FORT MYERS, Fla. — The City of Palms Classic has evolved from a small tournament into one of the nation's premier high school basketball events, drawing future NBA stars and thousands of visitors to Fort Myers each December.
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Founded in 1973 by Hugh Simler, at Edison State College (now Florida SouthWestern State College), the tournament has become a 52-year legacy event that high school basketball programs across the country aspire to join.
"You go around the country and you ask about the City of Palms at any high school, they're like, oh my goodness, like, we want to play in that tournament," said Mary Schaack, executive director of the City of Palms Classic.
The tournament has showcased numerous players who went on to NBA careers, including Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony's son Kiyan, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Paolo Banchero.
"The coolest thing for me is to see all the local kids down here just excited to see these high school players getting autographs, getting pictures," Schaack said. "It's just a really, really cool experience to see them before they hit that NBA floor."
Community involvement drives tournament success
Local businesses have increasingly embraced the tournament as a community cornerstone. Twin Cutz Barber Shop created a Players Loungeto offer free haircuts, gaming experiences, massages and facials for athletes. Lennar Homes partnered with the tournament to host VIP events at the Luminary hotel in downtown Fort Myers.
The tournament's economic impact extends throughout Southwest Florida. Teams and visitors from across the country fill local hotels, restaurants and rental car agencies during the event.
"You think about the flights that are coming into Fort Myers, all the rental cars that we're getting through Enterprise are in Fort Myers, all the hotels that the kids are at we're paying for that are in Fort Myers," Schaack said. "Thousands of restaurants are getting hit up every single day by 20-30 kids and teams."
Making basketball accessible to families
Tournament organizers have prioritized community accessibility by offering $10 student tickets for children from kindergarten through college age. The tickets are available at the front entrance daily and online.
"We've lowered ticket prices to help our community want to come out," Schaack said. "We want to make sure that this becomes like a family event that people want to look forward to every year."
The tournament is at FSW's Sun Coast Credit Union Arena and features additional entertainment including dunk contests and on-court prize giveaways.
Schaack, who assumed the role of executive director in 2023 after serving as an intern from 2018, describes the event as "the Christmas before Christmas" for basketball fans and the Fort Myers community.
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