Open Water Festival returns to Lee County April 29-30

FORT MYERS, Fla. - April 27, 2017 - PRLog -- Lee County will once again host the nation's top open water swimmers during the 2017 Open Water Festival, to be held Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30, at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club.

The 2017 Open Water Festival will include events on both days, using Miromar Lakes' 700-acre freshwater lake. The USA Swimming Open Water Relays, Open Water Clinic, Crippen Sunset Mile and Youth Buddy Swim will be held the first day. Sunday's events include the Florida Swimming Open Water Championships, Local Swim Club All-Star Challenge and Open Water Festival Race.

The 2017 Open Water Festival at Miromar Lakes will bring competitive swimmers from across the nation to Lee County. Last year's event generated about $420,000 in direct economic impact for Lee County, including roughly 1,000 hotel room nights and 1,000 sports visitors.

Miromar Lakes was first identified by USA Swimming in 2007 to host the Championship Trials due to its ideal climate and lake conditions that parallel the open water competition settings in Seville and Beijing. USA Swimming officials have called Miromar Lakes "the best" location and amenities they have seen in their travels to races around the world. Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club has received more than 170 local, regional and national awards including the Gold Award for the #1 Community in the United States from the National Association of Home Builders, the only Florida community in history to win this top honor. The Miromar Lakes Beach Clubhouse also received the Gold Award from the NAHB for the Best Clubhouse in the United States. No other community has ever won both awards.

The 2017 Open Water Festival is open for spectators. For more information on the festival, visit www.OpenWaterFestival.org. For more information on USA Swimming, visit www.USASwimming.org.

About Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club

Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club offers a 700-acre freshwater lake for swimming, boating, waterskiing, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing, three miles of private white sand beach, a European-style wellness spa with full-service salon, state-of-the-art fitness center, 10,000-square-foot zero-edge infinity pool, two marinas, seven Har-Tru tennis courts, bocce courts, concierge services, three restaurants and a dynamic social scene. Miromar Lakes Golf Club has the only Arthur Hills "Signature" championship golf course in Southwest Florida, a 2015 Golfweek's Best Residential Course of Distinction. Boating, beaches, championship golf and world-class amenities are all within one luxurious setting at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club. Move-in ready and new construction homes are available for immediate purchase. New homes are available starting from $1 million to over $7 million. Visit Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club, just north of Naples, at Exit 123 off I-75. For more information, please contact the Sales Gallery at 239-425-2340 or 877-809-9444, or online at MiromarLakes.com.

About Lee County Sports Development

Lee County Sports Development was created in 2003 to meet the growing demand for sports development in Lee County, and is recognized by the Florida Sports Foundation as one of the state's 25 Regional Sports Commissions. The Lee County Sports Development office leads the recruitment and implementation of amateur and professional sports events and activities in Lee County, with the goal of providing economic impact to Lee County. Through local partnerships with Lee County Parks & Recreation and others, the Lee County Sports Development office provides services designed to address the needs of local, national and international sports entities including housing, access to venues, event management, transportation assistance, event promotion, marketing and local sponsorship opportunities. For more information, call 239-533-5273 or visit www.leegov.com/sports.

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