013 / Hospitality 1ST / A youth gymnastics
competition expected to attract several hundred athletes from at least
a half-dozen states is the first athletic event booked at the new LeConte
Center at Pigeon Forge.
Owners of the Make It Count
Gymnastics Classic look for 600 to 800 gymnasts to compete during the Feb.
14-16, 2014, event.
“The gymnasts are from ages
5-18, and they travel with parents, coaches and other family members,”
said Tracy Counts, who owns the event with Kerma Headrick. “The total number
of people who will come to Pigeon Forge far exceeds the number of competitors.”
Counts said that smaller
events she and Headrick conduct draw participants from Tennessee, Georgia,
North Carolina, Virginia and other nearby states, plus heavily populated
states such as Ohio and Florida.
The LeConte Center at Pigeon
Forge is a city-owned $45 million multi-purpose building designed to attract
trade shows, competitive events, special events, festivals and large assemblies.
Construction concluded in September.
The Make It Count Gymnastics
will use LeConte Hall, which contains 100,500 of the building’s 232,000
square feet. LeConte Hall’s size and its 30-foot ceiling work well for
the competition.
“This is one category of
events we anticipated,” said Leon Downey, executive director for the Pigeon
Forge Department of Tourism. “The gymnasts will verify that it’s great
for cheerleading competitions, dance team competitions, volleyball tournaments
and similar activities needing our interior space and the lodging, restaurants
and attractions of Pigeon Forge, too.”
Counts, who was a collegiate
gymnast at East Tennessee State University and James Madison University,
said Pigeon Forge’s family appeal was a major factor in the decision to
choose Pigeon Forge.
“The competition is a very
family-oriented event, so the location is important. Pigeon Forge is very
family friendly and offers families much to do beyond the actual competition.
Pigeon Forge works for everyone,” Counts said.
Counts said the Make It Counts
event will be her largest activity of the year. Others are in Maryville,
Tenn., where she operates Gymnastics Counts. She has been a gymnastics
coach for almost 30 years.
LeConte Center at Pigeon
Forge opened this month, and its first booking is the full-house International
Gift Exposition in the Smokies/Souvenir Super Show in November.
|
|
Other bookings include a
five-year commitment for Women of Joy conferences with Phil Waldrep Ministries,
a five-year commitment for the Pentecostal Fire Youth Conference and a
two-year commitment from the National Quartet Convention. The National
Quartet Convention is a weeklong event that regularly attracts 40,000 attendees.
Details of the LeConte Center
at Pigeon Forge are at LeConteCenter.com.
Information about all aspects
of visiting Pigeon Forge is available at MyPigeonForge.com
or by calling toll-free 800-251-9100.
|
Media Contact:
Tom Adkinson, APR
for Pigeon Forge Department
of Tourism
tadkinson@bohanideas.com
615-341-8796
| |
