Could the Bicentennial Center in Salina host a combined 4A and 5A state tournament? I noticed that the permanent seating there is roughly 6,500. So just for fun, I looked up the FHSU site and saw that the permanent seating at Gross Memorial Coliseum was just 4,600.

I'm assuming that we could get 8 mats down on the floor at the Bi-Center, but would there be enough seating, locker rooms and warm-up areas? I haven't been in the building other than for volleyball, so I don't know. Could anyone make a more educated guess?

Well not next year cause they are going back to Wichita next year.

"Well not next year cause they are going back to Wichita next year." Blah Blah Blah! State is going to be held in Manhattan, and that's the bottom line because Jhris Cennings said so.

Nigel, I realize that — I'm just talking in the future. And Jhris, I agree; how about 6A and 5A in Ahern?

Hays has hosted the 3A and 4A tournaments together before. The problem is hotel space. It is pretty hard to get a motel just for the 3A meet and that includes going out of town to russell.

I always wondered how that went (with two classes at Hays). The hotel situation was why I always called in May to set up our rooms — you know, just in case we actually needed them (lol).

fanatic:

Does the facility in Hays have the required floor space to accomodate an additional class?

If KSHSAA requested four (4) mats for the 3-2-1A tournament, how many will they request if an additional class is added?

I think they could get 8 down but it would definitely be crowded like the coliseum is now. Plus they really need to look at how they place the mats. If they put them way to the west side like they did this year and leave all the room on the east side for bleachers, tables, etc, the visibility is poor. I would not favor two classes but frankly I don't like the concept anyway that apparently so many people think is necessary of combining meets at one or two sites.

I've seen Hays run 6 mats for an Open tournament...it can be done, but yea...visibility gets very etchy.

seating at hays for just the 321a meat is hard to come by during the semis and the finals.

Salina is perfect in my opinion. I don't care if 4A is there alone or if 5A is there too. Can they put down 6-8 mats there?? It seems to me like they could fit at least 6. I think it would be great to have the tourney in Salina.

I think 4A has the fans to be by themselves in a place like the Bicentennial Center and 5A and 6A probably has the combined fan support to be held in another similar center if they keep them together.