If you want to make a change you have to stick to your guns. Here is what was sent to one of the directors of the Bicentennial Center. If you agree feel free to cut and paste it and send it to them. In the end this should help Rich Zimmerman help us.

Cbird@bicentennialcenter.com

Mr. Bird:

I am writing this email to voice on overwhelming displeasure with the rules and regulations in which you have in place for renting your facility. I attended an event their last weekend and have to express how disappointed I was with the security, concessions and quality of the Bicentennial Center.

I will address each of the issues independently and briefly:

Security: We were at a kids wrestling tournament. Your security officials were rude, and showed no compassion for our youth athletes or the parents/coaches that are putting in volunteer time to continue to show our kids the benefits of youth sports and what we bring to the community. This needs to be addressed and they need to be told that people that are attending events at the facility are customers and need to be treated accordingly. Give up the bag checks as well. Let families bring in coolers and drinks to keep our athletes hydrated and fed. If you have to charge a gate to get in make your $3 a person that way, but don't take away the food etc as your concessions were horrible. I address that next.

Concessions - GREED - We were not there for a rock concert or a supertruck event. We don't charge $100 for a ticket to get in. Your menu is grossly over priced and your selection was horrible. Wrestling is a sport where your body needs to be conditioned. A healthy menu is important and $3.00 bottles of water and $5 hamburgers are beyond anything that we see at other events. In fact your entire menu was out of line. Your facility is nothing close to the Sprint Center and you should not be gouging the parents and youth athletes that travel for hours to attend the event. Most of us travel over 2 hours, stay in your local hotels, eat at your local restaurants and pay a pretty price that the City of Salina must benefit from. Show some respect and we will all continue to return. If the trend continues, we will either start a new event or find another event that respects us as much as we respect our youth athletes and the parents that make the financial sacrifice.

Your facility: This is 2013 - Your lack of a nice sound system and more importantly lack of a computer network that connects us to the outside world is troublesome. Your computer network is an extremely easy fix and needs to be addressed immediately. You should have a wireless hot spot set up for activities and a separate network set up for attendees of events at your facility.

I provide this data to you in a constructive setting. If you would like to discuss any of these short comings, I am glad to speak with you and you can reach me at 913-485-3195.

I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you.

Bret Stouder
Eudora, KS.