North Carolina to Host University World Games in 2029
North Carolina has been awarded hosting rights for the 2029 World University Games. The vote happened at the organization’s meeting this week in Lake Placid, NY which is hosting the Winter World University Games taking place January 12 – 23, 2023.
“The award of the 2029 FISU World University Games to our state and country is the culmination of an extensive, five-year effort by more than 1,000 individuals, 13 universities, five cities, five counties, the State of North Carolina and 53 corporate and organizational sponsors to land this amazing event,” said the head of the organizing committee, Hill Carrow.
PRTM Students Contributed to Bid Presented to International Sports Federation
Committee members included students from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM). Senior Laurel Black got to work with the committee as part of an internship with the Triangle Sports Commission in 2022. Black helped write the 200+ page bid that was presented to the International University Sports Federation’s selection committee — the group that would ultimately decide if North Carolina met all the required to host.
“In early August, I conducted a site tour where I had the opportunity to show the FISU Technical Site Visit Committee competition and practice facilities in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Greensboro,” said Black.” The individuals conducting the facility analysis were extremely impressed and believed that North Carolina was suitable to host such a high-level event.”
Black is a senior at NC State in the College of Natural Resources majoring in sport management with a minor in nonprofit studies. She will graduate in May 2023.
“Through my experience with the North Carolina Bid Committee and the International University Sports Federation, I’ve found that working in international sports and sports tourism is my calling, said Black. ” As a result of my contributions to the bid, I had the opportunity to represent the United States at the FISU World Forum in Cartago, Costa Rica this past December. At this forum I got to share my bid-writing experience with students from over 50 countries and attend various education sessions with topics relating to sports as a driver for sustainable development.”
Alyssa Hendrick also participated in the process. A junior majoring in sport management with a minor in psychology, Hendrick enjoyed touring potential host facilities and helping prepare the proposal for the review committee.
The Games are the second largest Olympic-level sporting event behind the actual Olympics. Said differently, the University World Games provide the largest international stage of competition for university level athletes from around the world bringing together more than 7,000 athletes and coaches, 3,000 officials and administrators and 600,000 spectators.
Ecomonic Impact on North Carolina
North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall called it a historical moment and the state has committed $25 million in startup money to the organizing committee.
“North Carolina’s landing these Games is similar to a major corporate relocation as the FISU Games will deliver a local economic impact of over $150 million,” said Marshall, “but with the added benefits of significant international tourism and worldwide branding exposure for our state and local communities.”
The 2023 Winter FISU games run January 12 to 22, 2023 in Lake Placid and the Adirondack region. It will mark the first time the FISU Winter Games have been held in the United States in 51 years, according to the NC Bid Committee and be the end of a run of major hosting duties for the United States, which includes the 2026 FIFA World Cup in men’s soccer, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and now the 2029 World University Games.
Upcoming World University Games Hosts:
- 2023 – Chengdu, China
- 2025 – Rhine-Ruhr Region, Germany
- 2027 – Chungcheong Megacity, South Korea
- 2029 – Research Triangle, United States