“We’re honored that Orlando is the first city in Florida to host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon.  Central Florida has a rich history of developing Olympic caliber runners including current and past US world champions and Olympic medalists. Our team has assembled a stellar Athlete Advisory board including 1996 Olympic team marathoner Keith Brantly, Jenny Simpson, World Champion gold medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, and Meb Keflezighi, 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist who now resides in Tampa. Together with these three amazing athletes and our supportive running community we will create an epic Olympic Trials experience for all!” 

- Jon Hughes, Co-Owner

Track Shack Events

Around The Horn.

• Orlando will play host to the 2024 U. S. Olympic Team Trials — Marathon, USA Track & Field (USATF) and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced Tuesday. Held on February 3, 2024, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon will be the selection event for the USATF Team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The top three female and male place finishers in the Olympic Trials who have met qualifying performance standards will self-select for the 2024 USATF Olympic squad.
• The Orlando Magic’s newest City Edition jerseys are meant to represent the team and city of Orlando as a “unique kingdom on the rise.” The all-black uniform, which was released Thursday, features a metallic gray accent that’s “a suit of armor to display strength and fortitude” and pinstripes along with the star on the side of the shorts to “pay homage to cherished symbols of the Magic’s past.”
• The Florida Blue Florida Classic is more than just a football game and more than an in-state rivalry. It is now the nation’s largest football game between two Historically Black College/University (HBCU) schools, surpassing the Bayou Classic between Grambling and Southern in New Orleans as the top attended game in NCAA Division I-AA. Since its inception in 1978, the game has now seen over 2 million spectators attend game. The game will be at the Camping World Stadium on November 19.
• Orlando Sentinel Analysis: Key questions for UCF entering a top-25 matchup at Tulane.
• With Hurricane Nicole moving across Florida ahead of the LPGA Pelican Women’s Championship this week at Pelican Golf Course, Terry Kennelly, its director of golf course and grounds, has been fixed on the forecast. When Kennelly first started working at golf courses around 1986, he said he tried to control the weather. But at this point, the 53-year-old said, “I finally figured out I can’t.”
• The Orlando Magic had to play without rookie forward Paolo Banchero, their leading scorer, for the first time in Wednesday’s home game vs. the Mavericks. While his absence was felt, the Magic locked in defensively to pick up a 94-87 victory at Amway Center for the second win of their seven-game homestand.
• Tropical Storm Nicole battered Friday’s opening-round schedule for Florida High School Athletic Association football state playoffs games. School closings for Thursday and Friday were announced for all five Orlando area public school districts (Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and Volusia) on Tuesday afternoon. Friday night football games involving teams from those counties were postponed.
• Tom Brady became the first player in NFL history to throw for more than 100,000 yards, surpassing the milestone on a 15-yard completion to Leonard Fournette during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams.
• The Big 12 has stabilized its future by coming to terms with ESPN and Fox Sports on a six-year media rights agreement worth a total of $2.28B, an annual average of $380M, according to sources. The Big 12 has two years remaining on its current deal, which runs through the 2024-25 season at an annual average of $220M in its final years. The new six-year extension runs through 2030-31.
• Congratulations to our community partners at the City of Orlando, Orange County, Lake County, Seminole County, and Osceola County, and our event partners at AAU, ECNL, Special Olympics, and IWWF for winning Sports Destination Management's 2022 Economic Impact Awards! Read more about all of the 2022 winners here.
• The new-look American Athletic Conference will not use divisions and play an eight-game league football schedule when it expands to 14 teams next season, the league announced Wednesday. The scheduling model was approved for use the next four seasons (2023-26) by the AAC's athletic directors.
• Orlando's team in the new iteration of the XFL pro football league — this time headed by actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — will be called the Guardians. The names of the eight XFL teams were revealed Oct. 31 for the league, which will kick off its inaugural season in February. The team will play at Camping World Stadium near downtown Orlando.
• UFC returns to Orlando for the first time in over four years on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Amway Center with an intriguing welterweight tilt that will see No. 7 ranked contender Stephen Thompson battle Kevin Holland. Heavyweight KO artists collide in the co-main event when No. 4 ranked contender Tai Tuivasa meets No. 5 Sergei Pavlovich.

In The News.

• Businesses are better off in Florida than the rest of the U.S, according to the recent study from Orlando-based Harrington Group International. This is the latest in a string of studies and reports over the last two years that name Florida and Orlando among the best places for entrepreneurs, women-owned businesses and foreign business investment.
• The Walt Disney Company officially launched the 2022 Disney Ultimate Toy Drive in support of the Marine Toys for Tots Program. The company said the holiday initiative continues a 75-year tradition of supporting Toys for Tots, and delivering toys, hope and joy to children in need during the holiday season.
• Orlando Health received approval from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to provide acute hospital-level care in adult patients’ homes. The new program, called Orlando Health Hospital Care at Home, will kick off in February. This enhanced care model uses portable technology that connects patients to the Orlando Health patient care hub for 24/7 remote monitoring and virtual care by nurses and providers, in addition to in-person nursing check-ins daily.
• Legoland Florida has unveiled a life-size model of a Ford F-150 Lightning truck that’s made of 320,740 Lego bricks. The big, new, blue figure stands in front of the Winter Haven theme park’s Ford Driving School attraction. A team of 15 master model builders spent more than 1,600 hours assembling the truck at Lego Group’s U.S. headquarters in mid-July.
• Six companies in Orlando and Kissimmee are taking advantage of government economic incentive programs to create a combined 508 new jobs. The incentives in question are performance-based, and companies get full payout only if they create and maintain the jobs they proposed. Many of the job agreements involve the positions being created over a set period of time.
• Since opening its doors 10 years ago, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida has delivered on the promise of healing and hope. Nemours has turned the tide for millions of Florida families by providing innovative pediatric health care to the most medically challenged children. A special event at Nemours, “The Ripple Effects of Better Health,” brought community leaders together to celebrate this community resource.
• International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions named Jakob Wahl the new president and CEO of the Orlando-based theme park group effective Jan. 1. Wahl will be responsible with executive management and day-to-day operations at the association, as well as provide strategic advice to the association's board of directors.

Stay Engaged.

• Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and his Veterans Advisory Council will honor the courageous men and women of the armed forces at the 23rd annual City of Orlando Veterans Day Parade in downtown Orlando on Nov. 12. This year’s parade will open with a tribute to those who have fought for our country and defended our freedom, led by Mayor Dyer and local veterans. The parade's theme is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs) and Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVEs).
• ‘Tis the season! The Orange County Mayor’s Toy Drive kicks off on Monday, Nov. 14. A single toy donation can help make the holiday season joyous and bright for families in need throughout our community. Residents and businesses are encouraged to drop off new, unwrapped toys or gifts for children ages 18 and under or donate online through Orange County’s virtual toy shop. All toys collected are distributed to Orange County youth and family agencies.
• Season’s streamings: Your ultimate guide to this year’s streaming holiday movies from the Orlando Sentinel.
• The 7th Annual Orlando Beer Festival is the largest in Orlando, pouring 200+ varieties of beer, ciders, seltzers, spirits and wine from over 50 local, regional and national breweries and companies. Orlando Beer Festival is not only the region's largest beer tasting event, it also features live music on the Hard Rock Stage from the Tom O'Keef Trio, Wilted Chilis and DJ ET, a giant interactive game zone with carnival games, giant beer pong and many more surprises. 
• The 2022 State of Osceola County, presented by the Osceola County Board of Commissioners will be hosted at Osceola Heritage Park on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The luncheon will feature a keynote address by Chairman Brandon Arrington, providing an update on the State of the County, looking back at the past year and ahead to what's in the future for our community.
• Barktoberfest is Orange County Animal Services’ rescue appreciation event that serves to celebrate the partnership between OCAS and the rescue community. Animal Services currently works with more than 80 rescue groups across the state that aid in the recovery and adoption of homeless animals. The event will be at Lake Eola Park on Nov. 20.
• Walt Disney World is gearing up for the holiday season with the start of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Beginning Nov. 8, Magic Kingdom guests will get to see beloved characters, attraction holiday overlays, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and the nighttime fireworks spectacular Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show.
• Universal Orlando Resort is offering a deal to Florida residents this holiday season. Florida residents who purchase a Park-to-Park ticket will get an extra day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for free! The deal is only available online through Dec. 14, 2022.
• Florida residents can save big while visiting Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. Click here to view the current list of special offers.

Many local partners came together to support Orlando's bid to host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon. Pictured here during the site visit are Christo Landry (USATF), Tammie Liddie (USOPC), Mickey Piscitelli (USATF), Jenny Simpson (1996 Olympian), Chris Hughes (Track Shack Events), Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Keith Brantly (2008, 2012, 2016 Olympian), Meb Keflezighi (Olympic Silver Medalist), Jared Ward and Amy Begley (USATF Active Athlete Representatives), Jason Siegel (GO Sports), and Chris Carmody (GO Sports BOD/GrayRobinson).

Part of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon site visit with representatives from USA Track & Field and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) included a trip to Universal Orlando Resort.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and GO Sports Board Member Mike Waterman (Visit Orlando), CFHLA's Robert Agrusa and Universal Orlando Resort's Eric Marshall at the USATF Site Visit during Orlando's bid to host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel attended Orlando Business Journal's Power Players Luncheon with GO Sports Board Member Josh Mora (Full Sail University) and Heart of Florida United Way's Jeff Hayward.

Congratulations to Drew Donovan, who is taking over as Tournament Director for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, pictured here with GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and wife Sarah Grafton attended Dancing for Diabetes at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, pictured here Elizabeth Forrest (Founder & President, Dancing with Diabetes), Jeff Forrest and Jeff Forrest Jr.

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