U.S. Sports Chiefs Back Birmingham World Games Bid

(ATR)Existing facilities and distinct hospitality build Birmingham, Alabama a strong bid for the 2021 World Games.

An evaluation commission from the International World Games Association is visiting Birmingham this week. Commission members include its leader Max Bishop, vice president of the IWGA executive committee;Joachim Gossow, CEO of the IWGA; and Co Koren, a member of the IWGA executive committee.

The agenda on Thursday began with a welcome reception at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

"Southern hospitality really lives in Birmingham," Steve Penny, USA Gymnastics president and CEO, toldATR during the reception. "They take great pride in greeting people in ways that you just don't find in other parts of the world and even in our country."

Penny added, "This is a city that knows how to get things done.

"Birmingham has an outstanding plan because they have so many different universities and they have all the facilities that are already here.

"It would be easy and convenient for an event like the World Games."

Scott Myers, executive director of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, also spoke with ATR during the reception Thursday night.

"Todaywe showed the commission all the venues at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complexand Boutwell Auditorium.

"Friday we are showing them the facilities at Samford University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Regions Field and Railroad Park.

"On Saturday, we are showing them Birmingham Crossplex, Birmingham-Southern College and taking them to the University of Alabama for a football game."

The IWGA evaluation commission and Birmingham's bid committee will also hold a joint press conference on Friday, at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, at 2 p.m. CT.

Birmingham is bidding for the 2021 World Games alongside Lima, Peru and Ufa, Russia.

"There’s just something about when we do an event here in the United States,"Bob Frazier, a representative for U.S. Racquetball, toldATRon Thursday. "The media coverage, the visibility that you get just seems to be magnified."

Penny echoed these sentiments and said, "Any time you bring an event like the World Games to the U.S. it helps to build and globalize the brand of an event.

"The IWGA needs to be sure that when it takes an event to a city, the event and the IWGA benefits as much as the city benefits."

Penny also believes this event could enhance a potential U.S. bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics. "If you look at the sports that are involved in the World Games, quite a few of them have international federations that are in the Olympics.

"We're all one big family. Everybody has an influence on everybody else, and I think the U.S. Olympic Committee recognizes that.

"This has implications beyond the World Games."

Written byNicole Bennett

For general comments or questions,click here.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics isAroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.