‘Bigger and better’ World’s Strongest Man competition returns to Bradenton in 2020
For the second year in a row, Manatee County will host the Tachi Palace World’s Strongest Man competition.
The Board of County Commissioners approved up to $200,000 in funding on Tuesday morning for the signature event, which also used the Bradenton Riverwalk and Anna Maria Island as a backdrop in 2019. The 43rd edition of the contest begins May 20.
Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the event was a perfect opportunity to introduce viewers and visitors to what Manatee County has to offer. Business owners in the Bradenton area said the event attracted tourists from all over the world, boosting their profits. That momentum should continue in May, Falcione said.
“This year’s event is gearing up to be even bigger and better than last year, and we look forward to hosting the athletes, coaches and fans, and showcasing not only our world-class sporting facilities but also our entire destination to a worldwide audience,” Falcione said in prepared statement.
This year, the event will take place in East Manatee. In partnership with IMG Academy, the World’s Strongest Man competition will take place at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, along with other activities hosted in Bradenton.
“We want to respect the fact that the contest runs through Memorial Day weekend,” Falcione said of the decision to relocate the event to Lakewood Ranch. “The stadium venue gives us the opportunity to house more people in one location.”
Athletes will put their strength on display through a series of grueling challenges, including pulling large trucks, pressing logs and lifting the iconic Atlas Stones, over the course of a four-day schedule with a brand-new format.
Tourism taxes will be used to pay promote the contest, which Falcione says will result in more booked hotel rooms, more exposure and first-time visitors who may choose to vacation in Manatee County again.
The competition will be broadcast to an estimated 500 million households this year through CBS Sports in the United States and Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, according to a press release.
This story was originally published January 14, 2020 at 11:39 AM.
