Councilor Hunter Williams Touts Major Sporting Events Coming to Birmingham this Spring
This year, the road to the Final Four NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament comes through Birmingham, Alabama. March Madness is about to be in full swing and Councilor Hunter Williams, chair of the Birmingham City Council’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee, believes this is yet another opportunity for the Magic City to continue building its resume as a major sports destination.
“The first and second rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships will be played March 16th and 18th right here in the Magic City at the newly refurbished Legacy Arena,” Councilor Williams said. “In addition to welcoming teams and fans from all over the country to our city, we will be able to continue showcasing the economic development progress we’ve made across the city, with improvements to CityWalk, the 20th Street corridor and of course all our amazing restaurants and nightlife options that have flourished in recent years.”
Experts forecast upwards of $10 million in economic impact for cities that host the first two rounds of the NCAA Men’s Tournament. Last year, the tournament saw a double-digit gain in the nationwide viewership, averaging about 10.7 million viewers across TBS, CBS and TNT.
The Birmingham City Council is also excited to once again welcome the 2022 Children’s of Alabama Honda Grand Prix to Barber MotorSports Park on April 28th through 30th. For the 13th year, this three-day event will feature the same cars and drivers as the Indy 500 while competing on the 2.38-mile road course that has gained worldwide notoriety.
Each year this incredible event brings people from all over the world to Birmingham during a season of rejuvenation — when the trees in bloom, people are gathering together outside and there’s an exciting buzz in the air.
“Over the years, we’ve made a concerted effort to establish Birmingham as a sports tourism destination. This of course could not be possible without the continued success and support of our partners like the Honda Indy Grand Prix presented by Children’s of Alabama, the NCAA, the 2025 World Police and Fire Games, the United States Football League and all the rest,” Councilor Williams said.
Barber MotorSports Park is designed to allow for nearly 100,000 spectators and will have an estimated economic impact on Greater Birmingham of $30 million.
We hope you all will join us in taking part in these top-tier events this spring and help us get the message out to all our visitors that, “It’s Nice To Have You In Birmingham.”
