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UIL Events Moving Out of Austin?

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KFDM COOP

KFDM COOP

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UIL Events Moving Out of Austin?

Bill Would Rotate UIL Events Out of Austin

BY LEE NICHOLS, Austin Chronicle

Every year, the battle cry for high school athletes across the state is "Austin or bust!" That's because in every sport except football – as well as in many academic, theatrical, and music events – the University Interscholastic League annually holds its championship competitions in the Austin area, often on the University of Texas campus.

That cry may have to change if the Lucio family has its way. Companion bills – House Bill 68 filed by Rep. Eddie Lucio III and Senate Bill 101 filed by his father, Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., both of Brownsville – would bar the UIL (the governing body for public school competitions in Texas) from hosting "regional or statewide" competitions in the same location in consecutive years.

That could have a huge economic impact on Austin. The events bring thousands of athletes, coaches, parents, and others to the capital city, meaning hotel bookings, restaurant sales, and shopping dollars. According to the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, the total economic impact of the UIL basketball tournaments each March is $19.2 million. The boys teams draw 108,000 visitors and $11 million; the girls bring 38,000 visitors and $8.2 million. The state track meet brings an estimated 40,000 people and $8 million to town.

"The Rio Grande Valley for many, many years has been bypassed, simply because we did not, for a very long time, have the facilities," said Lucio III. "But with the economic growth, the economic development, we have so much to offer the state now. [Holding the events annually in Austin] also has an undue burden as far as costs for our school districts, for busing and hotels every year for our students, and then parents, also, having to take off from work and travel to Austin every year."

Asked what the UIL thinks of the proposal, spokeswoman Kim Rogers said that as state employees, she and other UIL staffers are prohibited from expressing an opinion on the legislation. However, listening to Rogers describe the logistics of hosting the events, it's probably a safe bet that the UIL would not enjoy the headaches of moving them from city to city. "Essentially, it would mean that we would have to move every activity every year," Rogers said. "I guess [there would be] a financial impact in just going to a new site, traveling for our staff and participants to different locations, making sure we have the same kind of accommodations. It could lead to the fact that maybe there will not be another facility in the state that could accommodate."

The Lucios leave a loophole for that last point: The bill stipulates that an event may only be held at a site if "the infrastructure and capacity of the location's facilities are sufficient to serve the needs of the competition" and that a location may be used in consecutive years "if an alternative location is not available."

The other areas of the state aren't necessarily being bypassed due to lack of facilities. Rather, Rogers says, state events have long been held here because "we are part of the University of Texas. We host a number of activities on campus at UT facilities because we are a department of UT, and we are centrally located in the state, so it makes it easier for participants traveling to state competitions. There are a number of reasons why we have our events in the places that we do. It's not arbitrary. There is some thought behind them." _

UIL State Competition Sites

Tennis: Penick-Allison Tennis Center (UT) and Lakeway World of Tennis

Cross Country: Old Settlers Park (Round Rock)

Volleyball: Strahan Coliseum (Texas State University)

Swimming & Diving: Jamail Texas Swimming Center (UT)

Wrestling: AISD Delco Center

Basketball: Erwin Center (UT)

Soccer: Round Rock Independent School District Athletic Stadium

Golf: Austin, various courses

Track & Field: Mike A. Myers Track and Soccer Stadium (UT)

Softball: McCombs Field (UT)

Baseball: Disch-Falk Field (UT) and Dell Diamond (Round Rock)

State Marching Band: Alamodome (San Antonio)

Some other music competitions: Austin area, including UT

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KDOSullivan

KDOSullivan

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I say lets move it around. I like this. We could host a few state events here...

That's a heck of a trip from El Paso, or Dalhart, or Rio Grande City. I would hate to know I would be on a school bus for that trip, and some of the poorer districts will send those "Yellow Dogs."

I really feel sorry for some of the older coaches, teachers, band directors who would ride on the buses. They are pretty rough on those old bones and backs.

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KDOSullivan

KDOSullivan

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Even though the Rio Grande Valley may have facilities, having state competitions anywhere but  the central portion of the state is not a good idea. 

There is just something about having "State" in Austin that makes it cool....And for simple travel reasons, the Austin area is a good place to hold the contests....

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png_ndn_fan

png_ndn_fan

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Even though the Rio Grande Valley may have facilities, having state competitions anywhere but  the central portion of the state is not a good idea. 

There is just something about having "State" in Austin that makes it cool....And for simple travel reasons, the Austin area is a good place to hold the contests....

Yep, when you look at the population density of the state, Austin seems to be the ideal choice with respect to travel and available facilitates.

Pop_Density_BlkGrp2000.jpg

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Guest octfeb

Guest octfeb

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Hmmm..I really don't care for politics...  But this Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. may have his own agenda for moving the UIL This is what he does outside of being a Senator...PROFESSION: He is President and CEO of Rio Shelters, Inc., a marketing/advertising agency he has operated since 1985.Just think of the Dollars he could make for himself if he got the UIL down in Brownsville...All the businesses that would hire his company to market and Advertise for them..

And his Hometown is...........................: Brownsville

    http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist27/dist27.htm

  Austin is centrally located...

  Like someone said....Why would schools from Amarillo want to go all the way to Brownsville to the UIL...

    Dumb Idea...Just my opinion

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rapayne

rapayne

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I don't know if it would be that bad to move some things around from time to time. Afterall one of the most exciting parts of the football playoffs is finding out where that next game is going to be, getting to do something new. So playing in Dallas at the Mark Cuban Center for Losing Basketball, San Antonio in the AT&T Canter, Houston at Toyota Center in basketball from time to time instead of just Austin would not be terrible. Waco, College Station and numerous others have great facilities for this. Track meets moving around would not be that bad a deal either. Not to mention spreading those dollars around would be good for the state.

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MBB2

MBB2

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Just think about the first time we'd have to drive to El Paso to see our kids participate in a state level contest....write those legislators now and let them know how we feel on this issue.....

I'm sure you'd feel about the same as those El Paso parents do when they travel to Austin every year...  ;)

Maybe a rotating location would work, say with Austin/SA, Houston, Dallas and someplace suitable out west.  That way no 4-year athlete/family has to travel to the same place more than once. 

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OldSkool97

OldSkool97

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Moving it around would have its benefits but leaving it in Austin is really the only logical way to go about this. Like it was mentioned before..ya dont want people from amarillo traveling all the way south and the ones from the south to have to travel all the way to the north. Same goes with East and West.

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JohnnyT60

JohnnyT60

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Just think about the first time we'd have to drive to El Paso to see our kids participate in a state level contest....write those legislators now and let them know how we feel on this issue.....

I'm sure you'd feel about the same as those El Paso parents do when they travel to Austin every year...   ;)

Maybe a rotating location would work, say with Austin/SA, Houston, Dallas and someplace suitable out west.  That way no 4-year athlete/family has to travel to the same place more than once. 

El Paso is roughly 570 miles, but there is no other venue any closer unless it was in El Paso.

Amarillo is around 520 miles and they pass many venues to get there.

Orange (representing the farthest to the east) is roughly 300 miles.

Texarkana is 371

Brownsville is 350

Austin is as close to the center of the state as you can get and it is the State Capitol.

I would hate to see them move it, but I don't think it will ever happen.

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rapayne

rapayne

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I like the idea of rotating the Basketball finals the more that I think about it! Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin on a rotation.

No because the Valley and El Paso would then raise cane. Leave it in Austin.

Than just permanently scrap Austin and use NBA Arenas only!

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