The World Games has been years in the making for Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - This international event has been years in the making. It took a village of people to get to this day. It’s a big moment for the city as it welcomes to the world.

The big announcement came back in 2015. Birmingham sent a delegation to Switzerland to get the good news that the Magic City will host the World Games.

About two years later, former mayor William Bell arrived in Poland to accept the flag for the World Games. Talks of a possible new stadium in downtown eventually became a reality as well.

In 2018, Birmingham was officially on the clock to get ready. The World Games countdown clock installed at Uptown in the city’s entertainment district.

“Let’s get busy. Let’s get this interstate finished. Let’s get this stadium built and lets show the world who we really are,” Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight said at the time. Fast forward to October 2021, Protective Stadium made its debut.

The nearby BJCC and Legacy Arena also getting much needed upgrades. All of that to welcome thousands of athletes and fans from around the globe.

“This is about our future. This about a Birmingham that is finally coming of age. A new Birmingham and The World Games is going to be our coming out party to showcase to the world what Birmingham is all about,” Nick Sellers, CEO of The World Games said.

The World Games haven’t been in the United States since the 1980s. Mayor Randall Woodfin says this is a big moment for Birmingham, a city with a storied history.

“In 2022, we’ve come a long way as a city and as a people. I think the World Games present a unique opportunity for any city in any country across the entire globe to add another chapter to its history book of who it is and showcase that to the entire world,” Mayor Woodfin said.

Over the next 10 days, Woodfin says the city has an amazing opportunity to show the world who we are.

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