Metra/Billings loses another tourney...Boys State A @....

[Billings_Griz]

MSU



From Gazette:



Bozeman gets Class A boys hoops tourney



* Related: Press release from MHSA on Class A Boys Basketball Tournament

After meeting Tuesday morning, the Montana High School Association board has awarded the state Class A boys basketball tournament to Bozeman.

The tournament will be held March 3-5 at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, MHSA Executive Director Mark Beckman said.

The decision is another blow to MetraPark, which had been slated to host the tournament on March 10-12. But after a tornado ripped through the Rimrock Auto Arena, the MHSA board decided to reopen the tournament for bidding.

Yellowstone County officials were hopeful that the MHSA board would accept MetraPark’s revised bid to host the tournament in the Expo Center. But Beckman said the board went with Bozeman because the fieldhouse there can hold 7,000 fans, while the Expo Center can only hold 4,500.

MetraPark also was offering some portable facilities like locker rooms and showers, Beckman said.

MHSA board member Dennis Holmes, who is principal at Billings Senior High School, made a motion to hold the tournament at MetraPark, but the vote went 4-2 against his motion.

The board then voted 5-1 to host the tournament in Bozeman, with Holmes voting against that motion.

[mtbobcat]

While it must be dissappointing to Billings, it is totally understandable that it move to the location best suited for the tourney. The Bobcat Fieldhouse in Bozeman certainly is a good venue and Billings will get their share of tournaments in the near future. Hang in there motels, restaurants, retail stores and such... you time is goming again once the Metra is completed. I just hope they do something special to the Metra and take advantage to upgrade to a first class facility.

[Billings_Griz]

I just hope they do something special to the Metra and take advantage to upgrade to a first class facility.

They won't...it may look purdy but it's being thrown together. From the horses mouth.

[AlphaGriz1]

Agreed.

I was working on part of it and pulled my bid because they were going to go cheap and then blame everyone for a ****** product afterwards. I dont play that game.