Midlands travel entrepreneur John Donnelly has launched a new children’s football attraction in Orlando.
Sunny Soccer gives children the chance to take part in half-day football coaching camps while on their holiday in Florida.
Donnelly, who launched the revolutionary Holiday Hypermarket, Harvey World Travel, and headed up First Choice retail, has teamed up with Orlando City, the North American championship team, to develop the new attraction.
Fellow founding director, ex Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion footballer James O’Connor, who now plays for Orlando City, will run the coaching programme.
Comedian and croadcaster Nick Hancock, famously a big fan of Stoke City FC, and Lord Peter Snape, chairman of his home town club Stockport County, have been appointed non-executive directors.
Sunny Soccer camps start in July and run through until the end of August and are open to children ages 5-13 years.
Each child will be given a free match ticket for an Orlando City SC home match at the Citrus Bowl, during their stay in Orlando, and a goodie bag.
The venue, Austin-Tindall fields, is 15 minutes from International Drive.
Packages will be sold through ticket provider Attraction World.
"We are filling the gap in the Attraction Capital of the World – Orlando and the Sunny Soccer programme will add that extra piece of excitement for children whilst on holiday," said Donnelly.
Donnelly, who also has a Florida-based property business Floridian Rentals, was himself once on the professional books at Aston Villa FC before joining the travel industry.
He is also a non executive sirector of Affordable car hire, chairman of Aston Villa Former Players Association and Chasetown FC and a patron of Promise Dreams, the Wolverhampton-based children’s charity.
