The Aquatic Complex is a destination for many college teams. Teams come with coaches, swimmers and divers. Teams pay rental fees, and some are tax exempt. In present times, teams are turned away as the facility is booked. The capacity for visitors in these weeks is such that more teams would eliminate programming for local residents. 

The teams visit for training as their college semesters end. Winter break schedules vary as some squads are able to go to Florida around Thanksgiving while others are off from classes into the middle of January. At times, teams hold meets as well, but the focus is generally for training with multiple practices and resting and recovery to prepare for the next session.

Financial Year Comparison of Swim Team Rental Revenue

Winter Training Visiting Teams

Showing November, December, January.

Date revised, 12/12/2010

New Pool Opportunities for Training Trips

With the proposed pool expansion and some marketing to the colleges and club teams, the ISCA President, Doug Fonder, feels confident that the number of teams visiting in these months could jump from six to fifty. These teams and their coaches are the bedrock of the membership of the ISCA organization. Marketing to their leaders and getting  these projected increases for the increases in the numbers of visitors to St. Pete for training destinations is assured with the expansion.

The projections with the expansions, rather than 700 visitors, the facility could handle a five-fold increase, to 3,500+ visitors every year. 

Your input welcome in the comments box below.

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St. Petersburg will be a city of opportunity where the sun shines on all who come to live, work and play. We will be an innovative, creative and competitive community that honors our past while pursing our future

Vision 2050

Sun Shines Here 

A swim pool can fit in this space.

Rendering of new pool in place at St. Petersburg, Florida.

This location can equate to an additional $50-million per year economic impact for St. Petersburg with the construction of a new 50-meter by 25-yard pool and a 25-yard by 20-yard dive and water polo pool.

ISCA, the International Swim Coaches Association, and Doug Fonder, president, is offering expertise and vision for an expansion of the North Shore Aquatic Complex.

• St. Petersburg can realize an additional $50-million per year with this expansion.
• New construction cost for the new pools is less than $10-million.
• Appropriate research with statistics back up these claims.

Executive Summary:

Let's consider and proceed with another investment, and upgrade the water space at St. Petersburg’s North Shore Aquatic Complex. 

The economic opportunities presently emerging in 2022 are more than favorable for the city. This new project can be justified to taxpayers, citizens, employees, the facility’s participants and visitors on economic merits. The overall economic impacts are significant. And, the risks are minimal.The capital investments detailed within this proposed aquatic-center expansion includes the building of an additional, outdoor, 50-meter by 25-yard pool and a 25-yard by 20-yard dive and water polo pool. Given this plan's public-private partnership opportunities, the less-than $10-million expenditure is prudent, forward thinking and should be warmly welcomed by all stake-holders in the city, especially as the community plans for the future with Vision 2050.

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

Show and sell economic development and the fine line ...

The popular slogan from the baseball movie, Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come," fits this proposal for expanding the St. Petersburg's North Shore Aquatic Complex.

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ISCA currently hosts a multitude of swim meets every season, utilizing some of the top facilities in the nation to ensure that swimmers have the fastest and most memorable meet they can. The top destination for ISCA meets has been St. Petersburg.

Annual ISCA meets held at the North Shore Aquatic Complex in St. Petersburg, Florida, include:

1. In March, the Junior National Championship Cup.
2. In April, the Elite Showcase Classic.
3. In August, the Summer Senior Championships – now sponsored by TYR.

ISCA President, Doug Fonder, expresses his excitement about the St. Petersburg pool location for good reason: The facility is a 10 lane, 50-meter pool with a detached 10 lane 25-meter warm up pool, held at a constant temperature of 79 degrees. Furthermore, this pool boasts a new scoreboard and sits right on Tampa Bay at Vinoy Park. St. Petersburg’s weather is great for swimming outdoors, particularly in March and April, with the additional bonus of fresh air quality.

ISCA’s newest competitive creation, the X Splash Games. 

The X Splash, a two-day event, is designed as a fun way to practice racing while emphasizing the importance of every event and distance. It invites developing swimmers to compete in a variety of land and water events, expanding the athletic demands of swimmers. The X represents the number 10, as the competition serves as a swimmer’s version of a decathlon with three out-of-water events, one kicking event and six swimming events. The three land events – pull ups, dips, and vertical jumps – were determined to be the most crucial exercises for swimmers’ strength. These events were also picked because they can be measured and replicated in the exact manner at any site with the proper parameters. The swimming events include different stroke and IM races, including a 25-yard freestyle for every age group.

More ISCA Events

• The West Elite Showcase Classic, build off of the Florida events, began in 2019 in California.
• ISCA hosts Open Water championship in September in Virginia.
• ISCA hosts multiple coaching summits throughout the year, often in Clearwater, Florida, in 2018, 2019 and 2020,

History of Meets

ISCA Meets at the North Shore Pool in St. Pete:

• Dolfin ISCA Junior Championship Cup - 3/21/2017 to 3/25/2017
• ISCA Summer Senior Championships, 8/2 to 8/5, 2017
• ISCA / NASA TYR Elite Showcase Classic, 3/28 to 3/31, 2018
• ISCA Summer Senior Championship Meet, 7/31 to 8/4, 2018
• ISCA TYR Junior National Championship Meet, 3/26 to 3/30, 2019
• Elite Showcase Classic Swimming Championships, 4/10 to 4/13, 2019
• Summer Senior Championship Invitational, 7/30 to 8/1, 2019
• TYR International Junior Cup, 3/24 to 3/28, 2020
• ISCA Elite Showcase Classic, 4/8 to 4/11, 2020
• TYR International Senior Cup, 7/28 to 8/1, 2020

Other Meets at the North Shore Pool in St. Petersburg

• FHSAA 4A District 6, hosted by Palm Harbor University High School, 10/28, 2017, with 283 athletes and 9 teams
• FHSAA 4A Region 2, hosted by Countryside High School, 11/4, 2017 with 835 athletes an 29 teams
• (Not a comprehensive list)

ISCA Meets at other locations, not in St. Pete:

•  NASA/ISCA Elite Showcase Classic in Clearwater, Florida (April 5-8, 2017)
• ISCA TYR Junior National Championship Cup, 3/20 to 3/24, 2019 in Lynchburg, Virginia
• East Coast Open Water Championship, Smith Mountain, Virginia, 9/22, 2019
• TYR International Elite Showcase WEST, Mission Viejo, California, 2/14 to 2/17, 2020
• TYR East Coast Open Water Championships, Smith Mountain, Virginia, 9/26 to 9/27, 2020

Breaking an age-group, national record in the North Shore Pool

Star athletes have come to the ISCA Meets and set national records. Local swimmers from St. Pete have also been able to excel in the ISCA events as well.

Making memories and bringing home honors from St. Petersburg.

Links to some meet results:

2017 Dolfin ISCA Junior Championship Cup - 3/21/2017 to 3/25/2017

Meet Results File

• Results – Prelims/Timed Finals
  • Tuesday Timed Finals
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday
• Results – Finals
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday
• Results – Time Trials
  • Time Trials
  • Thursday
  • Friday
• Scores
  • Final Team Scores
  • Final Individual Scores

2017 ISCA Summer Senior Championships, 8/2 to 8/5

https://www.fastswimresults.com/2017/07/2017-isca-summer-senior-championships-82-85-north-shore-pool-st-petersburg-fl/

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The ISCA hosted, St. Pete Meet, International Junior Cup

ISCA hosted, St. Pete destination, for the 2020 Elite Showcase Classic.

The facility is booked to the max.

Water space is being fully utilized.

More visitors, more events and more programs are no longer possible. Additional teams are unable to be accommodated at St. Pete for their training trips. There isn't any available room in the pools. New business rentals are being turned away. The demand to use the pools is present, but the supply is absent.

Local swimmers need pool access too.

Growth should not come at the expense of locals swimmers.

Local lap swimmers and citizens should be able to use their pool without continuous closures, yet again, for special events, meets and training trips.  

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

Main purpose: This is going to be more of a training pool....

Lets work to avoid the closing of the swim pool to local swimmers due to rentals and special events by making more water space with this expansion.

Lets work to avoid the closing of the swim pool to local swimmers due to rentals and special events by making more water space with this expansion.

ISCA understands the need for increasing diversity in swimming and aquatics.

Swimming is a global sport with millions of people participation worldwide, but in the United States, only 1-percent of the more than 600,000 registered swimmers are of African-American decent.

Up to 64% of African-American children surveyed (ages 4-18) report that they had no or low swimming ability, compared to 45% of Hispanic children and 40% of white children.

Children, ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. Fatal drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death behind motor vehicle creases for children ages 1 to 14.

Drowning death rates for Black people are 1.5 times higher than the rates for White people. Disparities are highest among Black children ages 5 to 9 (when the rates are 2.6 times higher) and ages 10 to 14 (when the rates are 3.6 times higher).

In swimming pools, Black children ages 10 to 14 years drown at rates 7.6 times higher than White children. Black children and youth are more likely to drown in public pools, and White children and youth are more likely to drown in residential pools. 

Participation in formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning among children and young adults.

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Business Development Manager of Visit St. Pete / Clearwater Sports & Events reports an economic impact of $8,211,436 for four supported events at North Shore in 2019 sponsored by ISCA.

The multiplier in calculating youth sporting events is 2.30 spectators per participant.

Our projections for 2022 are one-third greater than 2019. That is well greater than $11-million in 2022.

Adding all of the events that are held at the North Shore Aquatic Complex throughout the year would generate a much greater economic impact today than the above numbers.

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

When you do economic impact, everything is based on ...

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

Truthfully, it (overhead expenses) are not going to be that much more....

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The new, proposed, additional pools, 50-meters by 25-yards and 25-yards by 20-yards, can be nestled within the complex. The new pool would sit on the front lawn space. The existing front-gate entry can be utilized. The existing locker areas are well positioned too, sitting between the pools.

The trends, opinions and research for this expansion are being delivered from top aquatic leaders that understand the North Shore Aquatic Complex. 

The ISCA leadership has already established close relationships with the City of St. Petersburg. Just as high-performing athletes work closely with high-performance coaches, a top facility and competitive venue, such as the North Shore Aquatic Complex, can flourish when synchronized with the the sports coaching leaders and event hosts.

Front lawn of the aquatic center has room for expansion and can accommodate the additional pools.

Pool entry and buildings remain the same.

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

This area is a big field.....

Building a 50-meter by 25-yard pool with depth of 7-to-9 feet for swimming portion and a 25-yard by 20-yard diving and water polo pool with a 16-foot depth.

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

Main purpose: This is going to be more of a training pool....

Technical PDF of the pool in a PDF file, 16-pages

Insights

Providing ideal water temperature of 79-to-80-degrees Fahrenheit requires a pool blanket at night and the installation and operation of specialized units – Symbiont Ph-215-TT-RV GeoThermal Pool Heating/Cooling Units (3 phase) – costing $435,000, contingent upon easy access without obstructions.

Expert geothermal projections from Terry Cicchella, a pool heating consultant with Symbiont Serve Corp, (symbiontservice.com) calls for the 50-meter pool to include seven units and the 70-meter pool, ten units, given less wind on the new pool than on the existing pool.

Included allowances include $50,000 for 1,000-feet of 6-inch boring. Perhaps some money can be saved by having the city do the boring work, as done with the existing pool.

Estimates don’t include contractor mark-ups, given that the work happens for the city.

Needs:

• Pool blankets for winters
• Municipal permits
• Access without obstructions for installing geothermal units

Expertise resides with both the ISCA leadership and within the City of St. Pete.

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With a second, 70-meter by 25-yard, competition pool, everyone's needs can be satisfied. Growth can occur while continuing to offer access and services. Programs for visitors and locals can expand. 

A second pool with a depth of seven-to-nine-feet provides more lanes. The extra space for more races at the same time allows for more teams and wider scopes for various events. The North Shore Aquatic Complex could host more meets and larger meets while still serving the needs of local citizens who swim. More public swimming opportunities can be presented with the additional space, causing less interruptions for local patrons. 

The present facilities are wonderful, but there is no room for additional aquatics programming.

The recent building expansion and upgrade are well suited and capable of supporting the additional fans and swimmers. But, the pool space is full.

The biggest capacity demands are with the water space.

The root of this proposal and partnership offer is due to competitive swimming and hosting of swim meets. ISCA wants to build a separate, additional pool and grow the opportunities for visitors, especially with meets and training trips.

St. Pete is a familiar swim meet destination for hundreds of swimming teams from around the nation and world.

The expansion can better maximize the facility’s capacity and generate additional community gains. Future spending from consumers and travelers will increase with more people attending and enjoying these events.

ISCA’s leadership provides a sound, safe partnership with a trusted, in-depth service provider that has a proven track record for nearly ten years.

With the expansion, expectations are for a continuation of positive outcomes. ISCA’s expertise and network of events can further flourish the business, management and events side of the facility.Improve the efficiency, performance.Enhance the experienceInnovative scheduleMatches the rising demands of competitors, families, coaches and spectators.Ensure reliable, professional support with direct personal access to our event teams and CEO.Improve the bottom line with customized marketing and planning servicesBuilding and expansion can benefit:Parents and children with learn to swim instruction. Let’s diminish the heartache and suffering of drownings, as it is the second major cause of adolescent deaths in most states.Mending bodies with aquatic therapy, a fast-growing opportunity. Insurance covers some services and the water routines can be an affordable opportunity for improving fitness and leading to a more healthy lifestyle.Community health and wellness participants embrace water walking, vertical exercises in the pool, swimming laps and body-safe exercise that comes in the water. Some cross-train on the land and in the water. Many turn to aquatics to curb obesity and de-conditioning problems.Youth involvement with swim teams and clubs with professional instruction sets up life-long activities.Youth recreation in the pool extends beyond the races of competitive swimming also to address fitness, curtail screen-time, andPopulations with special needs get great benefits with movement in the water.

Family activities. Plays together, stay together. The water offers a setting for all ages.

Aquatic safety programs, a community need to promote safety, health, wellness and good decision making.

Fun project and healthy outcomes ahead.

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

We'll say, "This is what it is going to cost to do ....."

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

Another big advantage that ISCA has with this opportunity with St. Pete ...

The popular slogan from the baseball movie, Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come," fits this proposal for expanding the St. Petersburg's North Shore Aquatic Complex.

Rendering of new pool in place at St. Petersburg, Florida.

Doug Fonder

Audio Clip

This area is a big field.....