For more than 30 years, the Glens Falls Civic Center has been the home of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association boys basketball tournament. Now, during the bidding process to keep the tournament for another three years, officials in the Warren County city are trying to keep the tournament from moving.
Since 1981, the Civic Center has hosted the state boys basketball championship, and it will again this March. But 2017 remains uncertain.
Earlier this week, the boys basketball committee voted 7-4 to keep the tournament in Glens Falls. But the administrative staff of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association voted to send the tournament to Binghamton for three years beginning in 2017.
A conference call among the agencies' championship advisory committee was held Friday. A final vote is scheduled for December 18th.
Meanwhile, officials in Glens Falls are hoping to hang on to the tournament — one of the busiest weekends downtown all year. Jeff Mead is general manager of the Civic Center.
"Yeah, we're worried and certainly we're up against it, but we haven't given up hope, I can tell you that."
Longtime tournament director Doug Kenyon said Glens Falls bid $15,000 a year for each of the three years plus more than $20,000 a year in Warren County bed tax revenues, which are pointed to promote the Civic Center.
"Yeah, we definitely think even though their bid, on the surface they came up with $30,000 up front and no charge for the arena. But when you look at that and what it's going to cost them, it's going to cost them a lot more than that. How long can they sustain it? And ours, we've given them a very sweet deal. They actually, with bed tax money, are going to come out with a plus profit before they even open the doors."
Kenyon also said it's all about ticket sales, and he believes Glens Falls is the city that can deliver. He also mentioned the work done by the army of volunteers in the city.
U.S. Senator Betty Little’s office said she's also offering her support to keep the tournament.
Peter Aust, President and CEO of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the estimated overall economic impact of the three-day tournament on the region is between $1.5 to 2 million.
Meanwhile, after a six-year absence, Glens Falls will again be the home of the Federation basketball tournament in 2017 through 2019.
The event's return is welcome for the facility that is now under new management. Mead says the 23 teams in the Federation tournament — which come from around the state, including New York City — help the Civic Center, the region's hotels, and restaurants.
"Any time we can get people into our region and spending money in our region it's a win-win for the Civic Center and certainly for Warren County and Glens Falls, New York. "
