The Palm Beach County Sports Commission, in partnership with USA Field Hockey, the International Polo Club and the Village of Wellington, is excited to announce the National Hockey Festival will be returning to the Palm Beaches in 2018 for the third consecutive year.
The event is already slated to be held at IPC in Wellington later this month, Nov. 23-25. The event, featuring players from around the nation, will now return next year as well.
“The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is privileged and honored to learn that USA Field Hockey will bring its National Hockey Festival back to the Palm Beaches for a third consecutive year in 2018,” said George Linley, Palm Beach County Sports Commission executive director. “USA Field Hockey exemplifies the best in sport, and its National Hockey Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious sporting events that takes place annually in the United States. Palm Beach County and its entire hospitality industry will work to provide a memorable experience for the visiting athletes, coaches, officials, spectators and other constituents of the National Hockey Festival.”
IPC will once again serve as the host venue for the prestigious event. IPC, located in Wellington, is owned and operated by Equestrian Sport Productions. It is a remarkable sports complex that offers a collection of nine polo fields accumulating 248 acres of pristine land, as well as a main grandstand, meeting and breakout rooms, and 7,000 square feet of indoor usable floor space. The venue was a key ingredient in Palm Beach County’s successful bid.
“This is exciting news for the International Polo Club and the business community in Palm Beach and Wellington,” said Mark Bellissimo, CEO of IPC and managing partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners. “The International Polo Club is a versatile venue that boasts the ability to not only showcase the highest levels of international and national polo competition, but also provide a platform to facilitate other large-scale field-sport events, such as the National Hockey Festival.”
The National Hockey Festival’s origins date back to 1992. The event features future Olympians and some of the most talented field hockey athletes in the world. The prestige and reputation of the National Hockey Festival creates a waiting list of teams wishing to participate.
“I am delighted to continue to work in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and the International 10Polo Club to deliver the most recognized field hockey event in the country,” said Justin Miller, USA Field Hockey’s events and club services manager. “We are certain Palm Beach County will continue to welcome all of our athletes, coaches, umpires and families with open arms and with an unparalleled destination experience.”
Learn more about the event at www.usafieldhockey.com.
