IHSA will continue to play in Peoria

In a story by Kirk Wessler in today's Peoria Journal Star, the IHSA Board of Directors at its Monday meeting approved a five-year extension of the contract to keep the boys basketball state tournaments in Peoria, according to a source close to the negotiations. A news conference will be held Wednesday in Peoria to announce the extension.
This time the IHSA did not request bids on the event as it did in 1995 when Peoria snatched the tourney from Champaign and when the last two contracts were renewed. The question would be if anyone really wanted to bid on the four-class tourneys (1A and 2A on one weekend and 3A and 4A on another) considering the dropoff in attendance.
Peoria has hosted the tournament since 1996. The current contract is due to expire after the 2010 tournaments.