A ninth bowl game is coming to the Sunshine State to wrap up the college football season.
At the end of last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the Hula Bowl will be held at the University of Central Florida’s 3MG Stadium on January 15, 2022.
“The Hula Bowl, which started in 1946, is a postseason ‘All Star’ bowl game, featuring standout NCAA football players from all divisions and international athletes,” the governor’s office noted.
“On behalf of our entire state, I’m proud to welcome the Hula Bowl to Florida,” said DeSantis on Friday. “Our state continues to attract premier athletic events, which is great news for our economy, Florida families, and the fans who come here from all over the world for world-class experiences.”
“Today is a big win as we celebrate the Hula Bowl’s decision to call Florida home next year,” said Florida Commerce Sec. Jamal Sowell, the president and CEO of Enterprise Florida. “I want to thank Governor DeSantis for his dedication to keeping Florida open and for working diligently with Enterprise Florida to make today’s announcement a reality.”
“The Hula Bowl’s relocation to Florida is fantastic news for our tourism industry and entire state,” said Dana Young, the president and CEO of Visit Florida. “Florida has served as a role model for tourism’s recovery, and we are thrilled to be hosting one of college football’s premier all-star games in our great state in 2022.”
“The state of Florida has been amazing in welcoming our game to the Sunshine State and Governor DeSantis made it clear to us that the state of Florida is indeed open for business,” said Jennifer Logan, the executive vice president of the Hula Bowl. “The governor’s support for Floridians is clear. His team has been so supportive and has connected us with Enterprise Florida, the Florida Sports Foundation, and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission to guide us through establishing a game that brings revenue to the community. We are pleased to bring this legendary game to Florida!”
“Florida’s bowl games attract hundreds of thousands of attendees each year, with roughly half being from out of state, generating an economic footprint of more than $380 million and thousands of local jobs,” the governor’s office noted.
Florida also hosts the Orange Bowl, Outback Bowl, Cheez-It Bowl, TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Citrus Bowl, Cure Bowl, Boca Raton Bowl and Gasparilla Bowl.
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