Columbus, Ohio State in Contention to Host NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four

Final decision expected in late November

Columbus has been named a finalist to host the Women’s Final Four between 2012 and 2016, the National Collegiate Athletic Association announced Wednesday.
 
The Ohio State University, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and Nationwide Arena submitted a bid to the NCAA and the Women’s Basketball Committee on June 2. The bid included more than $2.5 million in public and private support for the event, which would be played at Nationwide Arena.

Other finalists include Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, San Antonio and Tampa, Fla.

Site visits to the finalist cities will be held in September and October. Presentations will be made to the NCAA and Division I Women’s Basketball Committee in mid-November, followed shortly by the announcement of the Women’s Final Four sites for 2012-2-16.
 
The Columbus Local Organizing Committee will now prepare to host an official site visit with NCAA staff and Women’s Basketball Committee members between mid-September and mid-October. A final decision is expected by late November.
 
Quoting Ohio State and Columbus leaders on NCAA announcement.
 
"I am delighted we are being considered to host the NCAA Women’s Final Four basketball championship. The event gets stronger and more exciting each year. Should we be selected as the host institution, it will be a great opportunity to showcase all that the University and the Columbus community have to offer.”
– E. Gordon Gee, Ohio State University president
 
“The University, the athletics department staff and many others from the city of Columbus and its sports commission have worked extremely hard to get to this point in the process. I know our department is looking forward to welcoming the women’s basketball Final Four to Columbus. We appreciate the NCAA for considering Ohio State and Nationwide Arena as hosts for this event. I’m confident basketball fans, the NCAA and those teams fortunate to advance to the Final Four will enjoy their experience in Columbus.”
– Gene Smith, Ohio State University director of athletics
 
“This is a great opportunity to show off the City of Columbus. In a lot of ways this is the perfect city for an event of this magnitude. There is so much to do within walking distance of Nationwide Arena. Over the years I have noticed that the Finals Four’s are most memorable when they allow the participants and fans to enjoy a wide-range of entertainment and opportunities in a smaller and easily accessible community. Columbus is one of the best-kept secrets in the country and an opportunity to host a women’s Final Four will allow us to show the kind of diversity and entertainment that exist in Columbus.”
– Jim Foster, Ohio State head women’s basketball coach
 
”The City of Columbus is very proud to be a finalist to host the women’s Final Four and we look forward to welcoming the NCAA and the Women’s Basketball Committee to Columbus for an official site visit. The best way to understand and appreciate everything our city has to offer is to see it first hand. We look forward to the opportunity to showcase Nationwide Arena, the Arena District, downtown hotels and our entire community to the selection committee.”
– Michael B. Coleman, Columbus mayor
 
“On behalf of the Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena, we are very pleased that the NCAA has selected Columbus as a finalist city to host an upcoming NCAA Women’s Final Four.  Hosting an event of this nature would be another example of how our city continues to increase its presence on the national sports landscape.  Having already welcomed events like the NHL Entry Draft and NCAA men’s tournament action to Nationwide Arena and the Arena District, the NCAA Women’s Final Four would present a great opportunity to continue to showcase all that Columbus has to offer to fans from across the country.”
– Mike Priest, Columbus Blue Jackets president
 
”Hosting the women’s Final Four would be a tremendous opportunity for Central Ohio. We are excited to be one step closer to bringing the NCAA women’s basketball championship weekend to Columbus and Franklin County. We look forward to hosting the site-selection committee and showing them why we are becoming one of the leading sports destinations in the United States.”
– Marilyn Brown, president of the Franklin County Commissioners

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