Business:Entrepreneurship
Greensboro is known as "Tournament Town," but it's not just because of the NCAA and ACC. Ainsley Johnston, the Chamber's event manager, sits down with the Greensboro Sports Foundation to discuss how our city lives up to its moniker the other 363 days of the year.
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1:23 - Ainsley welcomes us to the podcast and introduces guests Rob Goodman, the Executive Director of the Greensboro Sports Foundation, and Marc Bush, the Vice Chairman of the Foundation. Ainsley, Rob, and Mark are discussing the idea of “Tournament Town” and how the Greensboro Sports Foundation plays a critical role in bringing these events to our community.
1:58 - The Greensboro Sports Foundation is the local organizing committee for helping to bring sporting events to Greensboro and ensuring that visitors have a great time. Once the event is in town, the Foundation is responsible for hosting, coordinating logistics, and helping to make people feel welcome and excited to come back to Greensboro.
3:50 - Ainsley asks Rob and Marc to expand on the breadth of sporting tournaments that Greensboro hosts. Greensboro earned the name of Tournament Town because it has played host to numerous ACC Basketball tournaments, the US Figure Skating Championships, ODAC Swimming Championships, ACC Women’s and Men’s Swimming and Diving, NCAA Basketball and Swimming Championships, and more!
6:12 - Ainsley asks for more detail on the numerous swimming and diving events held in Greensboro, as we have a fantastic aquatics center but most often hear about basketball. Marc discusses how the Greensboro Aquatics Center (GAC) has helped put Greensboro on the map for national championship events. The GAC recently was awarded the YMCA’s Y National Long Course event for three years and is currently in the bid process for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Division 1 and Division 3 events.
8:10 - The discussion moves to the addition of a fourth pool at the Aquatics Center. The fourth pool has now made Greensboro Aquatics Center the largest in the nation, opening up many other event and tournament options. This expansion has also helped the Center honor its commitment to serving the community, hosting local programs even when tournaments are in town.
12:55 - Ainsley moves the conversation to basketball and what to expect in Greensboro for 2020. Rob describes hosting the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament for the 20th time during the first weekend of March, followed by the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament (Greensboro’s 27th time hosting), then the next weekend will be the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball first and second rounds. The logistics of hosting this sporting trifecta takes the perfect, coordinated effort of talented and dedicated Coliseum staff!
17:25 - Rob talks about how the community is coming together to work on decorations and marketing around these events, and how the revamped Tournament Town logo is now focused on Greensboro, tradition, and the fans that drive the economic boom that comes with these events.
19:08 - Ainsley asks about events planned for fans during the basketball tournaments. Rob describes a kickoff lunch, speakers, a Tuesday night party open to the public, a Saturday night concert with the Indigo Girls, tailgating, food trucks, live music, festivals, live watch parties, and so much more. It’s an exciting and packed schedule!
23:50 - Ainsley asks Rob and Marc to explain how local support helps Greensboro get and keep these tournaments and all the positive economic impact that comes with them. Marc explains the enormous economic impact that sporting events have on Greensboro’s local economy, from restaurants and hotel rooms to selling tickets and Coliseum concessions. Rob details that local support helps Greensboro stay competitive among other cities that host tournaments by creating an experience unlike anywhere else.
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Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber
Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.
Learn more about this year’s Tournament Town events here.
Get tickets to the NCAA tournament: www.greensborocoliseum.com/events/detail/2020-ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament
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