(Gulf Shores)

The Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission is seeking volunteers for the NAIA Softball Championship to be held at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex on May 17 - 23, 2012.  Volunteers are needed to assist in transporting game officials to the fields from the field house and assist with hospitality.  Various times are available.

If you are interested in volunteering please contact Sarah Hicks by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or you may call her at 251-974-4611.

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Teams and visitors traveling to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission events now have easy access to the best resources available on their own smart phone.

“This is a great way for us to make our visitors life easier,” says Beth Gendler, vice president of sales at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission. “This website gives visitors valuable resources and information they need in a more user friendly mobile format, which is perfect as they explore the area but need more information on sports commission events and local sponsors.”

The website will have information on upcoming sports commission events, directions and feature local sports commission sponsors offering lodging, restaurants and attractions. A specials page is available for visitors to find coupons or deals going on at sponsoring businesses. Large upcoming events will be featured on the mobile site with a link directing visitors to a page where they can find out any more information or updates on the event.

Visitors wanting to check out the new mobile website can simply go the Orange Beach & Gulf Shores Sports Commission’s main website www.gulfshoresandorangebeachsports.com on their smart phone and they will be automatically redirected to the mobile version of the website.

The mobile website was created by Aristotle Web Development, which developed the sports commission’s main website and Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism’s website in addition to a host of others. The company is based out of Arkansas and specializes in web design and development.

For information on upcoming athletic events along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, visit www.gulfshoresorangebeachsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.

Gulf Shores, Ala – February 9, 2012 – The City of Gulf Shores Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department will hold registration for all T-Ball, Baseball and Softball leagues February 13 – 28.

Players may register at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center or online at www.gulfshoresal.gov.All players must present birth certificates at the time of registration. Registration for all leagues is $70 per player for all David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center members and $80 per player for all non-members. There is a $10 late fee for anyone registering after February 28.

Player Evaluations will be held on February 27 for AA and O-Zone leagues, February 28 for AAA and Dixie Boys and March 1 for all Softball leagues.

Please contact the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center at 968-1420 for more information regarding registration and specific evaluation time.

Gulf Shores, Ala – December 13, 2011 - The Gulf Shores Swim Team sent six swimmers to represent their high schools at the Alabama High School Athletic Association Championship on December 2 and 3 at the Martin Aquatics Center on the campus of Auburn University.

Gulf Shores Swim Team member, Catherine Taylor, representing Foley High School, placed 8th in the 100m Freestyle and 16th in the 100m Backstroke at the Championship meet. Catherine also swam in the Auburn Aquatics Open Invitational on Sunday December 4. With her races at the State Meet and her swimming in the Sunday meet, Catherine Taylor established six new team records in Auburn over the course of the weekend.

Representing Gulf Shores High School, Margaret Lloyd set two team records in her events as well. Also from Gulf Shores High School, Nate Hubenthal, Savannah Kichler and Jon Shannon showcased their hard work by setting personal best times in four of their five races during the meet. Gulf Shores Dolphin freshman, Holly Blair and 8th grader Anna Funderburk, swam on two relay teams in the Friday night preliminary events.

Gulf Shores Swim Team Head Coach Brook Monroe Hopkins said, “Our swimmers did well for themselves. It is exciting to know that we have no juniors or seniors in our group of swimmers and that we can look forward to even better results in High School competitions in the coming years.”

The Gulf Shores Swim Team, sharing the nickname, Dolphins, with the local high school is a year round swimming team registered with USA Swimming. The team participates in meets across the Southeastern Swimming District which encompasses Tennessee, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. The team is operated under the auspices of the City of Gulf Shores and is coached by the City’s Aquatics Director, Brook Monroe Hopkins.

For further information about the Gulf Shores Swim Team, contact Brook Monroe Hopkins, at 251-968-1427. The Swim Team practices at the David L. Bodenhamer Center in Gulf Shores five days per week.

BP showcases Gulf seafood and Olympic sponsorship at annual half-marathon in Coastal Alabama

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, AL – Shed those extra pounds from Thanksgiving dinner by participating in the Kaiser Coastal Half-Marathon, 5k and 1 mile run on Saturday, November 26.

The half-marathon, organized by the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission and Team-Magic, attracts hundreds of avid competitors from across the Southeast and Midwest each year.

U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist Deena Kastor and U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist Johnny Gray will headline the fourth annual event. BP is a proud supporter of Team USA and serves as a corporate sponsor of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“As a sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games, we have been presented with an opportunity to bring world-class athletes to Coastal Alabama to share their amazing stories,” said Ayana McIntosh-Lee, BP General Manager of External Relations. “These athletes serve as an important reminder to the community about the incredible things individuals can achieve when they strive for greatness.”

Kastor is an American long-distance runner, who holds numerous American records in the marathon and half-marathon. She won the bronze medal in the women’s marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Gray was an American 800 m runner. He won the bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Gray and Kastor will make appearances at the start of the race and at the post-race party and awards ceremony at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.

The post-race party will showcase an array of Gulf seafood, provided by BP. The seafood brunch menu includes, crab & corn chowder, shrimp and grits, and mini oyster po-boys.

The public is invited to hear these prestigious athletes speak on Friday, November 25 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Orange Beach Event Center at the Wharf. There is no cost for attending the speaking engagement.

“The value of sporting events such as this half-marathon is huge for our tourism-based economy, especially in non-peak times of the year,” said Beth Gendler, vice president of sales for the sports commission. “To have BP’s addition of the Olympic athletes and the seafood at the post-race party ensures that our event has an even larger impact on the area.”

About the Race
Showcasing a unique course, with a mixture of backcountry paved trails and roads navigating through the Gulf State Park and along the area’s sugar-white beachfront, this event features a distance for every member of the family. Also, the half-marathon was recently designated as the 2011 Alabama RRCA Half-Marathon State Championship and boasts a scenic USATF certified course.

The race showcases over $5,000 in prizes and prizes to be awarded for the top three male and female finishers in the following categories: overall, masters overall (40+), grand masters (50+) and age groups (in five year intervals ranging from 15 to 80-plus). Every participant who successfully completes the half marathon will receive a commemorative finisher medal and mug. Meanwhile, numerous door prizes will be given away throughout the race, including the chance to win a special vacation getaway package.

Entering its fourth year, the popularity of this event has grown tremendously.

“When we first began this event with Team Magic and our title sponsor Kaiser Realty, we had 304 participants,” Gendler said. “Thanks to the constant support of Kaiser Realty, our modest event has grown to one that is widely recognized in the athletic circles. We expect to welcome about 600 to 700 competitors this year.”

Get Involved

Registration may be completed online at www.team-magic.com until November 22. Registration fees are $75 for the half-marathon, $35 for the 5K and $20 for the one-mile.

In addition, individuals wishing to volunteer their time and talents for this event may register online at www.team-magic.com. Volunteers are needed on Friday and Saturday for a variety of duties and varying times.

For information on these or other athletic events on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, please visit www.gulfshoresorangebeachsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (CVB) and Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission (GSOBSC) are proud to announce the additions of Ashley Wilson and Michelle Sandell to the team.

Wilson, who will be serving as the Sales Manager for the CVB, is a native of Robertsdale, Alabama. After graduating from Robertsdale High School, she earned a Communication degree from the University of Alabama. Wilson resides in Summerdale with her husband, Jason and dog, Conner.

Meanwhile, the sports commission welcomed its second event coordinator with Sandell’s arrival. A native and current resident of Magnolia Springs, she has two children - Kristian and Devan and three dogs - Bentley, Gracie and Aubie. She is a graduate of Robertsdale High School and most recently worked at Covey Communications as a Marketing Consultant for Condo Owner Magazine.

“We are thrilled to have these two outstanding ladies join our team,” said Beth Gendler, vice-president of sales for both the CVB and Sports Commission. “They will be a huge asset as we continue to grow both our convention and sports markets.”

For more information the CVB’s sales department or the sports commission, go to www.gulfshores.com or www.gulfshoresorangebeachsports.com, respectively.

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – This weekend, hundreds athletes will converge on Alabama’s white-sand beaches and emerald green waters for the Fifth Annual Brett-Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon on September 10. Event organizers remind motorists traveling on Saturday morning along Highway 182/Perdido Beach Boulevard (from West Beach to the Perdido Pass Bridge) and on State Park Road 2 that both cyclists and runners will be on these roadways.

“We have all of the necessary safety crews in place but it is best practice for motorists on these roads to be aware of the triathletes,” said Beth Gendler, vice-president of sales for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission, which is hosting this triathlon.

New to the event this year, the triathlon has been designated as the 2011 Best of the US Amateur Championship, which brings together the top amateur triathletes from all 50 states. Each state has just one qualifier race, from which the top three men and women–– regardless of their age ––qualify to represent their state at the national championship in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

“Pulling together an event of this magnitude requires a team effort, and we were extremely grateful to our continued partnership with Team Magic and the generous support of our title sponsor Brett-Robinson,” said Gendler. “Athletic events like this one provide great exposure to families across the Southeast and Midwest – families that will hopefully fall in love with our great beach destination and choose to vacation again with us.”

The triathlon will include a 1.5k gulf swim, 40k bike ride and a 10k run but athletes can also register for the “Tri-It-On” triathlon, which includes a 300 yard swim, 10 mile bike ride and a two mile run. The Hangout in Gulf Shores will serve as the race headquarters and is the location of the start/finish line.

Registration for both races can be completed online at www.team-magic.com and will cost $125 for an individual, $195 for a relay team and $70 for the “Tri-It-On” race. While online registration will close on September 7, last-minute on-site registration will be available on race day.

Individuals who would like to be a part of the action but do not wish to compete are encouraged to become an event volunteer.

To sign-up as a volunteer, go to http://teammagic.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer.

For more information on the triathlon or to sign-up as a competitor or volunteer, go to www.team-magic.com, or call the sports commission at 1-800-745-SAND.

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Seven months into 2011, the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission has exceeded the record totals for 2010 by already generating more year-to-date room nights than all of last year, which incidentally was a record year despite the gulf situation.

From January to July 2011, the sports commission generated 39,724 room nights for island businesses, which resulted in $6.2 million in lodging revenue – an increase of more than $600,000 over all of 2010. Also, the area saw nearly a million dollars in additional tourism impact spending.

While the increase is positive news, it looks like it will keep getting better. The sports commission still has 21 events on the calendar for the 2011 year, including the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) men’s soccer championship and the SEC women’s soccer championship.

“We are thrilled to see our organization continue to impact Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in a positive way,” said Beth Gendler, vice president of sales for the commission. “We are confident that these numbers will continue to grow simply because of what our area has to offer. The Alabama Gulf Coast is the best place to play sports because of our facilities due to the commitment of the cities, our community and our sponsors.”

For information on the sports commission, please visit www.gulfshoresorangebeachsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – USSSA and the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sports Commission are teaming up for another blockbuster summer in 2011. USSSA has scheduled 11 baseball tournaments and one softball tournament to be hosted by Pleasure Island in the next two months.

The strong relationship between the sports commission and USSSA continues to grow after a record-setting year in 2010. The sports commission generated over $12.8 million last year in tourism impact with a large portion of that coming from USSSA events. Two events in particular can be given credit; USSSA Global World Series I and II were responsible for over $5.5 million in tourism impact.

With the success experienced in 2010, it was natural to add more events in 2011. Returning to the calendar are: the State Tournament (June 18-19), Recreation State (June 25-26), USSSA Coach Pitch World Series (June 28 – July 3), Global Sports World Series I (July 6-10), Global Sports World Series II (July 13-17), Softball “C” World Series (July 19-24), Tournament of Champions (July 29-31), Last Chance Super NIT (June 10-12) and Beach Blast (March 26-27). New in 2011 are: Sandlot Lead off Super NIT (April 8-10), Battle of the Best NIT (May 27-30), Global Sports World Series (July 3-6) and Global Sports World Series III (July 20-24).

Action for all the above-mentioned tournaments can be found at both the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sportsplexes. Tickets can be purchased daily and are available at the door.

5/25/2011

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Coming off the heels of a weekend filled with concert goers, student-athletes and car enthusiasts, guests appear to be returning to Alabama’s beaches in healthy numbers according to early indicators from island accommodations.

“Thanks to the multiple events that filled last weekend, we have extended our summer season by one weekend and saw the return of guests to our beach destination in significant numbers,” said Herb Malone, president/CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “Since October 2010, we have seen an upward trend every month in our taxable lodging rentals, and based on the following information, we are confident that this trend will continue into the May figures.”

On Last Weekend

According to Sarah Kuzma, corporate relations director for Meyer Vacation Rentals, the Hangout Music Festival doubled the company’s occupancy rates from 53 percent in 2009 and in 2010 to 97 percent last weekend: “We experienced early bookings for this weekend due to the festival event and sold out much earlier than a typical weekend. The guest states of origin were much broader than we’ve ever experienced prior to this event.”

Kuzma added that “positive feedback from guests who had not previously visited will build our market share in regions not usually available to us, and the economic impact from this festival weekend will have far reaching and powerful effects for many years to come.”

Along similar lines, Emily Gonzalez, marketing director at Kaiser Realty, Inc. stated that the music festival “was an amazing event and great overall weekend for our company. We had an over 50 percent increase in guests coming in directly for the concert (from 2010 to 2011) and a near 100 percent total occupancy for the weekend. Of the total weekend occupancy, 65 percent of those guests were in for the festival. In addition to festival goers, we also hosted three weddings at Kaiser properties, and many guests who were simply in to enjoy a beach weekend.”

Meanwhile, Donna Gordon, who is the director of marketing for Mandoki Hospitality (Gulf Shores Plantation), reported “increase in guests of over 50 percent when compared to 2009 and over 100 percent when compared to 2010. This was due to a combination of guests attending the Hangout Music Festival and teams playing in the NAIA softball tournament.”

A similar occurrence happened at the Island House Hotel according to General Manager Barbara Walters, who said that they were at 100 percent occupancy last weekend compared to 52 percent for the same weekend in 2010.

Adding to the trend, Marie Curren – director of marketing at Brett-Robinson Vacations – reported that weekend occupancy rates doubled over 2009 figures to reach 98 percent: “This is a great event and I admire Shaul Zislin’s vision in bring this project to the community. So many visitors were not aware of our beautiful area, now they are already making reservations for a summer vacation.”

Also, Connie Bryars – who serves as the director of marketing for Young’s Suncoast Vacation Rentals – said that “we booked 99 percent of our inventory for Hangout Music Fest weekend, which is an increase of 45 percent over last year for the same event and an increase of 17 percent compared to the same dates in 2009.”

On the Upcoming Holiday Weekend

“Based on informal surveys of our lodging partners throughout Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, we are seeing healthy and encouraging bookings for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend,” Malone said. “We are seeing increases over 2009 figures, which is a good indication that things are moving in the right direction.”

When asked about the upcoming holiday weekend, the following industry partners provided this overview:

Brett-Robinson Vacations – strong reservations; ahead of 2009 sales pace Island House Hotel – currently at 98 percent occupancy Kaiser Realty, Inc. - currently at 77 percent total occupancy Mandoki Hospitality (Gulf Shores Plantation) –up 24 percent over 2009 figures Meyer Vacation Rentals – 81 percent bookings currently and are on pace to reach the 85 percent levels of 2010 and 2009 Young's Suncoast Vacation Rentals - Nearly at 90 percent occupancy for Memorial Weekend
On the Sports Effect

Adding to the activity on Pleasure Island last weekend were the 32 collegiate teams from as far away as California and British Columbia who were in town for the 2011 NAIA Women’s Softball National Championship, which was co-hosted by the University of Mobile and the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission.

“The economic impact of these sports events has been and continues to be huge as we estimate that this single championship will generate an additional 1500 room nights for a total tourism spending impact of just under $500,000,” said Beth Gendler, vice-president of sales for the commission. “We are extremely proud to welcome these student-athletes and their family and friends for a six-day tournament at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.”

Play for this championship concludes with a Wednesday afternoon championship game.

Meanwhile, the sports commission kicks off the first of 11 USSSA baseball events by welcoming approximately 130 youth teams to town this weekend for the 2011 USSSA Battle of the Best NIT Baseball Tournament.

“We are especially thrilled to kick off our USSSA series with this event,” Gendler said. “In the next three months, we will welcome literally thousands of youth baseball players and their family and friends during 11 USSSA tournaments, including 5 World Series.”

In 2010, all of the USSSA tournaments generated a combined total of 19,032 room nights and $7.15 million in total spending.

On Last Minute Lodging Availability and Deals

Visit the accommodations availability chart – which is listed under the lodging tab at www.gulfshores.com or www.orangebeach.com – to see which properties have vacancies or find a hot deal in the packages and hot deals section on the websites previously mentioned.

To best serve the incoming guests, the welcome centers in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach will be open on Friday until 5 p.m. Then on Saturday, the new summer hours will keep both welcome centers open until 7 p.m. seven days a week.