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FORT MYERS — A top-level national boys' high school basketball tournament, the Culligan City of Palms Classic, signed a five-year contract with Florida SouthWestern State College to continue playing the series in Fort Myers.
The tournament will be held at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on FSW's campus, according to a statement. The tournament moved to the Suncoast Credit Union Arena last year after spending the previous 22 years at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, where its growth was on track to exceed that school's capacity, the release adds. The 75,000-square-foot, 3,300-seat Suncoast Credit Union Arena issued 15,000 tickets for the 2016 Culligan City of Palms Classic, up 50% over 2015.
“The continued success of the tournament is a reflection of the local community's pride in this hometown commitment,” Culligan City of Palms Executive Director John Naylor says in the statement. “When it was named Edison Community College, FSW hosted the Classic from 1973-83 and then again in 1990 and 1993. We remain extremely grateful to Bishop Verot for growing the tournament for more than two decades. It's safe to say that basketball teams and fans all around the country think of great basketball when they think of Fort Myers.”
Culligan returns for its fifth year as title sponsor, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car is presenting sponsor for the fourth year. No fees are collected from players and teams, and Classic Basketball Inc., a nonprofit that acts as a foundation for the tournament, covers all expenses for the players. Nearly 150 Culligan City of Palms Classic players have been named McDonald's All-Americans and 116 have been drafted by the NBA since 1989, including 71 first-round picks, say tournament officials.
The tournament is scheduled for Dec. 18 to 23. Tickets are on sale now at cityofpalmsclassic.com/tickets.
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