POWERGRAMS

22 1 COMMUNITY W ith less than one year to go until the World Games, Alabamians can expect to hear a lot more buzz about what is likely the biggest sporting event in the Southeast since the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Come July 7, 2022, Birmingham will take the spotlight on the global stage for an 11-day event during which the world's best athletes will compete in sports and disciplines outside of the Olympics. "This is going to be a huge deal for the city of Birmingham," said Jonathan Porter, senior vice president of Customer Operations for Alabama Power and chairman of the 2022 World Games Foundation board of directors. "It's a great opportunity to put Birmingham and Alabama on the world stage and continue to change the narrative that people who have never been here have about our city." Porter notes that Birmingham's history is both its greatest strength and greatest weakness, citing the civil rights movement and the turbulent 1960s. "It's important to embrace our history, but more importantly, move forward and showcase the new Birmingham, the New South, the new state of Alabama," Porter said. "Regardless of what they hear, it is a diverse city and a diverse state, and we are open for business." The World Games is expected to bring an estimated 500,000 visitors to the city to experience 32 different sports with athletes representing 130 countries at more than 20 Birmingham metro area venues. Tickets went on sale July 7, and the World Games has drummed up marketing efforts with increased signage, social media campaigns and opportunities to purchase World Games gear. Alabamians can look for targeted television ads during broadcasts of the Tokyo Summer Olympics July 23-Aug. 8. In addition to showcasing the food, culture T H O U S A N D S O F V O LU N T E E R S W I L L B E N E E D E D F O R H U G E 2022 E V E N T COUNTDOWN ON FOR COUNTDOWN ON FOR THE WORLD GAMES THE WORLD GAMES

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