Rayne Lankford to showcase county as premier destination for BMX athletes and fans
As Sarasota County prepares to host the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in 2027, “the region’s tourism bureau has tapped local talent with global name recognition as an ambassador of its sports marketing efforts,” Visit Sarasota County (VSC) announced this week.
“Visit Sarasota County has entered into a content partnership with Rayne Lankford, a professional BMX athlete and area resident, to strengthen Sarasota County’s reputation as a premier destination for BMX athletes to train, compete, and pursue high-performance development,” a news release points out.
“As part of the services agreement, Visit Sarasota County will capture photos and videos of Lankford around the destination and put this content to work across print, digital, and social media to reach potential visitors,” heading into 2027, the release adds. “Lankford’s collaboration will focus equally on the area’s lifestyle and sporting venues to appeal to leisure spectators and athletes looking for their next training ground,” the release explains.
“The promotional push aligns with Lankford’s anticipated appearances in the 2026 and 2027 UCI BMX Racing World Cup. Both competitions will culminate in Sarasota County at Sarasota BMX, the world’s oldest continuously operating BMX track, dating back to 1974,” the release points out. The events will “serve as key qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” the release adds.
“Competing on the global stage starts with dedicated training at home, and we couldn’t be prouder to promote Rayne as he returns to the track as a contender for the World Cup and as an ambassador for our destination,” said Erin Duggan, president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County, in the release. “When our community contributes to such high-caliber sports facilities like this,” she added, referring to the county’s BMX track, “it’s important we do our part to promote them, attract athletes and events, and maximize the return on that investment.”
The release further notes, “Sports tourism continues to be a key focus of Visit Sarasota County’s marketing efforts, attracting athletes, families, and fans who spend throughout the destination. From October 2024 through September 2025, more than 75 events supported by the tourism bureau welcomed nearly 300,000 attendees, secured 44,000 hotel room nights, and generated $98.6 million in economic impact across Sarasota County,” the release says.
To learn more about Visit Sarasota County’s sports tourism efforts, visit https://sports.visitsarasota.com/.