Tampa, Florida, to Host World Dragon Boat Racing Championship in 2011

The City of Tampa has just announced that the International Dragon Boat Federation has chosen Tampa, Florida, has the host city for the 2011 IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championship. The event is planned to take place in the August of 2011 on Seddon Island Channel. Seddon Island is located near Downtown Tampa.

The IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships are held every two years. The event should bring some 6,000 participants from 55 countries to Tampa. It is estimated that the event could bring in some 24.3 million dollars to the city and also result in 15,000 hotel/motel room nights.

According to the press release, dragon boat racing originated in Southern China over 2,000 years ago and began to draw interest from those in the West during the 1970s. Furthermore, dragon boat racing is one of the world's fastest growing "athletic events."

Dragon boat racing is not unfamiliar in Tampa. The Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races take place in Garrison Channel every April. Garrison Channel is located in Downtown Tampa.

Tampa is a large city in West Central Florida. Located on the shores of Tampa Bay, the city is located southwest of Orlando, near the beaches of the state's west coast. According to the United States Census Bureau, Tampa's population was 332,888 in 2006. Tampa has a robust economy, and a sizable share of its revenue comes from tourist dollars. Busch Gardens Africa, Lowry Park Zoo, The Florida Aquarium, Ybor City (Tampa's historic Latin quarter), and nearby Gulf coast beaches draw hundreds of thousands to the region each year. Tampa is the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL franchise, Tampa Bay Lightning NHL team, and home to the New York Yankees baseball spring training events.