The Expocentre has a contract with an outside group that handles concessions. A part of that contract is the exclusive right to sell food and drinks on the property. This is not that uncommon. The Bicentennial has a similar outside group and this weekend if you read their flier you are told “ABSOLUTELY NO FOOD OR COOLERS ALLOWED IN THE BICENTENNIAL CENTER”. Most high schools have contracts with a soft-drink of choice. When hosting a tournament at my High School I am required to utilize Coca-Cola products…I cannot even bring Pepsi products in for the hospitality room. The Coliseum in Wichita has similar issues to deal with…go back and research the threads complaining about that facility on the HS Forum a few years ago when 4/5/6A state was hosted there. I think their security guards were even accused of being Nazis with “mullets” to boot! The new arena in downtown Wichita will be an SMG property. Guess who else is an SMG property…you guessed it, the Kansas Expocentre. Do you think that all SMG properties will not be managed in a similar manor; heck they probably will have the same concessions vendor.

Without putting words in his mouth, I think what Mr. Cook was trying to say above was that searches for food and drink items were loosened up last year at the athlete’s entrance. And from his comments today I read that to mean that they will continue that policy again this year. Can he tell you that you can bring in the kitchen sink…no. His facility has a contract with a vending company that has exclusive rights in this regard. However, with a wink-and-nod he has told you that the policy has been loosened up for the athletes. Don’t drag him through the mud over it; appreciate his position and the good faith effort he made at compromise in his statement above.