Casper City Council OKs sponsorship for basketball tournament

Casper City Council greenlit a request from Visit Casper to help sponsor another year of the National Junior College Athletics Association Division I Women's Basketball Championships at the Ford Wyoming Center.

A simple statement from Mayor Stephen Cathey solidified the council's decision: "Looks like it's a go," he said after councilors agreed.

Cait O'Neal and Wayne Stewart, two representatives from Visit Casper, made the request. O'Neal explained that hosting this year's NCJAA championships at the Ford Wyoming Center brought in over $1 million to Casper. Stewart emphasized that the broadcast on ESPN3 helped get Casper visibility that it wouldn't have gotten otherwise — at least, not for a lower price, he said.

Next year, the tournaments will be extended another day, they added, meaning more chances for better economic development.

The city's contract with the Ford Wyoming Center means the city will pay $25,000 in hard costs at the Ford Wyoming Center and $10,000 directly to Visit Casper for the sponsorship. Ticket sales, Zulima Lopez, director of parks and recreation for the city, will be split as they were this year: 75% to 25%, with the latter percent going to the city and the former to the Ford Wyoming Center.

A promotional poster included with Visit Casper's request in Tuesday night's pre-meeting packet says that the city will get their logo included in all promotional materials, a full-page ad in the program and a logo on the ticker-tape, among other things.

Jordan Smith covers Casper and its surrounding municipalities for the Casper Star-Tribune and can be reached at 307-266-0513, or on X

Casper City Reporter