Super 6 Championships will now be played in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn on a rotating basis

The Alabama High School Athletic Association's Central Board of Control at its Spring Meeting Wednesday, April 8, approved a six-year agreement to move the AHSAA Super 6 state football championships to Tuscaloosa and Auburn.

The Super 6 Championships will now be played in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn on a rotating basis through 2014, starting this December at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Don Staley said, "We are thrilled the AHSAA has selected Tuscaloosa and Auburn/Opelika to host the Super Six Football Championships in our cities and on the campuses of the University of Alabama and Auburn University over the next six years. We are indebted to our city council, county commission, university officials and our local hotels for believing in our vision and staying the course during this exhaustive process and will begin working immediately to prepare for this major event".

Staley went on to say "The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation specifically recognizes City of Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, Tuscaloosa County Commission Chairman Judge Hardy McCollum, Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon and The University of Alabama President Dr. Robert Witt for making this a reality".

The Super 6 Championships have previously been held at Birmingham's Legion Field every year since 1996. Prior to 1996, the Class 6A state championship game was held at Legion Field but the other five classifications played at home sites. Details and logistics are still being worked out, by the AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese and will be forth coming soon.

This announcement comes days after the successfully hosted Blue Angels event which saw an estimated crowd of 150,000 come to Tuscaloosa and Northport and according to Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox is a continuation of positive momentum and points to the continued growth of Tuscaloosa. Maddox said "Now we've gone out, by working with the city of Auburn, and landed one of the premier sports events in Alabama," Maddox said at a late-afternoon press conference. "This community is on the move, and that investment is one I'm proud this city made."

In other action at today's AHSAA Central Board meeting, it was unanimously recommend that the AHSAA keep the Final 48 prep boys and girls basketball championships in Birmingham for a six-year period. The resolution to keep the basketball championships at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is for a six-year period, starting with the 2010 season. Tuscaloosa and Auburn also submitted competitive bid for that event.

Staley said, "Our goal will be to create a new experience and allow each one of these student athletes to feel like a superstar when they arrive in Tuscaloosa. With top flight facilities, supportive volunteerism and a community that stands ready, we believe we can create a first class atmosphere that will leave athletes with memories to last a lifetime'.

The events are expected to generate significant revenue for Tuscaloosa through tourism as well as exposure for the three area academic institutions: University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State. TSF President Chuck Sittason said, "We fully expect many of the non-participants in attendance will use this opportunity to make on campus visits during their time in Tuscaloosa".

The tentative dates for this year's Super Six at Bryant-Denny Stadium is set for December 3&4 2009. For more information concerning the AHSAA Super Six go to Ahsaa.com or tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org.