The papers have been signed and it's a done deal. The 2021 World Games, a multi-sport festival similar to the Olympics, will be hosted in Birmingham, Alabama. The decision came down in early 2015 and the celebrations – and the preparations – have been on ever since.
Birmingham is the first U.S. city to host the World Games since 1981 when Santa Clara, California, held the inaugural games. The World Games typically attract about 4,000 athletes from more than 100 different nations and include between 25 and 36 sports, including racquetball, squash, sumo, water skiing, body building, canoeing, rugby and taekwondo.
Local sources say the application was buoyed by the presence of Birmingham's existing sports facilities – a direct contrast to other cities who are bidding on games, and where officials are exploring (sometimes unpopular) options for acquiring land and building facilities for sports events.
So, then, to review, here are the sports and the places in Birmingham where they will be held. It's time for ASBA members to step forward and take a bow if they were involved in the design, construction or supply of materials or equipment to any of these. Oh, and by the way, there are a lot of sports involved here – many of which, we're willing to bet, a lot of spectators have never seen.
World Games officials were also happy because the city met expectations in terms of infrastructure, organizing skills and the support of the city administration and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Organizers have projected that a $75 million budget will be necessary to host the games, according to AL.com.
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