World Games still in debt more than $1 million to BJCC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - WBRC is learning about more than a million dollars stilled owed by World Games organizers.

BJCC Executive Director, Tad Snider, said the Games owes more than $1.4 million to the BJCC and two affiliate local hotels from when they hosted in July. The World Games originally owed more than $14 million to different vendors after the event.

Snider said he has great communication with World Games leaders and has seen an outline for how they plan to pay the debt. He couldn’t share any timelines with WBRC, but said he is confident it will be paid. It’s more than $400,000 to the BJCC and more than $800,000 to affiliate Sheraton and Westin hotels.

The Games used BJCC buildings as meeting places, renting out Protective Stadium, Legacy Arena, Concert and Exhibit halls. The hotels were used by athletes and officials.

Snider said World Games officials did pay more than $600,000 towards the debt a few months ago, but nothing since. He said this can be expected from large events with local organizing committees.

“It takes a while for all the business activity of those events to be closed out once the events are over,” Snider said. “I don;t think what’s going on with Birmingham and The World Games is abnormal. The World Games is still an event hosted in Birmingham and was notable in terms of the city’s image and perception internationally and certainly in the United States.”

WBRC did reach out to World Games leaders to learn more about their plan to pay this debt to the BJCC, but did not hear back.

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