The Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Pearland Parks and Recreation Department held a Kick-Off event on Tuesday, October 18 to officially announce the arrival of the 2018-2019 Winter Games of Texas sanctioned by the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF).

The Olympic style, multi-sport event will take place over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekends – January 12-14, 2018 and January 18-20, 2019 at both indoor and outdoor venues in several locations within the City of Pearland including; City Parks, City facilities and Pearland ISD locations.

Community officials and partners gathered to celebrate the occasion which included the TAAF Winter Games of Texas 2018-2019 official check presentation.

“We’re very proud Pearland is hosting the TAAF Winter Games of Texas 2018-2019, a coveted sporting event, which gives us an opportunity to welcome athletes and visitors for a long weekend stay in Pearland,” according to Kim Sinistore, executive director of the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Together, the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Pearland Parks & Recreation have identified 9-11 sporting events to be held during the games, the largest being swimming and youth basketball.  The sporting events will consist of both team and individual athletes in the youth and adult categories.

“The City of Pearland, and Parks & Recreation in particular, couldn’t be more excited to host the Winter Games of Texas, and the premiere group of competing athletes. We hope through a time-tested and consistent model for this event, we can continue to build the TAAF legacy and tradition of strong athletic foundations within Pearland,” added Chris Orlea, director of City of Pearland Parks and Recreation Department.

Funding for the event will be handled through a collaborative partnership between the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Pearland Parks & Recreation along with sponsorships and event revenue. There is an estimated economic impact of $1.5 million to the local Pearland economy.

“The Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) is extremely excited about the confirmation of the City of Pearland  hosting the 2018-19 TAAF Winter Games of Texas. The City of Pearland is a great member of TAAF and along with the Pearland Convention Visitors Bureau they are providing the opportunity to grow the TAAF Winter Games of Texas and expand our footprint. The location, quality of sport venues, along with the “South Texas” welcoming attitude are the perfect ingredients for an awesome event.” according to Mark Lord, executive director of TAAF.