FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:            Donald D. Stilwell, County Administration
                         (941) 335-2221

MIELKE TO HEAD LEE COUNTY’S SPORTS DEVELOPMENT EFFORT

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 14, 2002) – Lee County Administration announced today that Jeff Mielke, vice president of operations for the Central Florida Sports Commission, is being hired as the county’s new Sports Development Director.

The appointment is subject to successful completion of background checks.

Mielke has been with the Central Florida Sports Commission since 1998, serving as sports marketing director for Osceola County and vice president of operations.  From 1992 to 1996 he was assistant food and beverage director for Raphael Hotel Group in Kansas City.

He has a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Missouri.

 The Lee County Sports Development Office is a newly created county department that will work to achieve economic development goals by attracting amateur and professional sporting events to the area.  It has a $500,000 budget funded through bed-tax collections.  The director will oversee a two-person staff and coordinate a local Board of Directors, or “Sports Authority,” which will include representation from local governments, sporting venues and sports organizations.  The position reports directly to the County Manager.

The office also will work closely with the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau and the Tourist Development Council.

Mielke was one of two finalists forwarded to County Administration for final selection.  A five-member screening committee interviewed the three final candidates Monday.  The final candidates were Mike Cannington, marketing director for LTP Management Inc. in Fort Myers; Mark Jackson, director of sports marketing for Polk County; and Mielke.  Jackson and Mielke were forwarded on for final consideration.

The screening committee was made up of Fort Myers Mayor Jim Humphrey, Janet Watermeier, Lee County Economic Development Director, D.T. Minich, Lee VCB Director, Roxie Smith, Tourist Development Council, and Craig Brush, Florida Everblades/TECO Arena.