For the fifth time Atlanta will be called home to men’s college basketball’s penultimate event – the NCAA Final Four – but this will be the first time the new Atlanta stadium will play host. ...
For the fifth time Atlanta will be called home to men’s college basketball’s penultimate event – the NCAA Final Four – but this will be the first time the new Atlanta stadium will play host. Earlier today, in a live announcement on the CBS Sports Network, the NCAA awarded the 2020 Men’s Final Four to Atlanta. Previously, the Omni (1977) and the Georgia Dome (2002, 2007, 2013) were the host venues.
A contingent from the Atlanta Basketball Host Committee (ABHC) met with NCAA staff and the Men’s Basketball Committee earlier this week in Indianapolis to complete the final phase of the 14-month process. The local committee included:
The NCAA awarded the following cities these years:
The NCAA has already awarded Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium) and Houston (Reliant Stadium) hosting rights for the 2015 and 2016 championships, respectively.
The eight finalist cities included Atlanta; Dallas; Glendale, Az.; Indianapolis; Minneapolis; New Orleans; St. Louis; and San Antonio.
In its pitch to the NCAA, the ABHC focused on the opening of the new Atlanta Stadium as an enhancement to the Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s campus. The unique configuration of facilities sets Atlanta apart as the only city in the country in which all principal fan activities reside within a thousand feet. Atlanta’s downtown walkable community has recently been expanded to include the new Center for Civil and Human Rights museum and the College Football Hall of Fame. These attractions and facilities combine to uniquely position Atlanta as a tremendously growing city positioned to embrace the specific event needs of the NCAA Final Four.
“I am honored to welcome the NCAA Men’s Final Four back to the City of Atlanta,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “This marks the fifth time we’ve been chosen to host, and I’d like to congratulate our entire bid team for once again bringing this premier event to our city. I’m especially proud that these games will take place in the brand new, state-of-the-art Atlanta Stadium that is set to open in the heart of Downtown in 2017.”
“We are honored to be selected to host this premier event in the new Atlanta stadium,” McKay said. “We look forward to being a part of this great opportunity to share with Final Four fans all that Atlanta has to offer, and we promise to provide attendees with an outstanding game experience.”
“Naturally, we are thrilled to host the 2020 Men’s Final Four, and to showcase our amazing city to millions and millions of fans and television viewers,” said Corso. “We are confident in our region’s ability to put on this amazing event for the fifth time. I’m really proud of our bid group for their diligence over the past 14 months, initially with the bid submission, the NCAA site visit in August and ultimately with our presentation to the NCAA earlier this week.”
