RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-222

A resolution to honor and recognize the 8th Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament, to be held May 22-29, 2016 in Nashville.

WHEREAS, it is fitting that the members of this legislative body should recognize those prestigious international sporting events to be held in the state of Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, one such international event is the 8th Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament, the Bingham Cup, the biennial international championship of International Gay Rugby, which returns to the United States for the first time since 2010, to be held in Nashville on May 22-29, 2016; and

WHEREAS, never before held in the South, the 2016 Bingham Cup will be hosted by the Nashville Grizzlies RFC and will bring over 1,500 players and guests from around the globe to Nashville, with lodging and events to be held on the campus of Vanderbilt University and all games set to take place at the Ted Rhodes Sports Complex; and

WHEREAS, established in 2002, the Bingham Cup was named in honor of the late Mark Kendall Bingham, a former college rugby star who died in the September 11, 2001, attacks on board United Airlines Flight 93. He was one of a group of passengers who fought with the hijackers aboard the flight, preventing them from hitting targets in Washington, D.C., as the plane crashed instead into a vacant field in Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, expected to be the largest Bingham Cup since the event's inception, the 2016 Bingham Cup's week-long roster of activities will include rugby clinics and tourist events leading up to the playoffs and Saturday's championship game; and

WHEREAS, it is highly appropriate that the members of this body recognize this acclaimed international event to be held in Tennessee for the first time.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as hereby honoring and recognizing the 8th Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament, to be held May 22-29, 2016 in Nashville, and further congratulating the Nashville Grizzlies RFC on their winning bid to host this prestigious event and extending to them Nashville’s best wishes for a successful tournament.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Council Office is directed to prepare a copy of this Resolution to be presented to the Nashville Grizzlies RFC.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Bob Mendes, Nancy VanReece, Brett Withers, Anthony Davis, Fabian Bedne