As surface temperatures push towards 90 degrees the bass keep moving deeper in search of more comfortable areas to escape the heat. Got to get out early for best action or fish at night. Bites hard to come by after about 9:00 a.m. In most area lakes, especially the clear ones, fishing shallower than 8 ft is just about a waste of time. Look for fish to be hanging around brushpiles, shell beds, or submerged grassbeds in 8 ft of water or deeper. Deep diving crankbaits along with Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics will be the top producers in these areas. Try shad or chartreuse colored crankbaits as fish will primarily be feeding on shad or bream until the water cools down and they begin to move shallower. For plastics stick to old adage of lighter colors on brighter days and darker colors on more overcast days. Experiment with different weights, shapes, and sizes until the fish tell you what they want.
  Also look for midday schoolers to be chasing shad and glass minnows around the deepest areas of the lake, most will only be 1-2 lbs but any fish after 9:00 is a good fish. Any lure that can be cast into the schoolers should work. Heavier topwaters and rattlebaits are usually best as they can be cast longer distances. For those catching fish deeper than 15 ft please return them to the water immediately to prevent them from inflating their air bladders and becoming unable to swim back to the bottom which would ultimately result in their death. Any fish that can’t swim back down must have the air removed from it’s swim bladder or vented. Berkley has a ventilator tool that folds and fits in a sheath for about 10 bucks and it works great. It takes less than a minute to vent a fish and save it’s life and you some money in dead fish penalties. Also don’t forget to cool down the water in your livewells about 10 degrees below the surface temp. Ice works but freezing bottles of water which may be used over and over is a much cheaper and very effective alternative. The 32 oz gatorade bottles work great. Place one in each side of your livewell every 3 hours and your water will stay cool all day.
Kissimmee Chain

  This place is as hot as the weather. The Kissimmee chain is fishing as good as anywhere in the country. Even with closed locks, rising and falling water levels, and surface temps approaching boiling point, 30 lb five fish limits are coming to the scales in just about every tournament. A 6 lb average in the dog days just once is impressive, but every tournament, that’s stupid good. It’s hard to say which lake is fishing better now because it’s equally as good on both sides of the southport locks. The improved water clarity and vegetation growth has to have something to do with the chain’s success. Let’s hope it stays this way and it should with good management. It’s good to see these lakes returning to their former status as one of the best bass fisheries in the country.
  There’s a very strong but short lived early bite. Topwaters fished along inside and outside grass edges and down boat trails are working good for first hour or so of mornings then fizzles out fast with the rising sun. Also flip outside grasslines early with 1/2-3/4 oz Texas rigged craws or creature baits. Jigs are also taking their fare share of big fish. As it gets hotter and brighter fish further back into the thicker portions of the grass. There’s still some bluegill bedding activity in the lily pads as well, which always means there’s a few big bass hanging around to feed on them.
  Look to offshore structure for the best midday action. Brushpiles, shell beds, and hydrilla are all holding quality fish. Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics are usually best bet in these areas. Black/blue, watermelon, and junebug are always good choices in these lakes. Shad or chartreuse colored crankbaits are also worth a shot. Try flippin’ a craw or creature bait into hydrilla mats which can be a slow but very rewarding tactic. Also check mouths of creeks, canals, and rivers after rains for schoolers. Crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigs are usually best when there’s current flowing.

Central Florida is where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

Don’t know what’s hotter, the weather or the bite. The Kissimmee Chain continues to amaze. Surface temperature is approaching 90 degrees yet tournament fishermen are still finding 30 plus lbs of fish consistently. Don’t know of too many fisheries around the country that can compete with that. Rising water temp mixed with low water levels have fish searching out deeper, cooler, areas. There’s still plenty of fish along outside grasslines. Topwaters and spinnerbaits will work early then switch to flippin’ a 1/2 oz or heavier Texas rigged black/blue or watermelon craw or creature bait. Sometimes casting soft plastics with lighter weights along grass edges can be more productive especially in clear water areas.  Junebug, blueberry, watermelon, and redbug are all great color choices. 7-10 in Ribbontail or paddletail worms along with 5 in stickworms paired with 1/4 oz or less weights is a good combination for casting. Look for offshore hydrilla, eelgrass, or peppergrass, submerged or matted as either can and will hold fish. Try 3/8-3/4 oz white spinnerbaits or shad colored 1/4-3/4 oz rattlebaits over submerged grassbeds. Work Carolina/Texas rigged worms slowly along bottom to pick off less aggressive fish. In thicker, matted hydrilla try topwater frogs/rats over the top of the mat then punch through it with 1/2 oz or heavier craw, creature bait, or jig. Pray for a breeze as the hydrilla gnats will be out in full force. Brushpiles planted offshore and shell beds should also be holding fish. Shad or chartreuse colored Deep diving crankbaits along with Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics will produce in these areas.
Winter Haven

Finally, there’s enough water to go from one end of the chain to the other. Only lakes Mirror and Spring are inaccessible on the South Chain and lake Smart on the North Chain. Both chains still need about 2 ft to reach normal levels. Overall fishing is pretty tough. There’s plenty of fish to catch and they are biting. The hard part, as always, is finding them. Most fish are in deeper, cooler, water. Only the deepest of shoreline areas will hold any concentrations of fish in most lakes and these areas become stagnant after about 9 a.m. The one exception to this is boat docks which provide cooler, shaded, water for bass to wait out the day in. Pitch Texas rigged soft plastics such as craws, lizards, worms, or creature baits as far underneath the docks as possible. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits can be good around the docks as well. Look for offshore structure such as shell beds, ledges, humps, and dredge holes. Find some sort of cover on the structure such as brush or hydrilla to locate schools of fish. Fish these areas with shad or chartruese deep diving crankbaits and Texas/Carolina rigged worms. Junebug, redbug, and watermelon colored worms always good here. In more stained water lakes concentrate on depths of 6-12 ft. In clear lakes 8+ ft. Also look to mid-lake areas in clear water lakes for schoolers. Toss topwaters, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits to these mostly 1-2 pounders. Occasionally a big fish is mixed in with the smaller fish. Tournament fishermen please remember to take good care of your catch. There’s way too many dead fish being weighed in. Use ice to cool down the water in your livewells. Surface water is about 10-15 degrees hotter than water 8 ft or deeper. That variance will cause temperature shock in fish and kill them. Two 32 oz bottles filled with water and frozen will keep most livewells cool all day. Start the morning with one and add the other halfway through the tournament. Also fish caught deeper than 15 ft down need to have their air bladders vented. It only takes about 30 seconds to vent a fish and save it’s life. The vent tool I use is a bends mender which can be found cheap online. There are videos on youtube showing how to properly vent a fish.  

Central Florida is where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

Florida’s Natural is based in Lake Wales and features their Grove House for visitor’s that offers samples of their juice, a video about how the jucie gets from the tree to your glass and a great gift shop. Noble Juice is based in Winter Haven and features a full line of juices including the Blue Lake Citrus Brand.

 Bass are heading deeper to escape the rapidly rising water temperature. Look to offshore structure such as drop-offs, dredge holes, and mussel bars to find the largest concentrations of fish. If there’s some form of cover available on or around the structure that makes it even better. Submerged grassbeds and brushpiles will both hold schools of fish. Try shad or firetiger colored deep diving crankbaits in 7 – 12 ft of water. Also drag Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics slowly along the bottom to entice less aggressive fish. Junebug, redbug, and watermelon are always good color choices. Look for schooling bass 1-3 lbs in open water areas in clear lakes. When visible on the surface, these fish will eat almost anything thrown in amongst them. Use shad imitating topwaters, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits. In dirtier water lakes there’s still some fish on the deeper shoreline areas. Flip grass, cattails, pads, or docks with soft 1/4-1/2 oz soft plastics or jigs. Also try fishing submerged grassbeds 3-6 ft with spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits, and rattlebaits.

Kissimmee Chain

 Look for outside grasslines to provide the most consistent action. Try topwater baits or spinnerbaits early then switch over to flippin’ stick as the sun gets up overhead. Use 1/2-1 oz weights to penetrate the thick grass. Some big fish are holding around lily pads feeding on spawning bream. Flip black and blue craws/worms into the cover. Check river, canal, and creek mouths for schoolers after rains as water levels will be kept low for lock maintenance project and upcoming hurricane season. Locks will be closed until January 1rst. Offshore submerged grassbeds, shell beds, and brushpiles will all hold fish throughout summer months. Fish these areas with junebug, black/blue, and watermelon colored Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics. Deep diving and lipless crankbaits in shad or firetiger colors will also produce. Tournament fishermen bring extra ice along to cool down livewells and save your catch. Water temperature is 10+ degrees cooler than surface temp under thick grass mats and depths of 8 ft or more. This sudden temperature change can and will kill fish, especially larger ones.

Central Florida is where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

52nd National Road Runners Club of America Convention
Dates: Apr. 21-24
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- The 52nd National RRCA Convention will be a 4 day event which will bring over 100 participants to Polk County
- For more information on this event please visit www.rrcaconvention.org or www.centralfloridasports.com

Senior Softball Spring Nationals
Dates: April 21-25
Venue: Diamondplex and Auburndale Softball Complex
- The Senior Softball Spring Nationals will bring into Polk County over 45 teams
- For more information on this event please visit www.centralfloridasports.com

Florida Youth Soccer Association (FYSA) ODP State Trials
Dates: 4/23 – 4/25
Venue: Lake Myrtle
- This FYSA event will host 60 teams and bring in over 1200 spectators to Polk County
- For more information on this event please visit www.centralfloridasports.com www.fysa.com

Home School World Series
Dates: 4/23 – 5/2
Venue: Lake Myrtle
- The Home School World Series will bring in over 50 baseball teams and over 1000 spectators to Polk County
- For more information check out www.centralfloridasports.com www.hwsa.com

USBC Men’s State Championships – Bowling
Dates: 4/24/2010 – 6/20/2010
Venue: Lakeland Orange Bowl and Lakeland AMF Lanes
- The USBC Men’s State Championships will be held in Lakeland for 8 weeks and will bring in over 4,000 participants to Polk County
- For more information please visit www.usbcfsba.org or check out www.centralfloridasports.com

 There’s still plenty of spawning bass on the Kissimmee chain although most have spawned out and started to recover from a tough, long, and cold spawn season. Most fish remain in the shallows. Some have begun to migrate to deeper water. Look for late spawners around hard bottom areas with scattered cover 3-5 ft deep. Cast or flip Texas rigged soft plastics in and around cover. There’s lots of very aggressive buck bass guarding fry the shallows to keep you busy. Also bluegill and shellcracker are spawning in the pads. This will always attract some big fish to these areas to feed on them. Find the bream and the bass won’t be far away. Try spinnerbaits, topwaters, jerkbaits, swimbaits, or anything else in the box you can think of as the bass are in attack mode. Use colors that will mimic bream such as black/blue or chartreuse. Fish faster as the bass and their prey are becoming more active with the rising water temperature.
Winter Haven

 Most, but definitely not all, fish have spawned and moved to deeper water areas. There’s still some fish that have not spawned yet so don’t rule out the shallows, especially in the dirtier water lakes. In the greener or darker water lakes flip grass, cattails, pads, or reeds with 1/2-3/4 oz Texas rigged craws, creature baits, or other soft plastics to tempt some late spawners. Also try slow-rolling 3/8-1/2 oz white or chartreuse spinnerbaits through any submerged grass as these areas will hold schools of post-spawn bass. Rattlebaits are worth a shot in these areas as well. In the clear water lakes look for late spawners as deep as you can see down to the bottom. These fish are harder to see but far more cooperative. For the post-spawners try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and deep diving crankbaits around deeper submerged grassbeds or brushpiles. Also Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics worked slowly are worth a try. There’s schooling fish in mid-lake areas however most are smaller sized. These schoolers will readily bite rattlebaits and topwaters thrown in front of them.

Central Florida is where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

 Amazingly these lakes remain mostly in pre-spawn mode due to the cold weather. Most female Bass are still full of eggs and holding in deeper water. Water temperature getting into mid 60’s will start what should be a very strong spawning cycle. We could see bedding Bass well into April or even May with this late start. Most fish are still being caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits fished over deeper submerged grass. This pre-spawn pattern should soon give way to a flippin’ stick and sight fishing. In the clear water lakes look for spawners from the shoreline out to as deep as you can see. In dark or green water lakes flip grass, cattails, pads, or reeds in 2-5 ft with 1/2 oz Texas rigged craws or creature baits. Smoke, junebug, and watermelon colors will all produce. Also try ripping a 1/2 oz rattlebait through submerged grassbeds in 4-10 ft. Chrome/black, gold/black, or red are good color choices. Get a few quick photos and release the fish immediately so that it may return to the bed and finish it’s job.

Kissimmee Chain

 Huge tournament stringers, up to nearly 40 lbs, indicate a strong bite on the Kissimmee Chain now. Texas rigged soft plastics are producing the bulk of the bigger Bass, however spinnerbaits, rattlebaits, and jerkbaits are catching their share as well. Look for sandy bottom areas with sparse or isolated cover 2-5 ft deep for spawning Bass. Cast or flip craws, creature baits, or other soft plastics around the cover. Junebug, watermelon, and black/blue always great color choices. Fish extremely slow. Search just outside spawning areas for pre and post spawners. Look for thicker cover such as floating mats, heavy pads, or gatorvine. Flip 1oz or heavier Texas rigged craws deep into the cover. Also look for any submerged vegetation such as eelgrass or coontail growing just a little deeper than adjacent spawning areas. Shad or shiner colored rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits should entice a few bites in these areas. Swimbaits in 4-6 in size range also should continue to produce plenty of bites.

Central Florida is where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

 One word sums up the fishing in and around Winter Haven area lakes over the last couple of weeks…DEAD! This will continue until the water temperature rises to around 60 degrees and gets the bass thinking about spawning again. Until then expect very few bites and be prepared to fish extremely slow. With water temps from the mid 40’s to low 50’s, Florida bass’ metabolism almost stops completely. Therefore they are not going to eat much. However this does not mean they are impossible to catch, just much much tougher. Don’t expect them to chase down a fast moving lure or come up from the depths to smash a topwater bait. During these cold water periods downsize to smaller lures and fish them much slower than normal. Use 1/8 or 1/4 oz spinnerbaits and rattle baits instead of 1/2 or 3/4 oz versions. Try smaller soft plastics as well, 4-6 inch worms instead of 8-10 inches. Also use tighter wobbling crankbaits and fish a little deeper.
 In the clear lakes fish deeper submerged cover or structure with jerkbaits, rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and deep diving crankbaits in shad/shiner imitating colors. Also try Texas/Carolina rigged soft plastics such as finesse worms or centipedes. Lizards are also a great choice this time of year. Junebug, watermelon, and blueberry are all colors worth trying. As the water temperature reaches into the mid 60’s start looking for bedding activity to increase especially around new or full moons. Good polorized sunglasses are a must when “hunting” for spawning fish as they can be the difference between catching a big fish and not even knowing it was there. Remember to get a quick photo and release the big bass right where you caught it immediateley so that it may finish making future trophies for us and our children to enjoy some day.
 Fish rattlebaits and spinnerbaits over and through submerged grassbeds such as hydrilla, eelgrass, etc… in dirtier water lakes. White/chartreuse color combinations are usually best bet with spinnerbaits. Chrome or gold colored rattlebaits are hard to beat. When the water warms slightly the flippin’ bite will get better as fish will be moving shallower to spawn. Look for grass, pads, reeds, and cattails growing in sandy bottom areas as these will be the most attractive areas for bass to spawn. Flip Texas rigged craws, creature baits, and other soft plastics with as little weight as possible. Smoke, junebug, black/blue, and watermelon candy colored baits will do the trick.

Kissimmee Chain

 Like all other Florida fisheries the Kissimmee chain of lakes is fishing extremely tough now with the frigid water temperatures. Even some of the top tournament fishermen and guides in the state are finding it a challenge to produce a five fish limit! Icy nights have had the water temperature down as low as 43 degrees, 10 degrees colder than I have ever seen on this chain in my life! The fish have never seen water this cold either and they are acting accordingly. Slow is the name of the game in order to get a bite and with many thousands of acres of cover for them to hide bass can be very difficult to locate much less catch. To make things worse the entire chain is receiving heavy chemical treatments for hydrilla which has the grass dying off and the lakes changing almost daily. Find fish one day in the hydrilla then come back a couple days later to find no grass or fish. The key is finding the thickest stuff around and fishing it slow.
 Lake Toho was the first to receive chemical treatments and although there is still plenty of hydrilla it’s fading fast. Seems most fish have moved shallower in preparation for spawning. Try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits around submerged hydrilla. Look for healthiest, thickest grass you can find. Stick with shad/shiner imitating colors. Also look for thick matted vegetation adjacent to good spawning areas. Flip floating mats or gatorvine with 1-1 1/2 oz black/blue, junebug, or watermelon Texas rigged craws or creature baits. Also check bedding areas for spawners as there is plenty of clear water for “sight fishin”. Cast soft stickbaits in junebug, blueberry, and watermelon around shallow emergent vegetation.
  Lakes Cypress and Hatchineah have the healthiest hydrilla beds on the chain as they are the last to receive treatment. Try rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits around the submerged grass. Check along reedlines with flippin stick as big bedding bass could move in anytime.
 In Lake Kissimmee fish pads, grass, cattails, flags, and reeds growing in hard, sandy bottom areas in 1-4 ft of water. Cast soft stickbaits, swimbaits, or worms around the cover. Flip thicker areas with 1/4-1/2 oz Texas rigged junebug, black/blue, or watermelon craws or creature baits. Also try flipping floating matted vegetation such as water lettuce, hyancinth, pennywart, or mud tussocks especially on colder days. Use 1-1 1/2oz weighted Texas rigged craws or creature baits to penetrate the thick mats. Topwater frogs are worth a shot on warmer days around scattered emergent cover.

Central Florida, where you’ll find beautiful lakes, great bass fishing and Monte Goodman. Monte has made a career of doing what he enjoys and does best as a professional bass guide and successful tournament angler. Guiding and fishing competitively for the past 15 years has given him the experience, skill and knowledge it takes to be a great fisherman. Monte is also a vocal advocate of Florida’s habitat and conservation efforts, supports and practices “catch and release” himself and encourages others to do the same. A member of tournament trails such as FLW, FOMNTT, BFL, and B.A.S.S just to name a few. Credited with well over a hundred local tournament wins, was back to back Angler of the Year in the largest B.A.S.S. affiliated club in the world, and has won numerous Big Bass honors. Monte’s ability to adapt, his versatility and lengthy resume has earned him a reputation anyone would be proud of.

Mark your calendar now for October 2011 because that is when LEGOLAND Florida is set to debut in Winter Haven. The announcement was formally made just minutes ago at Cypress Gardens, the new home of LEGOLAND. All in all, Merlin Entertainments Group plans to invest $300 million in the park over the next few years, including in time adding accommodations and other smaller attractions–possibly one of their Sea Life aquariums.

Make sure you continue to check back here (and add us to your RSS feed if you have not already) to get the latest news AND photos as the construction begins and Cypress Gardens is transformed into LEGOLAND Florida. We will have exclusive access to the site as it is transformed and will post updates regularly.

While we are never big on posting entire press releases on here, this is straight from us and some great quotes and details on the big news:

A press conference today attended by a host of elected officials, including Governor Charlie Crist and U.S. Representative Adam Putnam, confirmed that Cypress Gardens has been purchased by Merlin Entertainments – the second largest attractions industry company in the world and also owner of LEGOLAND Parks worldwide.  Members of the media and invited guests gathered at Florida’s first theme park – Cypress Gardens – to unveil the plan to continue the park’s legacy of attracting a multitude of visitors to Polk County.  The new park will be named LEGOLAND Florida. 
“I am delighted to be here today to announce what I believe will be one of the most exciting and important projects in which Merlin Entertainments has ever been involved,” said Nick Varney, chief executive officer for Merlin Entertainments. Merlin Entertainments introduced LEGOLAND Florida to a spellbound audience who received oranges made of legos.  “The development of a LEGOLAND Park in Florida is a perfect opportunity for us here in the heart of what is the biggest family tourist centre in the world – and I believe it will bring a unique new experience to Florida,” said Varney. 

LEGOLAND Florida will be Merlin Entertainments thirteenth attraction in the United States, with four more in the development phase.  LEGOLAND Florida will be the fifth LEGOLAND Park worldwide and the only one on the East Coast – with the others in California, Denmark, England and Germany.  “LEGOLAND is an extraordinary concept – specifically developed for children between the ages of 2 and 12 and their moms and dads, of course,” said Varney.  LEGOLAND offers families spectacular rides, shows and even model building challenges.
Merlin Entertainments is the second largest attraction company in the world, second only to the Walt Disney Company.  LEGOLAND California is the fastest growing theme park in the United States, realizing a 6 percent growth in visitation in 2009.  The park was also recognized by Amusement Today as the country’s best theme park for children for the sixth consecutive year.
The partnership between Merlin Entertainments and Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing had a major impact as the final site for LEGOLAND Florida was selected.  The Polk County Board of County Commissioners’ (BoCC) support for Polk County’s tourism industry was evidenced by a “can do” attitude and spirit of cooperation to partner with Merlin Entertainment Group to take their vision, as well as Polk County tourism, to new heights.  The BoCC’s commitment to tourism, and more specifically the historic site of Cypress Gardens, has been strong throughout the years.  They purchased Cypress Gardens’ original 30 acres in 2003 and continued an ongoing investment through sales and marketing support.  “We are looking forward to working with Merlin Entertainments.  Their record speaks for itself.  Their exciting plans for the site, the jobs LEGOLAND Florida will create and their commitment to Polk County is something my colleagues at both the local and state level really welcome,” said Bob English, chairman of the Polk County Board of County Commissioners.
 Additionally, during the press conference, Governor Crist and a host of legislators offered their support in the building of LEGOLAND Florida.  “We are extremely happy that the future of Cypress Gardens is secure.  LEGOLAND is one of the most exciting names in family attractions and a welcome new addition to Florida,” said Governor Crist. 

 “This is a huge success story for Polk County that will have a significant impact on Polk County as a tourism destination.  LEGOLAND Florida and its connection to Merlin Entertainments provide worldwide visibility for Polk County,” said Mark Jackson, director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing.  Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing has already begun working with Merlin Entertainments on a cooperative partnership that will help promote the park and the tourism industry in Polk County.
In addition to the impact the park will have on Polk County’s tourism industry, the effect on economic development in the area will also get a massive boost. With the announcement from Merlin Entertainments, an international company, one of the Central Florida Development Council’s goals is closer to fruition. “We have been working with the international community for quite some time and today’s announcement reinforces Polk County’s commitment to international companies,” said Central Florida Development Council Director Tom Patton. “This news will certainly bring more awareness to Polk County and shows that we are a destination for international-oriented companies and investment.”

A reception with refreshments to meet the artist will follow the concert and tickets are $25 or $20 for members.  Call 863-734-1221 or e-mail phrestina@boktower.org for reservations.The Music at Pinewood concert series offers a chamber music experience in the intimate performance setting in the 20-room mansion at Pinewood Estate. One of the finest examples of Mediterranean-style architecture in Florida, Pinewood Estate showcases the elegance and grandeur of a 1930s winter retreat with its antique furnishings, Tunisian tiles and intricate woodwork.

Upcoming Music at Pinewood concerts include “Dance in Music” with pianist Dr. Joseph Schwartz on February 21 and “Romance of Spain” with Vladimir Svoysky on March 14. Visit www.boktowergardens.org for more information.