BELLEVIEW, FL (352today.com) – In less than four years, the World Equestrian Center (WEC) has made its presence felt on the international stage.
The expansion at the largest equestrian sport facility in the western hemisphere continues to shine the spotlight on Ocala and Marion County.
“Last year, we had 1.2 million visitors to WEC, that’s about 680,000 unique visitors,” said Justin Garner, WEC’s senior director of marketing and brand strategy during a presentation on Tuesday at the Belleview Chamber and Economic Partnership breakfast.
The facility has 2,880 available stalls. For last week’s hunter/jumper and dressage shows, Garner says more than 1,600 were occupied. Two weeks ago, more than 2,000 stalls were filled, as there was also a ranch horse show at the facility.
“It’s free to the public most of the time. So, you can come out and enjoy and watch the horse shows,” said Garner. “We’re in the middle of our summer series right now.”
There are 25 barns, 23 outdoor arenas, six climate-controlled indoor arenas, and an on-site veterinary hospital.
The facility broke ground in 2016, and the first horse show was held in December 2020. The Equestrian Hotel opened in May 2021.
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“We’re just under 640 rooms between the two hotels,” said Garner. ” We opened the Riding Academy Hotel in March of this year. We have 280 RV sites, we’re up to 28 permanent retailers and that will expand next year. There are seven restaurants, two expo centers, two outdoor pools, one spa and salon, which is open to the public, and one gas station. It’s all encompassing.”
Garner says WEC had an $850 economic impact from its first phase of construction. He says the second hotel provided over 5,000 jobs, paid out more than $234 million in wages, and generated $36 million in tax revenue.
“Part of our strategy long-term is to bring more people in from a group meeting standpoint,” said Garner. “We know that drives a significant economic impact for the county and city with tourism taxes, but also people spending money at downtown restaurants and exploring when they’re here.”
Although WEC has placed an emphasis on hunter/jumper, dressage and quarter horse shows, Garner says nearly every breed and discipline have shown at the facility.
In March, WEC hosted the Longines League of Nations for the first of four years. The international event helped the facility to cement its place as a global destination. The premier show jumping event is held at five locations worldwide Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; St. Gallen, Switzerland; Rotterdam, Netherlands and the finals in Barcelona, Spain.
“The viewership alone, this was really our coming out party,” said Garner. “Our website metrics jumped through the roof after this event. We had a 70 million total online and print audience, $2.4 million in publicity value, and the livestream was viewed in 122 countries. We’re trying to make the show jumping sport much bigger in the United States. Part of the mission of the facility is to expose horse sport to a much broader audience. That’s why we don’t charge admission.”
Garner says the pace of growth at WEC has been incredible. UF Health and Family medicine opened a facility this year. Sports at WEC made its debut this summer with two youth recreational soccer camps and a five-week soccer player development program.
2025 promises to be just as big with a 180,000 square foot Event Center featuring four dining concepts including two rooftop restaurants and bars, a grand ballroom with an 1,100-person capacity, and an outdoor event lawn and pavilion. The Shoppes off 80th, a huge outdoor retail venue will bring 28 new stores to the complex.
Courtesy: WEC
Garner says WEC has also played a role in transforming the industry by providing a unique opportunity for those who make their living in equestrian sport. Instead of traveling the circuit, a number of workers are now based in Ocala year-round. He says that allows them to settle down and raise a family.