The City of St. Catharines has been named the host city for the 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship.
The week long tournament will take place at the Meridian Centre and Brock University June 11th to the 18th and will see the top 8 teams from the Americas zone of the International Basketball Federation vying for a top 3 finish to qualify for the 2019 U-19 World Cup.
Last November St. Catharines city councilors voted unanimously to waive 64 thousand dollars in rental fees and related costs for the Meridian Centre in the event of a successful bid.
It's estimated more 22 thousand spectators will take in the action.
Niagara Sport Commission CEO Bram Cotton told councillors it could bring $4 million of economic impact to the City of St. Catharines and the Niagara Region.