City of Fort Lauderdale Welcomes Lionel Messi to his New Home

Soccer's top athlete propels international excitement to DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Fort Lauderdale is thrilled to welcome Major League Soccer's Lionel Messi to his new home at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The journey to attracting such a world-class athlete to our booming metropolis began with a public-private partnership between Fort Lauderdale and Inter Miami CF. The ongoing relationship continues to propel international interest in all we have to offer our residents, businesses and visitors.

"This is a shining example of what collaboration between government and private enterprise can accomplish. Here in Fort Lauderdale, we continue to build strong partnerships with outstanding organizations to strengthen our economy and create a world-class community. We are extremely excited to have Messi call Fort Lauderdale home and welcome him with open arms," said Mayor Dean Trantalis.

"We are excited to have another wonderful opportunity to share our City with the world. Fort Lauderdale is not just a tourist destination, but a leader among multiple industries from international business to real estate and beyond," said City Manager Greg Chavarria.

A recent report shows the strength of Fort Lauderdale's economy as a world-class City offering an outstanding quality of life and successful business ecosystem.

Our Businesses

• The City has recently welcomed major companies including the Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, West Marine, the Allied Marine/Ferretti Group and many others.
• We support our longtime employers including Citrix, Microsoft Latin America and Auto Nation.
• Fort Lauderdale was named 2^nd best business climate in the country by Business Facilities Magazine in 2021, 2022, 2023.

Beaches and Attractions

• Fort Lauderdale Beach was placed top 3 in the nation for bluest water in the country, only behind New Mexico and Alaska.
• Our waterfront Aquatic Center is home to the tallest dive tower in the Western Hemisphere and has attracted divers and swimmers from all over the world.

Hotel Demand

• Downtown Fort Lauderdale hotel inventory has grown by 290% in the last 5 years.
• The Q1 occupancy rate for all Fort Lauderdale hotels was 86%. This outpaces the national average by 23 points.

Sports Impact

• The Panthers will be investing $65M+ to bring their practice facility to Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Where Visitors Are Coming From

• The New York City metro area, with 19% of all trips to Downtown Fort Lauderdale, was the top point of origin for out-of-town visitors in 2022, followed by Chicago and Detroit.
• Tourists spend more time in Downtown Fort Lauderdale than ever, with 36% of all visits extending between 3 and 7 days, a 9-point increase from 2018.

To see the history of our public-private partnership with Inter Miami CF, check out this video, and for more information on other public-private partnerships in Fort Lauderdale, as well as major projects, go to this link.

SOURCE City of Fort Lauderdale

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