LAKELAND — The boys and girls high school state basketball tournaments are moving to Jacksonville.
The FHSAA announced on Sept. 17 that the two tournaments, which have been in Lakeland for the past 30 years, will be held at the CSI Companies Court at the University of North Florida Arena beginning in 2026. The arena seats 5,100 fans.
The two tournaments have been in Lakeland together since the boys event returned to Lakeland in 1996 after five years in Tallahassee. The girls event returned to Lakeland in 1994 after three years in Tallahassee.
Jacksonville last hosted state basketball in 1976. It was the last year of eight seasons at the Jacksonville Coliseum before the event moved to the then Lakeland Civic Center in 1977.
FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon told The Florida Times Union that Jacksonville’s bid was too strong to pass up. North Florida already hosts the state track meet.
“The ability to be at the University of North Florida and looking at their arena where it’s a Division I program there, that was huge,” Damon said.
Polk County officials were disappointed to see the event moved out of the county but weren’t surprised.
“I think they wanted to try something new and move it around,” Polk County athletic director Dan Talbot said. “That seems to be the pattern. It’s no one’s fault.”
Polk County still hosts the state championships for competitive cheer and boys and girls weightlifting at the RP Funding Center; boys and girls volleyball at Polk State College; and boys and girls soccer at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex.
“It’s mixed emotions,” Talbot said. “When you think about it, state basketball was all we had for a while. We still have a lot of events here that we’re still doing. It’s been one of the staples hosting state basketball, but we still have other events that we’re hosting.”
Neil Duncan, sports developmental manager at Visit Central Florida, said that Polk County had been in talks with the FHSAA about renewing its contract with the RP Funding Center.
“We’re always looking to make adjustments and customize things, but from my understanding they were made an offer from another location and they ultimately made the decision that they needed to take that particular offer,” Duncan said. “We’re disappointed, but truly blessed to have had it as long as it was here in Polk County.”
In a news release, Lakeland city officials congratulated Jackonsivlle for being selected as host of the event.
“We have enjoyed a long and proud history with the FHSAA Basketball Championships, and while this chapter is coming to a close, we are excited to see Jacksonville carry on the tradition,” City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said in the release. “Lakeland looks forward to continuing to host outstanding state-level events with FHSAA.”
Added RF Funding Center Executive Director Cindy Collins: “We greatly value our long-standing partnership with the FHSAA and take pride in RP Funding’s continued role in hosting several of their state tournaments here in Lakeland and across Polk County. From boys and girls weightlifting to cheerleading, we are honored to support these important events. Our commitment to the FHSAA remains strong, and we look forward to continuing this meaningful collaboration for years to come.”
Officials plan to try to keep the remaining sports that host state events in the county. Bidding for the state events has been a partnership between Visit Center Florida, the Polk County school district and the facility hosting the event.
“We’re looking at still hosting these events in the future,” Talbot said. “We want to line them up so they’re package deals. We feel real confident.”
Cross country in Tallahassee and baseball in Fort Myers have recently been renewed for two years.
Duncan said they are always looking for opportunities to bring an event to Polk County.
“At the end of the day, we still have a tremendous relationship with the FHSAA,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: FHSAA state basketball championships are leaving for Jacksonville after 30 years in Lakeland
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
