SHEFFIELD's spectacular venues and proud sporting heritage have attracted the leisure industry's top awards conference and event party to the city this summer.

The Fitness Industry Associated has announced it will hold the FIA & Matrix Flame 2012 Conference and Ball at Sheffield International Venues' Ponds Forge International Sports Centre and the Magna Science Adventure Centre Sheffield on 27 June.

The much anticipated Ball of Fire, at which the winners of the Flame Awards for 2012 will be announced, will take place in the sports hall in Ponds Forge with an anticipated 800 guests from the leisure industry.

SIV is no stranger to the FLAME awards having picked up repeated Centre of The Year awards for Hillsborough Leisure Centre, the English Institute of Sport Sheffield and Concord Sports Centre in the last six years.

Hillsborough Leisure Centre was voted UK Leisure Centre of the Year by the FIA for an unprecedented four years running and was shortlisted for a fifth year.

FIA CEO David Stalker said: "This year Flame is coming to Sheffield with a host of spectacular new venues, and it is going to be our biggest and best awards yet. From friendly competition at the annual Golf Day, which is always a huge amount of fun, to the Flame conference, which will host a selection of expert speakers, culminating in the prestigious Ball of Fire, to announce the Flame Award winners.

"Flame is a high point of the year for our industry and I look forward to welcoming over 800 delegates to Sheffield this summer."

Delivered by the FIA for more than 15 years, the Fitness, Leadership And Management Excellence (Flame) awards are the creme de la creme industry awards recognising excellence and best practice within the health and fitness sector.

Dominic Stokes, General Manager - SIV Events said: "Considering our track record in these awards, we are delighted to welcome the FIA for the first time to the city and look forward to providing the best hospitality and service to our peers that the city and its fantastic venues can offer."

As well as hosting the evening party, SIV has also facilitated a number of aspects of the event such as the hotel, golf and conference venues to make sure economic impact for the region is maximised.

The annual Flame Golf Day will take place on 26 June at Tankersley Manor & Golf Course.

The awards take place the day after the actual Olympic Flame departs from Sheffield. Sheffield will host a free evening celebration to welcome the Olympic Torch on the evening of Monday 25 June. The flame will stay overnight in Sheffield before departing on Tuesday 26 June. More details on the route the Torch will take through Sheffield will be announced shortly.

SIV's venues have consistently beat internationally renowned venues, like the ExCel Centre and the Royal Albert Hall, in national industry awards highlighting the quality of event provision by the company and Sheffield as a destination.