Garrett Kenny, CEO of Feltrim Group, is an Irish entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience in the real estate and tourism industries. He resides in Orlando, where he founded a multimillion-dollar company. He’s no stranger to business developments in the industries but believes his latest project is something special and serves a market that, until now, others have not. 

In December 2019, the Feltrim Group and Feltrim Sports will open the Feltrim Sports Village at Balmoral Resort in Haines City, Florida. The 5-acre facility will house a turf soccer and football stadium that seats 2,500 people. It will also have two adjacent turf training fields, 10 sand volleyball courts, four locker rooms and full concessions services. 

But those amenities are not why Kenny feels he’s breaking new ground. The sports facility is paired with Balmoral Resort, which rents out two- to six-bedroom houses on-site to athletes, coaches and families. 

“I’ve not seen anywhere else where they have this all under one roof,” Kenny says of the complex. “You see these sports complexes and tournaments and the parents have to find ways to keep busy while the kids play. Or the coaches have to find accommodations for all their athletes close to the facility. We bring it all together.” 

In addition to the housing and sports complexes, the Feltrim Group has planned a 10,000-sq.-ft. banquet hall for post-event receptions, as well as an on-site, 100-bedroom hotel by the resort for additional accommodations.

“There’s always something to do in addition to the sports area,” Kenny says. “Each of our houses all fully furnished. They have pools and we a moving inflatable movie screen where we can show movies for the kids at night. We’ve got a large pool area with a waterpark.” 

Looking to the Future

Perhaps what stands out most with the complex is a partnership Feltrim Sports forged with Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima. The site will play host to the Ronaldo R9 Soccer Academy, a state-of-the-art soccer academy that has the best in modern amenities and programs for kids ages 6-18.

Central Florida plays host to a large Latin American community, and the state has grown in soccer culture over the past few years with the foundation of Orlando City Soccer Club in 2015 and Inter Miami CF joining MLS in 2020. 

“It’s a brand standard,” Kenny says of the academy. “You hear the name ‘Ronaldo’ and it means something. We’ve got to meet the Ronaldo standards.”

Kenny is already working with Central Florida Sports to bring events to the area. The new property is set to host an AAU football tournament in December and a US Quidditch event in January 2020.

“We’re excited to bring people in and show them what we have to offer,” Kenny says. “We’re the first people I’ve really seen do this all in one, and I think people will enjoy it.”