Please let this happen:
http://www.catchdesmoines.com/articles/view/Des-Moines-Bids-to-Dunk-NCAA-Men-s-Basketball/258/
http://www.catchdesmoines.com/articles/view/Des-Moines-Bids-to-Dunk-NCAA-Men-s-Basketball/258/
Des Moines bids to host Mens NCAA tourney games
- Thread starter peteypie
- Start date
I really hope they finally get it. Des Moines has been told several times now to keep trying because a good application is put in everytime but hosting the Men's tournament is an extremely tough barrier to break. Once you host it and it is successful you are much more likely to host again in the future.
Re: Des Moines bids to host NCAA tourney games
Could you imagine getting a high seed, and actually getting to play in our backyard in the tourney for once? Place would be nuts!
Could you imagine getting a high seed, and actually getting to play in our backyard in the tourney for once? Place would be nuts!
The only problem I would see would be hotel rooms. We've hosted sold out events at Wells Fargo before and have had great attendance for other NCAA events. Plus, the skywalk system works great if there's bad weather, and means that parking doesn't need to be right next to the stadium.
Im not concerned about hotels. there are plenty of options not only in des moines but in the surrounding areas (less than 30 miles away) that can very well handle the amount of people. What I am worried about is that this has to go to the NCAA and they don't really care to cater to ISU.
As long as there isn't a hotel attached to the IEC, Des Moines will never host this event. That is the main barrier at this point. Sadly, while there are plans in the works for a 400-450 room hotel in the area, the city has been dragging their feet and you probably won't see it finished until 2018.
I believe so. Surprised they don't have UNI "host" it.
I'd love to know how Des Moines tries to pitch itself above Kansas City or Omaha which both have better amenities and significantly better facilities.
I don't think so if ISU co-hosts. Plus I don't think JP would be dumb enough to agree to co-hosting if that meant we weren't eligible to play in Des Moines.
How? Kansas played in St Louis, Florida played in Orlando, Wisconsin played in Milwaukee. If the cyclones get a 1 or 2 seed they would probably play in Des Moines.
Hotels are NOT the issue. This has been confirmed a while back in a interview with the group that bids for this every year. The issue is that the Men's tournament is an extremely tough barrier to break. It was discussed in a thread on here a while back and I'll link it when I find it.
So the hotel directly North of Wells Fargo Arena isnt close enough? I know it isnt attached but I could throw a baseball and hit the arena from it, hell my 6 year old could
If you are a host of a venue, your team isn't allowed to play there. Either a school or a conference needs to host each venue. If a conference hosts, any school can play there still, but if it's a school, then that particular team must be sent somewhere else.
For example, the Big 12 hosted the Final Four in Dallas last spring. Marquette was the host school for the Milwaukee site that you mentioned. And I believe the MVC was the host for the St. Louis site, too.
UT-SA was the host school for the San Antonio site this spring that we played at.
If Iowa State is the host for Des Moines, then we wouldn't be able to play there.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, St. Louis University, and Central Florida probably were the "hosts". Same with Ohio State playing in Dayton....Dayton is the host.
I know some people in the know (Greater Des Moines Partnership) that have said that not having a large hotel with direct access to the event location definitely does hurt it. The NCAA want convenient hotel access at event locations. The small hotel directly to the north isn't large enough to accommodate all of the fans, teams, media, etc.
Yes, there are other hotels scattered around the downtown area, but nothing large and central near the IEC. We could spend all day talking about the flaws of the IEC, thankfully in a few more years not having a hotel there won't be one of them.
Selfishly, I'd rather see Omaha & KC keep getting bids instead of DSM.
Distance is basically the same, and Omaha & KC have both better environments and facilities.
Distance is basically the same, and Omaha & KC have both better environments and facilities.
