Downtown Spokane is gearing up for two major weekends of women’s sports as the Pacific Northwest Qualifier (PNQ) and the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament take over the city. These events are expected to draw thousands of visitors, building on last year’s turnout of nearly 170,000 people in the downtown core during PNW and NCAA playoffs.
Helping Spokane puts its best foot forward, the Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP) is gearing up to clean and refresh key areas, with a special emphasis on South Downtown and the I-90 gateways. These efforts aim to create a welcoming atmosphere for athletes, fans, and visitors alike.
“Downtown Spokane is grateful for the work of Spokane Sports in highlighting our city, and their efforts are paying off,” said Emilie Cameron, DSP president and CEO. “Anything we can do as a community to showcase Spokane will only bring greater opportunities for future tournaments and events.”
The Downtown Clean Team’s supplemental cleaning team will focus on litter and graffiti abatement in the areas east of Bernard between the railroad tracks and Fourth Avenue. “Our crews take great pride in their work,” said Paul Lower, DSP Vice President of Clean and Safe Programs. “Weekends like this, when we can showcase our beautiful downtown, make the hard work worth it.”
The DSP is coordinating efforts with Dignified Workday, the city’s contracted cleaning crew operating in South Downtown Division gateway area and the City of Spokane code enforcement to align efforts. Additionally, the DSP is working with the Washington State Department of Transportation who has shifted to daytime schedules to address graffiti removal along I-90 in the downtown core.
As part of the preparing for the tournament, the DSP and Spokane Sports are also pairing eight downtown bars and restaurants with visiting teams to serve as remote “Fan Sites” during the basketball tournament.
Continued Cameron, “Sports fans—locals and visitors alike—are encouraged to head downtown, support their favorite teams, and experience the excitement gathering at dedicated Fan Sites. There’s no better place to celebrate the energy of women’s sports in Spokane than downtown.”
For more information or to follow your favorite women’s team on their journey to Spokane, visit downtownspokane.org/fan-weekend.
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About the Downtown Spokane Partnership: The DSP is a private, nonpartisan, non-profit membership organization that serves as Spokane’s central city advocate and service provider of the Downtown Spokane Parking and Business Improvement District, dedicated to enhancing the quality and vitality of Downtown Spokane as the basis for a healthy region. The DSP accomplishes its mission through advocating for public policies, business and project development, quality planning, physical improvement projects, public safety, beautification, and marketing programs that ensure downtown’s continued success.