Nathan Benderson Park, rowing venue and park in Sarasota County, Florida, United States

Nathan Benderson Park is a 600-acre park in Sarasota County, Florida, containing a 400-acre artificial lake. The lake forms a 2,000-meter rowing course with a return channel around an island event center. A 3.4-mile loop of parallel paved and shell trails runs around the water.

The land was pasture before being excavated for Interstate 75, which opened in 1981. Sarasota County bought it in 1995 for US$2.2 million and named it North Metro Park; it became Cooper Creek Park in 2004. After Benderson Development donated US$1 million, it was renamed Nathan Benderson Park on November 20, 2007. The lake was lengthened and deepened in 2013, and the park opened to the public in 2014.

The name honours Nathan Benderson, founder of Benderson Development, which gave US$1 million to Sarasota County for naming rights in 2007. The 28-acre Regatta Island hosts fairs and festivals, and the 3.4 miles of parallel paved and shell trails draw runners, cyclists and rollerbladers alongside rowers.

Main access is via North Cattlemen Road, west of Interstate 75. The 3.4 miles of parallel paved and shell trails suit runners, cyclists and rollerblades. Non-gas-powered craft such as kayaks, canoes and remote-controlled sailboats are allowed on the lake; motor boats are not. The 28-acre Regatta Island hosts fairs and festivals.

The 2,000-meter course was completed in 2013 by lengthening and deepening the lake and building an island event center; a return channel around the island lets crews start races faster. North Cattlemen Road was realigned in 2012 to fit the FISA regatta standards.