Recently, there have been some inaccuracte newspaper articles written and posted on various web sites about the ISC tournaments in both 2009 and 2010. The following will hopefully set the record straight with correct and current information.
2009 in Quad Cities - In September 2007, I traveled to Quad Cities for site inspections of venues and meetings with CVB and Sports Commission people about Quad Cities hosting our tournaments in 2009. It was a successful trip and the contract for Quad Cities to host us in 2009 was signed in October 2007,
The preferred venue was Green Valley Sports Complex in Moline because it had two, 4-diamond complexes and I was told all 8-diamonds were capable of holding men's fastball tournaments. On this basis, we decided ISC II would be played at one complex, using all 4-diamonds and the World Tournament would be played in the other complex, using 2 of the 4-diamonds.
In spring of 2008, I was informed that 2 of the 4-diamonds in the ISC II complex had outfield fence distances of only 200 feet, too short for men's fastball. I was scheduled to fly to Quad Cities last June after visiting Kimberly but my flight to Quad Cities was cancelled due to weather and I had to fly directly back to SLC, missing Quad Cities and scheduled meetings altogether.
Last week, ISC II VP Jim Williamson and I traveled to Quad Cities for further site inspections, checking on venue options, being involved in a media event and being a part of our regular "host checklist" meetings with their tournament committee heads and Sports Commission. The trip also included meetings with personnel from both headquarter hotels and the awards vendor. All in all it was a successful and productive trip for all concerned.
Jim and I, along with attending Wayne Fisher, Pat Sullivan, Bret and Gary Baughman and Quad City Host Team manager, Steve Kaiser and ISC Player Rep Sean Marten, that trying to use 4-diamonds in the original World Tournament complex would be both dangerous to spectators and players and create a very unworkable atmosphere in the one-room pressbox. We estimated at various times the one-room press box would have to hold upwards of 30-people and have two Internet streaming broadcasts taking place simultaneously.
We visited Campbell Complex in Rock Island as a potential ISC II ToC site and agreed it had all the services and amenities we required. It is a nice 4-diamond complex with a tower in the middle for press box on the upper level and concession stand and rest rooms on the lower level. The fields appeared in excellent condition and the Rock Island Parks & Rec Dept would install temporary outfield fences at 250'. The Internet access issue is currently being researched but the Rock Island City IT manager was present at our meeting and felt it would not be a problem to guarantee us the Internet specifications we requested.
With full understanding and approval of Joe Taylor, President and CEO of the Quad Cities CVB and Sports Commission, we submitted a formal request to change the ISC II venue to Campbell Complex in Rock Island. That request will be discussed in lenght this week at a regularly scheduled Sports Commission meeting. If they approve the request, they will also outline to us changes they feel they need in the original contract and some of these requested changes are likely to be financial in nature.
Upon receiving their approval and requested contract changes, it will be turned over to the ISC Executive Committee to discuss and hopefully, approve.
So while we have in fact requested a venue change for ISC II, it is not yet a done deal.
2010 Bidder - Midland, MI - It was reported recently that Midland, MI would be the host for our 2010 ISC Championship tournaments. This is in error. We are definitely working with Midland to agree to be our 2010 host but it too is not a done deal. In fact, the Midland group is making a sponsorship presentation this week for a title sponsor.
We should know within 30-days, the status of Midland being our 2010 host.
If there are any questions about above, please let me know.
Thanks,
