KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City has been named a finalist to host several NCAA championships beginning in 2015.
Although men’s basketball is not one of the events, other popular sports are expected to bring millions of dollars and lots of excitement to the people who live here.
To be selected as a finalist for not just one, but several championships is quite a coup for the City of Fountains. Especially when you consider that there were more than 1,900 bids from cities across the nation.
The NCAA solicited bids to host 81 championships for a four-year period beginning in 2015.
Kansas City is a finalist to host Division One wrestling, volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer championships. We also are a finalist city to host Division Two football and men’s and women’s soccer.
Kansas City recently hosted the NCAA volleyball championship in 2010. And those in the convention business believe that good experience may have a lot do with the desire by some to return to Kansas City.
“These are huge events,” said Jon Stephens, CEO of the Greater Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association. “The world volleyball championships that we host in downtown brings over 12,000 people. These events are huge, huge events.”
In all 150 cities have been selected as finalists in the collegiate sports.
Sporting KC was heavily involved in the bid to get the men’s and women’s soccer championships. It’s no surprise that the collegiate organization would like to crown it’s soccer champions at the premier soccer venue in North America.
Kansas City also recently completed a first-class soccer complex at Swope Park that will host the Big 12 soccer championships next week.
Civic leaders feel pretty good about Kansas City’s chances of landing some of these marquis events, which will draw thousands of visitors to the downtown area and across the metro bringing in millions of tourism dollars.
