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The “Greatest Show on Ice” comes to #DTJax in February

Written by Joel Lamp, Manager – Business Development & Communications, Sports & Entertainment at the City of Jacksonville

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Every four years, you flip on the Winter Olympics and find yourself sucked into the sports that you never see in Jacksonville. The most notable among those is Curling – the sport where they wear funny pants, scream a lot, throw stones and use brooms. Starting  February 6 and continuing for eight days, the best curlers in the United States will face off for national glory in the USA Curling Nationals at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

Not exactly sure what Curling entails? No need to worry, here’s a great and easy introduction to the sport:

Two Minute Guide to the Sport of Curling

There are several specials setup for the event – starting with #SuperCurl on Feb. 7.  Watch the Super Bowl and Curling from the confines of the Arena club for $50, including a buffet during the big game while watching on the jumbotron.

There are also employee lunch specials Monday thru Wednesday, where for $15 fans get admission, hot dog or burger, chips and drink.

You can also grab nine of your buddies for the Community Curling Challenge on Feb. 13, where from 1-5 p.m., you will curl in a competition on the event ice and will get the VIP treatment during the men’s championship match with a buffet and beer and wine.

There will be several Olympians participating in the event as well, including names you’ve heard like John Shuster, Erika Brown, Pete Fenson and Allison Pottinger.  Plus, there’s the additional opportunity between sessions to actually get on the ice and “Learn to Curl” on the half-sheet setup at the Arena.

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There are not a lot of winter sports national championships that Jacksonville can host, but this event is unique and a great opportunity to see the sport up close and personal before the 2018 Olympics.

Hosting a major event like the USA Curling Nationals is a great chance for #DTJax to shine. The influx of tourism brings activity, generates money and creates excitement in Downtown.  So get your tickets early, because this is an event you don’t want to miss!

To find out more information on the event and how to get your tickets, visit the 2016 USA Curling Nationals website, Facebook or Twitter.

 

And if you can’t wait till February, here are some 2012 Olympic videos to enjoy! #BroomsUp

2014 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Curling – Men’s Playoff #3

2014 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Curling – Women’s Playoff #2