Iowa boys state basketball
- Thread starter mb7299
- Start date
Is it really THAT big of a blow? 50k people over 5 days, many already from central Iowa.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
For hotels, probably only in the sense of renting rooms to the schools involved.
For restaurants, I can't imagine this is anything but huge news. That's a lot of people in a very compressed period, and they'll want to eat.
Awww poor Bruce Gerleman. Buzzard Billy’s will take a hit and that sucks, but oh well. Maybe @brentblum can charge $5 for parking to help the collective.
This is a good move. Hilton is a better basketball venue.
www.si.com
Hilton Coliseum to become new home of boys state basketball tournament
The Iowa high school boys state basketball tournament is heading to Ames and Hilton Coliseum. For the first time since 1963, Des Moines will not serve as host o
www.si.com
The Gazette has an article up about this move, with quotes from some coaches.
www.thegazette.com
The central theme behind the positive responses is the opportunity to play in a basketball arena instead of a hockey arena.
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“I like the move,” said Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Jon McKowen. “Hilton is a basketball arena. The state has done a good job making Wells Fargo Arena look as basketball as possible, but they are working with an ice arena. Fan seating is further away from the floor than it needs to be. I look forward to the move.“
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“I think the move is great,” said Sioux City East Coach Ras Vanderloo. “Wells Fargo is a very nice place but a very corporate place. The people sit way too far away from the court. It’s basketball played in on a hockey rink. Hilton Coliseum is made for basketball. It puts the fans right down by the court, which will help with the atmosphere.
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“I think it’s a great move to get to a basketball venue,” (Aplington-Parkersburg head coach Aaron) Thomas said. “I don't think it will be just another event for Ames and Iowa State University. With Hilton being a basketball arena versus a hockey arena, it will create a better basketball atmosphere, I believe ... I think it will create new energy and excitement.”
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Coaches seem to like the move of boys’ state basketball tournament to Ames
The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced Tuesday that it is moving the boys’ state basketball tournament from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines to Iowa State University’s Hilton Coliseum in Ames, beginning in 2027. Many coaches like the idea of being in a true basketball facility.
www.thegazette.com
The central theme behind the positive responses is the opportunity to play in a basketball arena instead of a hockey arena.
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“I like the move,” said Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Jon McKowen. “Hilton is a basketball arena. The state has done a good job making Wells Fargo Arena look as basketball as possible, but they are working with an ice arena. Fan seating is further away from the floor than it needs to be. I look forward to the move.“
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“I think the move is great,” said Sioux City East Coach Ras Vanderloo. “Wells Fargo is a very nice place but a very corporate place. The people sit way too far away from the court. It’s basketball played in on a hockey rink. Hilton Coliseum is made for basketball. It puts the fans right down by the court, which will help with the atmosphere.
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“I think it’s a great move to get to a basketball venue,” (Aplington-Parkersburg head coach Aaron) Thomas said. “I don't think it will be just another event for Ames and Iowa State University. With Hilton being a basketball arena versus a hockey arena, it will create a better basketball atmosphere, I believe ... I think it will create new energy and excitement.”
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Hopefully Iowa State has first come first serve parking in their lots. Please no money tiered parking system to pay for their stellar basketball recruits.
Maybe. Only so many schools are in Des Moines for that. And a lot of them just leave from home and drive home that day. I would think wrestling would be a bigger loss since a zillion schools are there for 2-3 days.
That being said, if this cytown development proves successful I would imagine the AD looks at future expansion opportunities, which would probably be more difficult to replace the parking spaces in that scenario.
This isn’t a huge blow for Des Moines as some people think. If they wanted it, the could have kept it. Will it hurt downtown businesses? Yes for the first year or so. But they will get more events scheduled. The drive from Ames to Des Moines is nothing these days. I do find it very weird and hilarious how Iowa fans have said they refuse to spend money in Ames. Saying “I wouldn’t expect people in eastern Iowa to spend a penny in Ames”. Absolutely insane.
I'm talking specifically during the week of the boys tournament. Class is still in session those weeks M-F and there are several morning and afternoon games early in the week.
It was a free-for-all during WBB this year. Every midweek 6:30 game, there were still commuters parked in C3 (donor lot) when they "opened" for basketball.
Frankly, I'd put commuters in the D lots that week, and fans in A-C.
Or, by that time South 16th might be done and they can implement of the early plan options of paving G4/G5 and moving the commuter lot there.
I imagine any retail\restaurant businesses that come into cytown probably prefer the commuter lot being where it is, as it gives traffic that might stop in before\after taking the bus to campus. Especially if something like a coffee shop were to drop in there.
I just took a look at the future schedules for both the IHSAA and the Big 12. The only time that the Boys' Tournament would possibly run into issues during the contracts of both tournaments would be in 2030.
2030 IHSAA Tournament: March 4 to 8
2030 Big 12 Tournament: March 12 to 16
This means that the last two regular season games would be Monday/Tuesday, March 4/5 and Saturday, March 9. This means that the ISU men would only have to have the Big 12 avoid a home game for their penultimate regular season game. Either both Saturday, March 2 and Saturday, March 9 would work for home games.
All other years from 2027 to 2031 (coincidentally the length of both IHSAA and Big 12 in KC contracts) work out so that the IHSAA Boy's Tournament comes after the regular season Big 12 finale and during the week of the Big 12 Tournament.
2030 IHSAA Tournament: March 4 to 8
2030 Big 12 Tournament: March 12 to 16
This means that the last two regular season games would be Monday/Tuesday, March 4/5 and Saturday, March 9. This means that the ISU men would only have to have the Big 12 avoid a home game for their penultimate regular season game. Either both Saturday, March 2 and Saturday, March 9 would work for home games.
All other years from 2027 to 2031 (coincidentally the length of both IHSAA and Big 12 in KC contracts) work out so that the IHSAA Boy's Tournament comes after the regular season Big 12 finale and during the week of the Big 12 Tournament.
