Since landing the 2029 World University Games, while not quite at the frenzied pace leading into the final weeks of the bid process, the activity level for the host committee for the Games has not slowed appreciably during the last month. We are not hitting cruise control since being designated as host of the 2029 FISU Games; in fact, it seems more and more like we are continuing to step on the gas.
Lake Placid 2023 Winter Games Observer Program
During each World University Games – winter or summer – FISU conducts an Official Observer Program which is intended to provide the opportunity for future Games organizing committees to go behind the scenes to learn first-hand from a Games in process what it takes to conduct a successful Games.
Three members of our North Carolina Bid Committee (NCBC) Leadership Team, Stan Campbell, Shannon Mizell, and Hill Carrow (Chairman & CEO), took part in last month’s 2023 Winter WUG Observer Program over a 5-day period. The program was directed by Lilia Barieva, FISU’s Education and Culture Director.
“One thing I liked about the Observer Program,” said Stan Campbell, “was our ability to establish more relationships with FISU staff and Executive Committee members, and to make new friends with the Lake Placid Organizing Committee, as well as the Organizing Committees of both the Torino 2025 Winter Games and the Rhine-Ruhr Germany 2025 Summer Games, whose senior staff also participated in the program.”
While the North Carolina USA Team had to leave Lake Placid prior to the conclusion of the program, they were still able to cover a lot of ground including important Games areas such as Volunteers, Outfitting, Medical Services & Anti Doping, FISU Relations, Delegation Services, Culture & Ceremonies, Sponsor Activation, Merchandise, and Sports. Team NC was able to attend Opening Ceremonies as well as Figure Skating and Cross Country Skiing competitions, and Ski Jumping training. Visits to venues included the Olympic Center (Figure Skating, Ice Hockey and Short Track Speedskating), Mt. Van Hoevenberg (Biathlon, Cross Country, and Nordic Combined), and the Olympic Jumping Center (Ski Jumping). Other activities included the FISU Games World Conference, the awards ceremony at the Downtown Medals Plaza, and the Welcome Ceremony for the arrival of the Games Torch. In addition, the North Carolina Delegation got to check out FISU operations at the Headquarters Hotel, press operations at the Games Media Center, Local Organizing Committee operations at the Games Headquarters Offices, and FISU Games Village (Athletes Village) operations at Paul Smith’s College. And no Observer Program would be complete without experiencing the Games parking and transportation system, as well as airport arrival and departure services.
Shannon Mizell, a broadcast veteran of numerous Olympic Games, was able to get an insider’s view of the Games international broadcast compound and said, “I was very impressed, overall, with how Lake Placid delivered an Olympic-quality event for a relatively modest portion of the budget of a typical Olympic Games. Kudos to the Lake Placid Organizers, led by Ashley Welden (pictured above with Hill Carrow) and Jim McKenna, for an outstanding Winter World University Games!”
Thank You, FISU!
We reported in our January 2023 eNews Update how the FISU Executive Committee voted unanimously in favor of awarding the 2029 FISU World University Games to North Carolina USA. Now that the realization of actually hosting the world’s largest event for student athletes is starting to set in, we want to sincerely thank each member of the FISU Executive Committee, as well as the FISU staff and Summer Games leadership who supported North Carolina’s bid for the Games.
Special thanks both to the officers of the FISU Executive Committee – Leonz Eder (Switzerland), Acting President; Lucian Cabral (Brazil), First Vice President; Zhen Shen (China), Vice President; Marian Dymalski (Poland), Vice President; Penni Aligawesakaben (Uganda), Vice President; Bayasgalan Danzandorj (Mongolia), Treasurer; and Verena Burk (Germany), Senior Executive Committee Member – as well as the Executive Committee members: Omar Al-Hai (UAE), Kenny Chow (Hong Kong), Martin Doulton (Australia), Hisato Igarashi (Japan), Gabriel Kotchofa (Benin), Lorenzo Lentini (Italy), Rosaura Mendezgamboa (Costa Rica), Emiliano Andres Ojea (Argentina), Delise O’Meally (USA), Leopold Germain Senghor (Senegal), Kemal Tamer (Turkey), Ching Yu Tseng (Taipei), Byong Jin You (South Korea), Kairat Zakiryanov (Kazakstan), and Marko Zunic (Croatia).
While we are handing out heartfelt thank you’s to FISU, let’s not leave out their staff leaders heavily involved in the Games host selection process: Eric Saintrond, Secretary General & CEO; Sarah Lewis, Deputy Secretary General & COO; Paulo Ferreira, Director General; Jing Zhao, Summer Games Deputy Director; Brian Carrer, Event Manager; Andrea Uccello, Event Coordinator; and Joshua Miethke, FISU Games Summer Assistant.
News Briefs
Now that Team North Carolina is no longer bidding for the Games, and has been selected to host the Games in 2029, the North Carolina Bid Committee is in the process of becoming the North Carolina Organizing Committee (NCOC).
While we are extremely grateful to our Bid Sponsors (shown below) for their outstanding support in contributing more than $800,000 in cash and services to the North Carolina USA Bid for the World University Games, we are now in the initial stages of preparing for a much bigger fundraising campaign designed to provide the corporate partners, individual and foundation contributors, and organizational financial support required to secure the tens of millions of dollars of private revenues needed to successfully stage the Games. In addition, the Committee has had initial conversations with members of our local congressional delegation to request federal grants intended to match the State of North Carolina’s $25 million commitment to the Games.
Individuals, companies, and organizations are able right now to make charitable contributions to the 2029 Games and can do so easily by simply going to our Games website, on the Partners page, or by clicking here. We have already been fortunate to have Galloway Ridge at Fearrington retirement community and Stan Campbell of our Leadership Team, make donations to Games. We encourage all of you to follow their lead and help us start putting together the resources needed to deliver a world-class 2029 FISU Games.
Last week, on Thursday, February 23, at the invitation of Rachel Page, COO, and Tom White, NCSU Economic Development Director, Hill Carrow was one of the presenters to the North Carolina Coalition for Global Competitiveness. This is a dynamic group co-chaired by two North Carolina Council of State Members: Elaine Marshall, Secretary of State; and Steve Troxler, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. The Coalition is a public-private partnership led by industry and organizational executives from across the state, with a focus on optimizing North Carolina’s global engagement and positioning North Carolina as a global leader. The 2029 World University Games are an ideal match for these ambitious goals and the Coalition members expressed great support and enthusiasm for the Games.
Support the Games
You can support the Games in a number of ways: corporate contribution, individual contribution, or volunteering. We encourage you to visit our website at www.ncusa2029wug.com and join our team.