Local

Jacksonville to host 2016 SEC Women's Basketball Championship

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayor Alvin Brown announced that Jacksonville will host the 2016 Southeastern Conference Women's Basketball Championship. 

The event will take place at the Veterans Memorial Arena in Downtown Jacksonville.

The arena hosted regional action in the 2006 and 2010 NCAA Men's basketball tournaments, and will be a site again in 2015.  The Jacksonville Sharks, Jacksonville Giants and JU Men's and Women's basketball teams call the arena home.

"Jacksonville is honored to host the 2016 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament," said Mayor Alvin Brown. "Our city has become a premier venue and destination for major sports events. We'll be ready to show our hospitality and offer a warm Jacksonville welcome to the tournament teams and their many fans from throughout the Southeast region."

Jacksonville will also host a premiere women's basketball event involving two SEC teams in November of 2015.  More information on that event will be released at a later date.

Mayor Brown said the tournament will have a major impact on the River City.

"[There will be] more people in our hotels, supporting our restaurants, our small businesses our entrepreneurs, and the economic impact is going to be about $5 million," Brown said.

Action News asked the mayor how each individual citizen, the taxpayers, will see and feel that impact.

"I think they'll see it when more people are coming into town marketing our city. We're going to be on national television for a couple of days. They'll see more small business and entrepreneurs benefiting with the restaurants and hotels," Brown said. "It'll bring a lot of energy to the city."