ORLANDO, Fla. (May 15, 2020) - Upon further conversation, and taking into consideration the ongoing findings of the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) and the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, Inc. (AAU) have mutually postponed the 47th AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships to a later date.
The priority is to keep guests, employees, and the community safe as the OCCC continues to monitor policy changes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Task Force, state and federal mandates.
This decision will allow the OCCC time to implement its Recovery and Resiliency Guidelines and receive its Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery. Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, GBAC STAR™ provides third-party validation to ensure the implementation of rigorous protocols in response to ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment and biorisk situations.
“Since 1888, the AAU has prided itself on providing quality event participation opportunities to millions of athletes in a safe environment,” said AAU President & CEO Dr. Roger J. Goudy. “Our goal has always been to host the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships when, and where, it was deemed safe to do so and with all necessary containment and mitigation measures in place. In working with the OCCC, we recognize the current status of the disease precludes us from meeting that goal by the original dates in June. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to move the AAU Volleyball event to start July 14. We appreciate everyone’s support and understanding as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters during this time.”
The event is subject to the governor’s reopening orders and the continued flattening of the COVID-19 curve. The AAU and OCCC will continue to work and consult with partners on the event including Orange County Government, Orlando Health and Visit Orlando.
“We care deeply about our employees, clients and guests and we will always do what is in the best interest of our community,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “We remain committed to the economic resiliency of our clients and appreciate the AAU’s continued commitment and support of the center.”
The OCCC will continue to work with clients on a day-to-day basis on their trade shows and events.
The rescheduled AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships event will begin July 14, 2020. Age division breakdown and length of event information will be available soon.
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About the Orange County Convention Center
The Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in North America and provides approximately $3 billion in economic impact to Central Florida annually. In recent years, the Convention Center has averaged nearly 200 events, including 115 conventions and trade shows that attract more than 1.5 million attendees to the region each year. For more information about the Orange County Convention Center, visit www.occc.net.
About the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
The AAU was founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sports. During its early years, the AAU served as a leader in international sport representing the U.S. in the international sports federations. After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU has focused its efforts into providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever," is shared by nearly 700,000 participants and over 150,000 volunteers.