News

USPA Florida Regional Office to Open Soon
By Brenda Lynn

In an effort to have USPA representatives and services more accessible to as many players as possible, the USPA will officially open its Florida regional office next door to the Polo Museum and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida. The Polo Museum expansion includes the new wing that will serve as a regional office for the U.S. Polo Association and home to POLO Player’s Edition magazine. The building is almost complete, with doors expected to be open for business by the first of the year.

In the months prior to the groundbreaking, tension was mounting as the permitting process stalled. However, the obstacles thrown in the way by the county’s proverbial red tape were overcome in grand style to begin the arduous process of building the new addition.

The groundbreaking ceremony in September, which took place at the site, kicked off the long-anticipated building of the new wing. Supporters, including members of the press, representatives from the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and other interested members of the polo community attended to commemorate the occasion. Peter Rizzo, USPA executive director, said: “The groundbreaking for the museum expansion is a milestone for the USPA organization, bringing its long-standing vision of a regional presence in Florida to a realization. We are confident that the consolidation of these three polo entities will prove an asset to the entire polo community.”

On hand to help break ground with ceremonial golden shovels were Museum Board Member and USPA Florida Circuit Governor, Tony Coppola, USPA Executive Director, Peter Rizzo, polo Hall of Famer, Bill Ylvisaker, Museum Chairman, Steve Orthwein, Rick Rhodes from the builders, RCC & Associates, Museum Executive Director, George Dupont, Beverly Raphael, owner of RCC & Associates, Museum Board Member, Melissa Ganzi, Museum Treasurer, Wade Byrd, Museum Development Director, Brenda Lynn and Polo Players' Edition Magazine Publisher, Gwen Rizzo

The grounds outside the museum since then have been a beehive of activity. Work crews, under the watchful eye of museum Executive Director George DuPont, have been working steadily and diligently to ensure that the completion of the building is well ahead of schedule. The weather has been cooperative, and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, a walk through is expected just before the Christmas holiday so that the U. S. Polo Association regional office can open to its polo-playing members by the beginning of 2008.

Within one month of breaking ground, progress has been substantial. The foundation is in, walls are up, doors and windows installed, front and rear sidewalks poured, and the roof is up

The largest single contribution toward the expansion was made possible through the generosity of Jack Oxley and the Oxley Foundation and was augmented with support from other Polo Museum board members, including Chairman Steve Orthwein, Tony Coppola, Marty Cregg, Scott Devon, Joe DiMenna, John Goodman, John Ingram and Barb Uskup, all of whom made contributions to the building fund. Thanks to all these wonderful people for their support of this historic step for the museum, the USPA, POLO Players’ Edition magazine and the sport of polo.

The U.S. Polo Association and Polo Museum welcome all polo-playing members to stop by during the Florida winter season and take a tour of the new offices and the museum.

—Brenda Lynn, Director of Development for the Polo Museum and Hall of Fame

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