i think salina would be the most centrally located for everyone. as far as hotels abilene,mcpherson,and lindsborge are all only 30 minutes away, that is no longer than a trip across topeka or wichita with lights and traffic, and i bet if approached that those towns would be willing to help out also, because they would get some revenue also.

Maybe we need to have a disclaimer at the top of every forum for all the new people who wander in that says "NO, Salina cannot host a state tournament".

Thanks for the update, I wasn't 100% sure.

Topeka hotels do charge more. When we where checking on Hotel prices we where quoted $20-$30 more per night if we where with wrestling. My advice if you have not got a room do not tell them what you are in Topeka for!

Thats not very nice maybe you should look at the wrestling family post!!!

I have been to numerous wrestling tournaments at the expocentre, including last week's district 1 tourney. The tournament was so well run with so many mats going that it seemed as though it almost went too fast. The public and parents were kept in the stands and this allowed for a great amount of room for the kids and coaches to get ready for each match. Several of the mats were finished very early and this allowed the moving of matches and allowed wrestlers to use a couple of the mats on which to warm up. I have not been to a tournament in Wichita in years, but certainly would not agree that there is anything wrong with Topeka as a venue. There are plenty of nice hotels in Topeka (Ramada, Holiday Inn, Clubhouse Inn, Hampton Inn, Capitol Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, Hyatt Place, Courtyard by Marriott, etc. etc.) to accomodate everyone involved. There is truly something special by having state in Topeka. It is the biggest thing in the capitol city. Moving it to a bigger city like Wichita or Kansas City for that matter makes it just one of many other things happening in the month of March.

if anyone can use a corporate rate maybe try that. it will save you 5 or 10 dollars. then you can maybe buy a hotdog for that at the expocentre.

Here it goes...

Of the 1460 state qualifiers (SQ's) this year, 23% (340) are within 60 mi of Wichita. Of that same 1460, 17% (249) are within 30 mi of Wichita.

Holding the tournament in Topeka makes the average state qualifier this year travel 156 mi -- 227,000 mi travelled by state qualifiers alone. If the tournament were held in Wichita this year, the average wrestler would travel 137 mi -- 200,000 mi travelled by state qualifiers. So, that is about 20 less miles to travel to Wichita for the average state qualifier this year, and 27000 less miles travelled by state qualifiers total.

Assumptions (some people don't like them, but I do):
1) SQ's live reasonably close to each club's mailing address
2) SQ's will travel along the routes outlined by mapping software
3) SQ's will stay at hotels that are evenly distributed throughout each site's city (Wichita or Topeka)
4) Trackwrestling is correct on each club's qualifiers -- clubs such as 'Caney' and 'Caney Wardogs' that each qualified 4 wrestlers are actually 2 clubs
5) I haven't fat-fingered too many things

Conclusion: Smith Center is the center of the U.S.

If you want to see my data, let me know.

Good work, but it's actually Lebanon, and even then it's only the continental U.S.

I know there is a lot to it, but I think it would spice things up a lot to move it around. Not that I have any real grief with Topeka, I just think that if possible, it would be fun to have it in Wichita, Salina, Hays, or other places with adequate facilities.

Thanks again for the information. That's interesting.

Windjammer,
What assumptions did they make in concluding that Lebanon was the center? I would like to review those.

_________________________
"Heh heh heh. I have to laugh, b/c I've outfinessed myself. My foe, my enemy is an animal, and in order to conquer him, I have to think like an animal, and whenever possible to look like one." - Caddyshack

C C, that is good work.
Bottom line is where ever it is has to be large enough to hold the people that come and watch.
I think it would be nice to move it back to the Wichita area so that family and friends can come watch, but thats just me. And I think it is time for the people of the Topeka area to come down south and drop the 3 to 4 hundred dollars that we have been dropping in their down for years now.
The people that run the tournament do a great job, keep up the good work.

Actually it's Rugby, N.D. (North America's center.)

48°21'19"N 99°59'57"W

The three motels there would be swamped and the 500 mile rule would be violated.

That's the center of North America, not the United States. Let's have State at Lebanon. That way everyone in the United States can enjoy it. Except people from Alaska and Hawaii.

Show you how smart I am....lol

Great work in finding and compiling those numbers, I think it would be good for family members of mine anyways if it was in Wichita.

I still think going to Topeka for us (and kids) is a good thing. Those littler kids just love staying in a hotel, and having all the team member there.

I don't believe that we can host the state tournament at Rugby, ND. Bad idea Chief ... bad idea. I do like Will's ideas, however, on ending the 12&U season sooner, rotating amongst districts for hosting the state tournament, and then having 14&U and 16&U continue after MS and HS are over. I would vote for that!

_________________________
"Remember Danny - Two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights makes a left." - Caddyshack

... I'm sorry but Caddyshack is one of my all-time favorites!!

Maybe we need to have a disclaimer at the top of every forum for all the new people who wander in that says "NO, Salina cannot host a state tournament".

_________________________
"We can do that; we don't even have to have a reason. All right, let's do the same thing, but with gophers!" - Caddyshack

I guess I should have added Hays to my idea!

_________________________
"We can do that; we don't even have to have a reason. All right, let's do the same thing, but with gophers!" - Caddyshack [/quote]

Sorry,

I forgot the Yuppie Rule.

Yuppie Rule

Section 1(a)

All people not from down east will travel annually and bring a lot of money. They will try to cram into one hotel and will pay 7.95 for Wi-Fi. They will be at a competitive and financial disadvantage.

Section 1(b)
Nothing else can be considered.

Section 2(a)
This steak still has marks from where the jockey was hitting it.

I'm not sure what any of that has to do with Hays and Salina not having a facility large enough to handle a state tournament. In fact I don't believe either has even bothered to submit a bid the past few contracts because they know they aren't capable of handling this tournament. A bid would be necessary in order to first consider either city and their facilites.