Dick Pope (promoter)

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Dick Pope (Richard Downing Pope, Sr.) 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"

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 Public Relations and Marketing); Herrle Communications Group. The Polk County Chapter of FPRA is named after Dick Pope.