It’s that time of year! Kansas City is hosting the 2016 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship from March 9-12.
Here are some things to know from Visit KC if you plan on going to the tournament or fan activities.
Click here for Visit KC's website for the Big 12 Championship.
Street closures
Visit KC says fan fests and other championship activities will close the following streets surrounding the Sprint Center starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 7 through 6 a.m. on Sunday, March 13:
- Grand Boulevard (between 13th Street and Truman Road)
- 14th Street (between Walnut Street and Grand Boulevard)
Walnut Street (between 13th and 14th streets) will be closed starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 8 through 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 13.
Truman Road (between Grand Boulevard and Oak Street) will have lane closures starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 7 through 6 a.m. on Sunday, March 13.
Kansas City’s Big 12 Run will close multiple streets on Saturday, March 12, starting at 10 a.m. and last until the conclusion of the race, roughly until 12:30 p.m. Click here to see those street closures.
Parking
Visit KC’s website says there are approximately 40,000 parking spaces in downtown Kansas City. To find parking near the Sprint Center and Big 12 Championship festivities, click here to see Visit KC’s Downtown Parking Map.
Click here for more information on parking along the streetcar route and park-n-ride shuttle services.
Parking downtown can be tricky. That's why the city recommends you use its Click and Park service. Rather than driving around searching for a free slot, or over paying on the public lots, Kansas City has an offering of public spaces up for dibs.
“You can go pre-pay your parking, you can select your parking, pre-pay it and it's one less thing you have to worry about when you go downtown,” said Ronnie Burt with Visit KC.
So how does it work? You'll go online to KCMO.clickandpay.com and select the game you plan on attending. From there, you'll select a garage or lot. Prices vary as do locations so be sure to double check your selection. Once you’re ready, add your choice to your cart and check out either as a registered user or as a guest. And here's the good thing -- it secures your spot a couple hours before and after the game, so you can enjoy Power and Light a little longer.
Click here for a full listing of parking services.
Tournament information
The Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship begins Wednesday, March 9. The first game between Kansas State and Oklahoma State begins at 6 p.m. The final game will be held Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m.
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Click here for more from the Big 12 about the Men’s Basketball Championship including the schedule, printable brackets and more.
Fan fests, spirit rallies and Big 12 Run
Visit KC says there will be activities for fans outside the Sprint Center and in the Kansas City Power and Light District including:
- Big 12 GameDay Fan Experience
- Miller Lite Basketball Fan Fest
- Spirit rallies
Click here for more information on fan activities and a map of the fan experience.
There will also be a Big 12 Run on Saturday, March 12 at 10 a.m. Runners can choose a 12K or a 5K course. For more information and to register, visit www.kcbig12run.com.
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