USF to Host 2008 NCAA Women's Final Four

For the first time ever, the NCAA Women’s Final Four is coming to the State of Florida, and the University of South Florida will be the host school. Today, the NCAA announced the 2008 Women’s Final Four will be played in the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa.

“We’re very excited for the opportunity to host the first-ever NCAA Women’s Final Four to be held in the State of Florida,” says USF Director of Athletics Lee Roy Selmon. “We are proud to be part of an outstanding team in the Tampa Bay community. The successful bid was due in large part to outstanding cooperation between USF, the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, the City of Tampa and the St. Pete Times Forum.

“Teamwork is something we cherish in athletics, and this is a shining example of what it can accomplish. We share tremendous pride with our entire community and look forward to making the (2008) Women’s Final Four one to remember.”

The Tampa Convention Center will serve as the site of both the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association convention and the fan-centered Hoop City. The Championship and its affiliated events are expected to generate an estimated 20,000 room nights in the Tampa Bay area. The event created nearly $21 million in economic impact for the St. Louis area when it was held there in 2001, according to the NCAA.

“This is a proud day for Tampa,” said Paul Catoe, president and chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The Women’s Final Four is a world-class event, and we are truly honored to be selected as a host city. I think the NCAA, the teams, and the fans will find Tampa Bay to be a community full of genuine warmth and unparalleled hospitality.”

The decision comes just days after a six-member Tampa delegation made a formal presentation to the Women’s Basketball Committee at its summer meeting in New Mexico. Tampa learned it was one of seven short-listed cities back in December 2002, and was named a finalist city along with Denver, St. Louis and San Antonio in May 2003. Several members of the Site Selection Committee visited the Tampa Bay area in February.

“We’re very excited for the opportunity to host the first-ever NCAA Women’s Final Four to be held in the State of Florida, and we are proud to be part of an outstanding team in the Tampa Bay community," said USF Director of Athletics Lee Roy Selmon. “The successful bid was due in large part to outstanding cooperation between USF, the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, the City of Tampa and the St. Pete Times Forum. Teamwork is something we cherish in athletics, and this is a shining example of what it can accomplish. We share tremendous pride with our entire community and look forward to making the 2008 Women’s Final Four one to remember.”

"We're ecstatic to be a partner and the host venue for such a prestigious event," said Ron Campbell, President of the Tampa Bay Lightning & the St. Pete Times Forum. "I believe that we worked well with the University of South Florida and the NCAA to host an extremely successful men's event this past March, and for the women's Final Four in 2008 we will do everything possible to help produce the most successful championship the NCAA has ever seen."

USF and Tampa Bay are no strangers to hosting marquee NCAA events, including the 1999 Men’s Final Four in 1999 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. USF also hosted the 1994 Men’s First & Second Rounds and the 1998 Men’s Regional at Tropicana Field and the 2003 Men’s First & Second Rounds in the St. Pete Times Forum.

The 2008 event is the first of three between 2008-2010 that the NCAA awarded today. The Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis will host the 2009 event, while San Antonio’s Alamodome will host the 2010 Final Four.