About Us

 The Florida Gulf Sports web site has been created for you to use as a guide to help you find the best accommodations for either yourself or the whole team!  Our beautiful homes and condos are close to all the area facilities and will create  a fantastic sports – vacation for you with memories of our island sunsets - that will last a lifetime!  Please note, Anna Maria Island has a mixture of visitors and permanent residents. If you need to reserve multiple properties there is a maximum day guest allowance and most properties will not allow all parties from more than one vacation rental to congregate in one rental location. There are many parks on and off Anna Maria that we would suggest you utilize if you wish to gather your group. Thank you for your consideration of the quiet enjoyment of our Anna Maria Island neighbors.

Many of the top sports businesses make their home in our community:  The Pittsburgh Pirates, Marauders Baseball, IMG Academies, Premier Sports Academy, Ellenton Ice Sports Complex, Andersen Race Track, Desoto Speedway, Ft Hammer Rowing & Training Facility, Benderson Rowing Complex. All are located here in our area and just minutes from our beautiful beaches and georgous accommodations.

We are very happy and proud that our community will be your host for your next event and hope the information that we have provided is helpful in making your lodging choice easy.  Send us an email if there is anything you are looking for that you do not see on this website, as these are just a sampling of the many homes and condos that we have to offer.  Don’t forget us for your next family vacation…..we will keep our beautiful Sunsets ready for you!

Just a little about your host – The Florida Gulf Coast Sports Commission

Our community is a very sports friendly area and rolls out the red carpet for all of our traveling sports teams and guests.  Since 1999, we have been fortunate to have a fully accredited Sports Commission.  Our sports commission is the Florida Gulf Coast Sports Commission and it works with many sports organizations like yours to provide the best facilities, accommodations and information to make your experience as fun as possible.  Many people like to know a little more about our Sports Commissioner and the Florida Gulf Coast Sports Commission, so we have highlighted some of its achievements below. 

In 1999- Joe Pickett was appointed as the 13th Sports Commissioner in the State of Florida by the Governor to establish a Sports Commission in Manatee County.  His resume included over 15 years of successful sports marketing and event management experience.  Since then Joe has attended over 60 national sports conferences as a presenter, guest, or speaker.

Joe Pickett is recognized by National Governing Bodies, CVB’s and Sports Commissions, as not only one of the oldest, but one of the most professional and credible sports commissioners in the country with relationships and business partners world-wide. He is called upon as a resource by CVB’s/Sports Commissions natonally.

Some of Joe’s career highlights..

2000-present- Amateur Athletic Union Convention voting delegate – one of the few Sports Commissioners with voting rights at the AAU Congress

2002-present - NASC Committee member –ROI, Ethics, Membership, Grants and Sponsorship

2003-present – Sports Scene TV Show – Host – focuses on incoming event promoters, interviews, and provides onsite- day of TV productions.

2003 – Appointed Florida State Director of Junior Golf for AAU.

2004 – Created grants for local junior golf organizations which provided over $150,000 in funding for local junior golf programs.

2004- Created the Gulf Coast Housing Association-hotel booking agency for incoming sports organizations

2004-present- National Committee Member -United States Ballroom Dance Association (USBDA)

2005 – created, produced and funded: the 3^rd largest Junior Ball Room Dancing Event in the U.S.

2005- Received the Special Partnership Award for the Healthy Athlete Component from the Florida Special Olympics

2005-2008  Created, produced and managed the Outdoor Festival at Coquina Beach.  Largest one day Eco event on Florida’s west coast, attracting over 5,000 visitors -identifying  Manatee County-at that time- as a destination for the eco-green-kayak vacationer. 

2006-present -Created Down Town Hoops 3 on 3 Basketball Shoot Out– focusing on intercity events.

2007- Speaker for the AAU State general meeting – Topic: Event budgeting and Community Sponsorships

2008- present- Committee member and guest speaker at the U.S. Sports Congress

2008-present– Chariman of  Youth Golf of America – 501c3 National organization- www.ygoa.org

2008 – present – Appointed to the Chi Chi Rodriguez Foundation as a Board Member

Recipient of a proclamation from the Manatee County Commissioners that May 22, 2008 was dedicated as Joe Pickett Day, in Manatee County for his outstanding service to the community while making Manatee County as a true sports destination for event organizers.

2009 – Established OAN Events & Sports Marketing consulting company

2009 – Hosted a Florida junior golf Chi Chi Rodriguez Clinic with Chi Chi Rodriguez in Tampa Florida

2009 – present – Consultant to Youth Basketball of America

2009 – present – Created the National Home School Junior Golf Tournament in St Louis, Mo

2009 – Created, submitted and received approval of the official national Girl Scouts Youth Golf of America – Golf Merit Badge

2009 -  U.S Sports Congress-Key Note Speaker – 2009-Topic: Working with Sports Commissions & ROI

2009- Speaker for-Youth Basketball of America Leadership Conference–Topic: ROI and Event Budget Creation. 

2009-2010 -  Youth Sports Counsel – Town Meeting panel guest-Topic:  Creating Economic Impact from Grassroots

2009 & 2010 - Florida Sports Foundation past junior golf license plate grant committee member

2009 – present – California State Junior Golf Director for the AAU

2009 – Consultant for  the Florida’s Largest Golf Show, Tampa

2009 – present – Guest speaker at numerous colleges on various Sports Management Topics

2009- present – Consultant to Costa Rica Medical Travel Services

2009 – present – Created multiple Big Blast Festivals on the west coast.

2009 – present – Consultant to San Mateo Sport Development, San Francisco

2010 – Selected as a national panel member for the USGA Junior Golf committee

2010 – Speaker at the USGA-PGA Trade show on organizing junior golf program and fundraising

Past Manatee County Tourist and Development Council (TDC )board member

Consultant -OAN Events and Sports Marketing- providing organization consulting, client representation, strategic planning, facility and community analysis along with event management and development to CVB’s, new Sports Commissions, Parks and Recreation Departments and National Governing Bodies (NGB).

2010 – Organizing NGB’s with IMG & Parks and Rec to joint venture on programs in Manatee County,

2010 – Consultant to LWR Sports Complex

2010 – Created Spats Continental Ballroom Dance Club

2010 – Consultant to National Scholastic Resources – Orlando

2010 – Consultant to Intelligent Solutions – Salt Lake City

2010 – Consultant to Global International Basketball Tournaments-India, Korea, Singapore, China, & Japan – Current Director of Pacific Rim Tournament

2010 – Consultant to Northern Kentucky Entertainment- Louisville

2011 – Appointed as Official Judge of Grassroots Festivals for communities with budgets under $100,000, for the National Association of Sports Commissions, in Greensboro, NC.

2011 –Appointed to the Kerosene Lamp Foundation board – the Orlando Magic, Adonal Foyle Charity

2011 – Golden Herald Awards Judge for the Bradenton Herald.

2011 – Speaker and panelist at the Western Conference Youth Basketball Symposium, Las Vegas, NV.

Check out the events page of our web site to see what events are coming up!