03-21-15
PEORIA - IHSA Board Votes For Basketball State Final Tournaments To Remain at Current Sites in Normal & Peoria

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for their regularly scheduled March meeting on Saturday, March 21 at the Marriott Pere Marquette in Peoria.

The Board reviewed the host proposals for the IHSA Boys & Girls Basketball State Final tournaments as a part of the agenda, unanimously voting to renew the current state final site contracts at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena in Normal (Girls), and Carver Arena in Peoria (Boys), respectively, from 2016-2020.

“We have built strong traditions in Normal and Peoria,” said Wauconda High School Principal & IHSA Board President Dan Klett. “There is incredible support from the venues, communities and volunteers for both of these tournaments. We were grateful to have excellent alternatives, but it was clear to our Board that remaining at Redbird Arena and Carver Arena were the best options for the IHSA and its member schools.”

The IHSA received Boys Basketball hosting proposals from the University of Illinois to host at the State Farm Center in Champaign, and for the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates to host the Class 3A & 4A weekend of the tournament. Bradley University’s Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria was the only other proposal for the Girls Basketball State Finals.

“We are appreciative of the impressive proposals we received from the Renaissance Coliseum, Sears Centre, and State Farm Center,” said Klett. “We had thoughtful dialogue reviewing each site proposal.”

Redbird Arena has hosted the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals since 1992, while the first Boys Basketball State Finals were contested in Peoria in 1996.