BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — As we approach World Games 2022, CBS 42 is going to be highlighting the iconic venues hosting the events – starting with the Birmingham Crossplex.

“Birmingham Crossplex is at the center of the world games,” Chief Operating Officer for The World Games 2022, Jay Kasten said. “We have 8 plus sports here ranging from water sports to ball sports to speed sports.”

It’s an all encompassing and inclusive venue.

“We’ll actually have wheelchair rugby,” Kasten said. “We’ll be one of the first international multisport events to have able bodied athletes with disabled bodied athletes on the same card and we’re really proud of that.“

Indoor and outdoor speed skating will be held at the Crossplex. Indoor skating will be raced on a curved course that will be built on top of the track and field area. Outdoor speed skating will be raced using a course that will be built by next July. Wheelchair rugby will also be played there.

“We’ll do an outside speed course on the parking lot,” he said. “That won’t require construction as much as we’re going to take the existing parking lot and use bike racks to make twists and turns.”

Then, there’s the Natatorium:

“In the natatorium, canoe polo will take place,” Kasten said. “It’s essentially some of the greatest athletes in the world in a kayak paddling while also trying to throw a ball into a net. It’s full contact and a lot of fun”

Other sports held there will be fin swimming and life saving – we’ll have sport explanations later. The natatorium is complete with stands, a scoreboard and swimming blocks.

“In Bill Harris Arena, one of the best and oldest arenas here, used to be home to the UAB Blazers, inline hockey and roller artistics,” he said. “The complex is one of our venues that will be active pretty much every day. Two of the three venues will be active at one time. This will be a hub of activity on the west side of Birmingham.’

CBS 42 will be highlighting more of the several venues as we get closer to The World Games 2022.