BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Birmingham is booming on a national stage this weekend, hosting March Madness games and HBCU SpringComing. Thousands of people are in town taking part in all the action.
City leaders said it’s an exciting time for our city, but the fun won’t stop here. They said they’re dreaming big for the future of Birmingham.
These big-time events are leaving some community members hungry for more.
“There are so many possibilities for things,” Whitney Hall said. “There’s a lot of young people who moved into the city, so these are the signs that we are really kind of moving in the right direction in the area.”
“They’re doing a great job with everything they’re bringing out, and I just hope they continue to bring more out,” Venita Granger said.
Knight Eady is the sports management agency that helped host the NCAA Tournament in Birmingham. The company said it has high hopes for future events.
“We plan on bidding again in hopes that we can secure a site for a first or second round or Sweet 16, Elite 8,” said Knight Eady President Michael Eady. “Obviously, we want to see the thing grow and capitalize on the success that we’ve had with this year.”
Knight Eady told CBS 42 it’s a privilege working with the NCAA and Southeastern Conference. The key is maintaining their relationship.
“What we want to do is do our best work possible to build trust with both of those entities,” Eady said. “So that when the next opportunity that comes along, we have the opportunity to bid on that and partner with them to bring another big event to Birmingham.”
City leaders said this weekend shows what Birmingham is capable of.
“We have the facilities,” said Birmingham City Council member Hunter Williams. “We’re proving that we can put on these events, and we’re going to continue to go after tourism events, whether they be athletics or other recreation events for the city of Birmingham.”
City leaders told CBS 42 the sky is the limit for what our city can host, and community members can expect more exciting and big-time events in the future.