Kansas City, Mo. (Nov. 18, 2014) - Less than 72 hours after announcing future Final Four sites, the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee paved the Road to the Final Four by announcing preliminary round hosts for the 2016-18 championships. Included among the selections are two sites that have never hosted NCAA tournament games and six cities that have served as a site for at least 20 different tournaments.

Kansas City, which has hosted more tournament games than any other city (128 in three different venues), has been selected as the site for the 2017 Midwest Regional. T-Mobile Center, Kansas City’s award winning downtown arena, previously hosted first/second round games in 2009 and 2013. The 2017 event will mark the first regional round in Kansas City since 1995 and mark the 30th time that Kansas City has hosted part of the DI men’s basketball championship.

“T-Mobile Center is pleased to be included among the distinguished list of host venues for the preliminary rounds of the 2016-2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship,” said Brenda Tinnen, T-Mobile Center General Manager and Senior Vice President. “Together with our partners from VISITKC, the City of Kansas City and the Kansas City Sports Commission, we look forward to rolling out the red carpet for basketball fans from across the country for the 2017 Midwest Regional.”

Since opening in Fall 2007, T-Mobile Center has hosted the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship six times (2008, 2010-2014). The 2015 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship will be held March 11-14 and the marquee event is slated to return in 2016.

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