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TSSAA BlueCross Bowl Contract Renewed


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Thursday, January 12, 2017

 

COOKEVILLE REMAINS TENNESSEE'S HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CAPITAL

 

TSSAA BlueCross Bowl Contract Renewed

 

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A championship effort was made Thursday afternoon as a delegation of Cookeville and Putnam County leaders offered a rebid to the TSSAA Board of Control in an effort to remain the home of the BlueCross Bowl games for the next four years. Bid proposals and presentations were provided by the cities of Cookeville and Clarksville, with hosting privileges for 2017-2020 being awarded to Cookeville and Tennessee Tech University.

 

Having hosted the high school football championships over the past eight years, the Cookeville presentation focused on the heart and hospitality for which the city is so well-known in hosting sporting events.

 

The rebid efforts were led by Tennessee Tech Athletic Director Mark Wilson who will assume the role as 2017 BlueCross Bowl Steering Committee Chairman.

 

“We are humbled and thrilled that the TSSAA Board of Control has entrusted Cookeville and Tennessee Tech to continue hosting the BlueCross Bowl for another four years,†said Wilson. “We feel we've created a standard of excellence by providing a Division I bowl-like experience for Tennessee’s student athletes, their fans and families and look forward to the ongoing partnership with the TSSAA board and its staff to take the experience to an even higher level.â€

 

The package presented also offered the same financial guarantee as recent years of $253,000 and promised continued facility enhancements to Tucker Stadium. A rendering was shown in regards to a state-of-the-art videoboard that will be installed before the 2017 kick-off. Wilson also noted that 30 percent of funding has been identified for an extensive stadium renovation. 

 

Wilson was joined by Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton, Putnam County Executive Randy Porter, Chamber President/CEO George Halford, Visitors Bureau Chairman Ben Prine, Cookeville Hotelier Karla Clarke, and TTU Head Football Coach Marcus Satterfield. TTU President Philip Oldham presented via video due to scheduling conflicts.

 

“We want to re-emphasize our community’s commitment to TSSAA, to the coaches and student athletes from across the state,†said Halford. “With 750 volunteers, it is apparent that we can offer an unparalleled athletic hospitality and take pride in rolling out the red carpet each December for our 40,000 BlueCross Bowl participants and fans.â€

 

“Champions are made here and will continue to be made here. All roads still lead to Cookeville!â€

 

Cookeville will also continue as host for December’s Toyota East vs. West All-Star Classic, the all-star high school football game coordinated by the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association the week following the BlueCross Bowl games.

 

Cookeville is located on Interstate 40, 70 miles east of Nashville with Tucker Stadium being only three miles north. Cookeville is home to 1,500 hotel rooms, more than 100 restaurants, and hundreds of retail opportunities. Tennessee Tech has 10,492 students on a 235-acre campus. Tucker Stadium seats 16,500 and has an artificial turf surface.

 

TSSAA’s BlueCross Bowl in Cookeville is a combined effort between the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, City of Cookeville, Putnam County, and Tennessee Tech University.

 

For TSSAA information, go to: www.tssaa.org.

 

For information about Tennessee Tech University, go to: www.tntech.edu.

 

For BlueCross Bowl information along with Cookeville area information, go to: www.roadtocookeville.com.

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Clarksville was the only other city that went for it? That's strange to me

 

Well, it depends upon who you talk with about this topic. I've read where some seem to think that Cookville low balls the bid and in their opinion that is why there aren't a lot of bidders. I haven't read or heard of any other theories. I do think that any city or town not located close to the middle of the state will have that work against them in the selection process, even if their bid is financially better in favor of the TSSAA. Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville aren't options in my opinion. I could be wrong.

 

I'm like you however ... I would have thought that more bids would have been submitted other then the two. (Nashville - Vandy/Titans stadiums / Murphreesboro - MTSU ... etc.)

Edited by kwc
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Don't think Titans stadium is an option.  Now if it was domed like Atlanta, Dallas it would be great.  Vandy might be best choice with hotels/restaurants close to walking distance.

 

Also, don't think low ball wins, believe T$$AA goes with the one that promises the MOST $$$$$!

Edited by devilsden
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Clarksville was the only other city that went for it? That's strange to me

 

Which pretty much tells you that the fix was already in.  

 

The location that makes the most sense is Nashville.  Turf field at Vandy, plenty of hotels and eateries, and Nashville hosting visitors is an every day thing.  

 

But of course, making sense doesn't mean anything to the TSSAA.  80% of the golf coaches they polled were in favor of moving the state golf tourney back to Old Fort in Murfreesboro, yet the BOC voted to keep it at the goat track in Manchester, and one of the reasons given was that Wilow Brook has a restaurant onsite.  Of course, they didn't take in to to account that there are dozens of eateries within 3 minutes of Old Fort.  

 

Just another example of the mentaility on that board.  

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Which pretty much tells you that the fix was already in.  

 

The location that makes the most sense is Nashville.  Turf field at Vandy, plenty of hotels and eateries, and Nashville hosting visitors is an every day thing.  

 

But of course, making sense doesn't mean anything to the TSSAA.  80% of the golf coaches they polled were in favor of moving the state golf tourney back to Old Fort in Murfreesboro, yet the BOC voted to keep it at the goat track in Manchester, and one of the reasons given was that Wilow Brook has a restaurant onsite.  Of course, they didn't take in to to account that there are dozens of eateries within 3 minutes of Old Fort.  

 

Just another example of the mentaility on that board.  

 

Yeah, but ultimately you have to have bidders in order to have options. Cookville brought their 'A' game. They only had one other proposal to beat. Fix or no fix, that ultimately made it an easy choice. Nobody wanted it as bad as Cookville apparently. 

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Yeah, but ultimately you have to have bidders in order to have options. Cookville brought their 'A' game. They only had one other proposal to beat. Fix or no fix, that ultimately made it an easy choice. Nobody wanted it as bad as Cookville apparently. 

 

Which was my point.  

 

The other cities with better stadiums and better hotel/motel and hospitality facilties have been thru it before, putting together awesome bids, only to be shot down in favor of Cookeville.  They pretty much are over the process.  

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Which was my point.  

 

The other cities with better stadiums and better hotel/motel and hospitality facilties have been thru it before, putting together awesome bids, only to be shot down in favor of Cookeville.  They pretty much are over the process.  

 

I understand what you are saying but it's hard to call it a fix when only one other city submits a bid. Regardless of what has happened with past bids. 

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