Panama City Beach Venue Debuts Turf Fields

Panama City Beach will celebrate the opening of its newly completed turf fields at Publix Sports Park, attracting thousands of athletes and visitors who will compete at three football and softball events. The events are projected to generate an estimated $3.8 million in direct economic impact, benefiting local hotels, restaurants, retailers and small businesses throughout the community.

Publix Sports Park was co-developed and supported by the Panama City Beach Tourist Development Council and Convention & Visitors Bureau. The venue spans 160 acres of flexible space.

“We’re thrilled to open the new turf fields with a weekend that truly showcases the scale and diversity of events we host,” said Chris O’Brien, vice president of sports marketing for Visit Panama City Beach. “Weekends like this highlight the role sports tourism plays in supporting local businesses and filling hotels year-round.”

The weekend’s events include Future Stars Invitational by Kohl’s Kicking Camp, in its third year at the destination. The event features 300 invite-only high school kickers and punters from across the country and will be held at the new turf fields. About 1,000 visitors are expected for the two-day event, which is projected to generate $500,000 in economic impact.

The venue will also host the All American Bowl United Youth Sports Football Tournament, which will make its Panama City Beach debut. The event features 36 tackle football teams and 70 games across three days. It is expected to attract more than 2,000 visitors and generate an estimated $2.1 million in economic impact.

In addition, the USSSA MLK and Kickoff Classic Softball Tournament will feature 93 adult teams and more than 1,000 players competing at Publix Sports Park and Frank Brown Park. The tournament is expected to generate $1.2 million in economic impact.