Dick Pope (promoter)

Dick Pope (promoter)

Richard Downing Pope, Sr., better known as Dick Pope (April 19, 1900 – January 28, 1988) was the founder of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida.

He has been described as "the greatest promoter that the sport of water skiing has ever known".[citation needed]

He sponsored the second World Water Ski Championship in 1950 and led aid in forming the World Water Ski Federation as a rival organization to the International Water Ski Union.

The annual Dick Pope All-Florida Grand Golden Image Award is given annually by the Florida Public Relations Association for best PR program in the state. Recent winners include RB Oppenheim Associates; Jason Mudd & Associates (now AXIA); Herrle Communications Group. The Polk County Chapter of FPRA is named after Dick Pope.

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