The City of Salem has earned the reputation of being “Virginia’s Championship City,” having hosted more than 85 NCAA Championships over the past 25 years. These tournaments are a significant source of both revenue and civic pride for those who live in Salem and across the Roanoke Valley.
On Monday, September 16 at 7 pm, Carey Harveycutter will offer a “behind the scenes” look at what it took to develop Salem’s national reputation as a premiere location for state and national championships. This success included building both the infrastructure and the culture necessary to excel at every aspect of hosting these major tournaments. His talk will be held at the Salem Museum, and is free and open to the public.
Harveycutter retired as Salem City Director of Civic Facilities in 2013 and now serves as the part-time Director of Tourism assisting with sports development in Salem and with VBR Sports. Over his career, he has served as tournament director for 87 NCAA Division II and III National Championship events including football, men’s basketball, baseball, volleyball, women’s lacrosse and softball.
With his track record of success, Harveycutter has become known as the ‘Godfather of Sports Marketing’ in Virginia. He has received numerous awards for distinguished service from the NCAA, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Connect Sports, the Virginia High School League, Virginia High School Coaches Association, and the Rotary Club of Salem.
