State Tournament has outgrown the Expocentre!

I would like to see us split the state tournament up. Lets get 6,8,10 year olds done the weekend of or before HS regionals. They need subs, dist and state. The size of that event would allow us to move it around: Hays, Salina, Wichita, Pittsburg, and Topeka. The 12, 14, and HS state would be held by having a Dist on the Saturday after HS state and State the following weekend. Again, small enough to use several venues.

Our tournament has outgrown any available arena. Saturday after the parade of clubs we started wrestling and the floor was really crowded. I looked around and we had fans sitting in every row all the way to the top and from one corner to the other!!! It was awesome but this means we are too big.

This plan gives families their spring break back. Lets you go to the NCAA tournament without giving up the kids state series. Lets the little wrestlers start baseball, soccer, lacrosse or whatever as those age groups don't need to be singularly focused on wrestling yet.

Lets get it done!

I have a contract with Hyatt Place in Topeka for 25 rooms, I actually need 26. They felt I only needed 18 rooms and will not honor the contract I have with them. They said they are over booked and that the 8 additional rooms will not be available. Now I have 8 families that will need to find a room this weekend.

It’s frustrating when you have stayed at the same hotel for 6 years and they feel the need to break their commitments. What is the point of having a contract if they will not fill their obligations?

I do NOT recommend staying here, unless you want to take a chance of sleeping in your car.
_________________________
Bruce Woodruff
Goddard Wrestling Club
316-259-7353


The tournament has grown to the point that Topeka does not have adequate lodging options.

I have 6u, 8u, and 10u sons wrestling, so at least for the next couple of years, would be relatively unaffected by the logistics of this type of change (others would not be so lucky). My sons absolutely enjoy being with all their friends, the ones they have worked so hard with throughout the year; they've been through all the ups and downs with there teammates all year and would be disappointed if they were not able to share the experience with them. I can't speak for the older boys, but I think they get a kick out of sharing the experience with the younger guys too.

If there was a split to occur, and I am not agreeing or disagreeing with that fact, further splitting the 6u-14u, is not the way to go... it is tough enough for the 6u wrestlers not to be wrestling with their teammates.

On the other hand, it would be nice to move the season up a little somehow, I agree with Cokely, it get's awful tough this time of year.

I know someone will get on here and point out they will have to attend two state tournaments but the fact is that same family will be attending a tournament somewhere that weekend in February so the cost is not a valid argument. This proposal shortens the entire season by two weeks which means two less tournaments that a folkstyle family will be compeled to attend which is, in reality, a cost savings for 90% of the families who will not wrestle after Folkstyle state(s).

i agree with you there!! the opportunity to finish the season at a state tournament with your WHOLE team.''''' PRICELESS


Hows the Sprint Center?

I would have to think long and hard about what our little kids would be missing out on, by not being "teammates" with the HS kids that come back to wrestle the kids series. The HS kids get something out of "mentoring" the younger kids, and I know the younger kids love being with the "big boys".

Was the executive board aware that the city of Topeka was going to initiate a special room tax just for this past weekend, at the time of the contract decision?

I agree Doug, all our big boys were so nice and supportive of the little guys and they loved it. They need to have that, someday it will be their turn.

Someone has not taken their sedative yet today.

Sportsfan02,

I heard several people say the same thing this past weekend. I must be honest here I only spend the night in Topeka one weekend a year so if you can send me proff that this occured I will get to the bottom of it.

And the Council was not told about any special tax for this past weekend.

Ned

I agree and have to add myself to that i love seeing the Bigger kids mix it up in the same venue. Hell I hate that we have to choose which highschool state to go watch when you have friends from all over.

Ned,

All I am aware of is this, which was posted in another thread...

DUMB IDEA. U can pick and choose what tournaments u attend. U will b taking away from some of the clubs that host tournaments. For some clubs tournaments r their only money maker. Plus, the little guys and older guys enjoy those 3 weeks together.

Most of us are in kids wrestling for the long haul(or should be), which means high school and hopefully college. I would love to have the opportunity to share a college dual/tournament with my kids. They have no idea what it's all about. Currently we couldn't go see a dual/tournament if we wanted too, unless we skip a weekend of wrestling. If this creates the opportunity that other states such as Oklahoma have, count me in!!

As far as HS mentoring younger kids, you have the entire season to mentor. The HS kids can follow if they desire.

Ned

This tax exists 365 days a year in Topeka and wasn't in place just for this weekend. You can check it out online by trying to book a hotel anywhere. The 13.95% represents the 7.95% sales tax and 6% lodging tax. 99% of the municipalities in KS have a lodging tax when you rent a hotel room and Topeka's 6% isn't the lowest, but it isn't as high as 9% in Overland Park and 7% (I think) in Wichita.

I'm not in favor of the price gouging happening at the Expocentre. I mean $2 for a cup of coffee!!! And $3 for stale popcorn. Give me a break.

It's not the fact that there is a lodging tax as almost all cities I travel to have some type of lodging tax. It's not the fact that the price of food is so high at the Expocenter as most arenas have high priced food. It's the fact that a hotel room that on a normal weekend is $74/night is being priced at $169/night on this weekend. This is price gouging no matter what you say.This event needs to be moved if only for one contract. I wouldn't care about the entry fee for state, raise it another $20 a kid if you have to but get this event out of Topeka for at least one contract and may be they will appreciate this event a little more. We went to dinner after weigh ins and it was taking forever which I don't mind as they were getting hammered, but when the lady went to seat us she said "i'm so sorry it took so long, we didn't see this coming" This event has been on the same weekend for over 20 years, how can you not see it coming?

I absolutely agree. This tournament has outgrown the Expocenter.
That, coupled with the completely idiotic bag searching should lead (quickly) to a move to something much nicer (which wouldn't be hard to do).

I did take the time while going through the cavity search for water bottles and other food items, to express my appreciation to the security staff for protecting us all from those evil-dooers who would try to bring in water bottles and expose us all to unauthorized water in unauthorized bottles. They didn't take my expression seriously.

On a more serious note, the expocenter is a joke. Their water bottle searching/confiscating bs is also a joke.

I'd vote for Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita) or a couple of places in Kansas City.

The bad thing about Intrust in Wichita is that it is managed by the same company and you can expect the same kind of searches.
The other thing is the Intrust is consistantly booked. This management company will not rob one venue to help another when they can fill both.

Plus with the bids being submitted by the same company, always expect the Topeka bids to be the lesser of the two. I think if people will examine what they are paying for hotel/motel expenses in Topeka they would be more than willing to eat some increased admission costs at Wichita to offset the higher rental fees for the facility.
This is not to say that Intrust in Wichita will be without it's complaints and detractors, it will have some. But I do not believe hotels/motels costs will be among them.

The bag searching was fine. Everytime we walked in they just looked in the bag and said good luck. They did not thumb through everything in it. Yes they looked, but it was just that a look. Venue chages, yes could be done but there are only a few places in the state that can handle that many people. As far as hotels increases rates, yes they did and will continue. Hotel rate for teh hotel we were at $69 in July this last weekend $89 and had to get 2 nights or no stay. A month from now rate at $74...hmmm. Yes there was a tax increase. We recieved a letter in January and then another in March and the cost was different. I called andthe manager said that Topeka had a tax increase that why it was more than 6 weeks prior.

The other up side to Wichita is sooooo many more people will sleep in their own beds. This will make it easier to find rooms and will force hotels to keep their prices competitive in order to fill rooms.

Reminds me of Salina last year at the Tournament of Champions.....I had just purchased a $3.00 bottle of Coke from the concession stand and my daughter asked me to go with her to get something from our vehicle. Not thinking I walked out from the arena into the main entrance right past Barney Fife - who WATCHED ME WALK OUT with my $3.00 bottle of Coke right then it hit me "oh crap, I didn't leave my $3.00 bottle of Coke up by my seat" I immediately turned around within seconds of walking out with it and this guy stops me and says, "sorry but I'm not going to be able to let you in with that Coke" WTFrick@!?!?@?!??!?! Are you kidding me - I said you just watched me walk out with it!!!!! To which he replied, I'm sorry I'm not going to be able to let you take that back in. WoW-----you can bet I had a few words with Barney - turned around - stuck the Coke up my shirt and marched my happy butt back into the arena!! Now that's ridiculous! After our experience at Salina - I completely appreciate the security checks at the Expo!

were you all staying in Google or in Topeka. I think that Google had the tax increase lol. At least Wichita is just Wichita like it or not. Would love to see it moved to Wichita. Downtown arena would be fun as long as security doesnt go over board on certain things. it doesnt matter where you have it they will still charge you 3 and 4 dollars for gatorade and other things that at any other venue would be 2 dollars.

The tax increase that you speak of was a sales tax increase that was voted on and implemented last October. That is not just for rooms but anything purchased in the City of Topeka. There was not a "special wrestling tax" in place. The Transient Guest Tax has stayed the same for several years with almost all cities having a Transient or "Bed Tax".

As far as the bag searches, we tried to be customer friendly last year and again this year. You will find these type of searches in any building that is big enough to host this tournament including Wichita.

I wish to thank everyone who came to Topeka for the tournament. This is one of my staffs favorite events and many of our employees really enjoy working the event and seeing many familiar faces. I enjoy working and greeting as many parents, coaches and wrestlers as I can. We are proud to host this event.

I read these boards on a regular basis, not just after the tournament. I try to use any constructive criticism or suggestions from the boards and implement the feasible ideas for the next years tournament.

Thank you again for coming to Topeka

H.R. Cook
General Manager
Kansas Expocentre

The State High School folks found a way and it was amazing. First rate in my humble opinion.

State HS is no where near the size of Kids State.
Topeka wont give up this event and it stinks that its the same company shooting us bids for both venues.
The Intrust venue is awesome and the staff at 6A state was way friendlier then Topeka.

It may be the same company managing both buildings (SMG)but we both go after business as if we were separate. We do not discuss or compare bids for events like this. I would not hesitate trying to lure business from Wichita nor would they us.

H.R. Cook
GM Kansas Expocentre