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Janis Burke: "We'd love to show them what we can do with their event."

History Like Never BeFOUR Houston's bid for 2021 Women's Final Four

August 21, 2018

The Harris County Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA) hosted members of the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee today as part of the Committee's site visit of Houston's bid to host the 2021 Women's Final Four.

Houston is among 8 cities under consideration to host during the 2021-2024 four-year period. The other cities include Cleveland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis, Nashville and San Antonio.

If Houston is awarded a bid, Toyota Center would be the arena hosting the Women's Final Four semifinal and championship games.

This morning, as part of the site visit, members of the Committee were shown the Downtown Houston area which included touring the numerous restaurants, hotels, and other venues.

"The restaurant scene, in particular, I mean, it was just amazing,"Lynn Holzman, NCAA Vice President of Women's Basketball said. "The unique, non-chain restaurants that we were going through. I think that that's an awesome offering for a city and just for a fan that would come to our event.

"It provides an opportunity. I think that one of the great things about the Women's Final Four is really it's a place for us to celebrate NCAA women's basketball but, also, it's a tremendous opportunity for a city and a community to show all it has to offer to the world."

Holzman said Houston's growth, since the last time she visited, has impressed her.

"In my case, the last time I was here in Houston was for the Men's Final Four -- when I was in my previous (NCAA) position. And, seeing today, how the city has continued to grow and advance and develop -- even within that short time frame is amazing."

Holzman was named VP of Women's Basketball in February 2018. In 2014, she was appointed commissioner of the West Coast Conference. Prior to her role as Commissioner, Holzman worked 16 at the NCAA national office.

Next, the Women's Basketball Committee saw more than 2,000 Houston area kids participate in a "dribble parade" from the George R. Brown Convention Center to Toyota Center.

Yep, more than two thousand kids.


"Our community never ceases to amaze me and step up to the plate," said Janis Schmees Burke, CEO of Harris County Houston Sports Authority. "They came out in a big way today. We had 2,000 kids doing the dribble parade that's what I love about selling Houston between our volunteers, our venues, just the people. It makes a difference."

The dribble parade made a very positive impression on the Committee.

"That was amazing!" said Rhonda Bennett, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at the University of Nevada. "It was such a warm welcome and definitely a big surprise to us to see that many kids.

"The Women's Final Four is about empowering young girls and women and bringing your community out to experience the games as well as the all the events that surround it. That was just really exciting."

Houston has made two previous bids to host the Women's Final Four. Houston was not among the finalist cities with the first bid; however, Houston was a finalist with the second bid.

"We did make it to the finals; and, we did make a presentation; and, it was a close call," said Janis Burke, CEO of the HCHSA. "You win some. You lose some; but, we're at it again. Hopefully, we win this time."

This year's bid is definitely Houston's best foot forward to host.

"This is our third time bidding; so, we think that threes the charm (laughing)," Burke added. "I think we've become more and more experienced with what the Women's Final Four is looking for and what they want out of the event. So, we hope to be good partners and showcase and deliver what they need."

Burke hopes to convince the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee Houston is ready, willing, and more than capable to host the Women's Final Four.

"Our footprint is fantastic. Downtown footprint with all of the hotels and restaurants and Discovery Green. It just makes for a really nice campus for groups that aren't familiar with downtown and navigating."

Burke added, "Even though we're the fourth largest city, we have this footprint that feels very intimate. It's very walkable. The fans can come out and enjoy it. You've seen that with Super Bowls and the Men's Final Four and the All-Star Game. We would really like to show the Women's Final Four Committee for the first time -- we're the only city (among the 8 finalists) that has not hosted; and, we'd love to show them what we can do with their event."

"It's a very competitive process for our Committee as we go through this," Holzman acknowledge. "But, cities like Houston that, obviously, want to have our Championship and provide a platform for us to have our female student-athletes on that worldwide stage . It's great to work with partners such as Houston to see if there's something that we can do to really continue to advance and grow NCAA women's basketball. So, we're really excited from what we've heard so far and excited to see how the process continues to play itself out."

The process includes finalist cities submitting final bids; the site visits; finalist cities having a final in-person presentation to members of the committee; the formal recommendation and final approval of sites by the Division I Women's Basketball Oversight Committee and the announcement of Women's Final Four hosts for the years 2021-2024.

"We've pared it down to eight finalists cities" Bennett commented. "We're visiting all those cities. We'll get together for final presentations from those cities ( the week of September 17-21); and, we'll make decisions as a committee."

"We're doing site visits at all of our final cities this summer; and, then, in early fall, the Committee will get together. And, we'll make our final decisions and announce that shortly after."

Burke, her staff, volunteers, and the city of Houston will learn in a few weeks if the hard work results in being named a host city.

An announcement is expected in early October 2018.

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