"Bounty of Local Support" For Birmingham World Games Bid

(ATR)Max Bishop, head of the evaluation commission for the 2021 World Games,says support from local officials strengthens Birmingham's bid for the 2021 World Games.

The evaluation commission from the International World Games Association and Birmingham's bid committeeheld a joint press conference at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, following the two-day visit of the IWGA.

"First of all, we're looking for an organized team that's experienced and capable,"Bishop told reporters when asked what will make a successful World Games bid.

"There is a bounty of local support for Birmingham's bid for the Games and the city seems to thrive on sport."

The three-member evaluation commission includes: Bishop, vice president of the IWGA;Joachim Gossow, CEO of the IWGA; and Co Koren, a member of the IWGA executive committee.

The commission toured a list of venues in Birmingham on Friday includingSamford University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Regions Field, and Railroad Park.

"We've already got a pretty good flavor of what the city represents," Bishop said.

Birmingham is bidding for the World Games alongside Lima, Peru and Ufa, Russia. If selected, Birmingham would be the first U.S. city to host the event since the inaugural World Games in 1981.

The IWGA started its on-site visits to the three candidate cities in Ufa at the beginning of this month. Following its stop in Birmingham, the evaluation commission will visit Lima Oct. 27-31.

IWGA CEO Joachim Gossow spoke with Around the Rings after the press conference, saying all three cities had their own strengths.

"Every country has something different to offer," he added.

Bishop was also careful to single out any of the three candidate cities during the press conference, but did say, "the capital of U.S. sport is a title Birmingham could aspire to in the future."

On Saturday, commission members will visit the Birmingham Crossplex, Birmingham-Southern College and attend a college football game at the University of Alabama. "We're looking forward to the great football match tomorrow," Bishop said. "And of course we very much hope the Alabama team wins."

The IWGA will announce the host city for the 2021 World Games on January 22, 2015.

Written byNicole Bennett

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