Hillsborough won't bid for finals

The state championship games for 2001-2004 likely will be awarded to a joint bid between Gainesville and Tallahassee.

By KEITH NIEBUHR

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

TAMPA -- Florida's prep football finals will not be coming to Tampa any time in the near future.

Hillsborough County athletic director Vernon Korhn said Thursday the county won't submit a proposal to host the state's marquee high school event from 2001-2004. The major roadblocks for Tampa: money and facilities.

"Basically, we just aren't able to put it together," Korhn said.

"We would love to have done that, but at this point in time, we can't. Hopefully, somewhere down the line we can."

Korhn said he approached several local groups about helping sponsor the event but was "not close" to securing the money he thought was needed to earn a bid from the Florida High School Activities Association.

The Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee guaranteed the FHSAA $125,000 a year over four years to land the finals in 1997. Korhn said he believed he would have to come up with "at least" that much money for Tampa to seriously be considered.

He declined to say whom he contacted.

"The first problem was the financial thing," Korhn said. "Had we been able to do that, we would have been able to take a good, long look at the stadium. I felt like the first thing that had to happen was that we had to have financial backing."

Because Raymond James Stadium, the only county facility that meets the FHSAA's 20,000-seat requirement, is booked well in advance, it might not have been able to accommodate the three-day, mid-December event anyway, Korhn said.

Typically, the Bucs play two games in December.

The stadium also hosts the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl.

"I had a contact talk to the people at the stadium, but this was really short notice," Korhn said.

"They might have some prior commitments."

Hillsborough County's decision likely clears the way for the GSOC and Tallahassee Sports Commission to land the event. Because the University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the host site since 1997, is expected to undergo renovation in the next few years, the GSOC and TSC are working on an agreement that would see the finals in Gainesville twice and at Florida State's Doak Campbell Stadium twice.

No other group has expressed interest in hosting the finals, FHSAA director of communications Jack Watford said.

Interested parties have until Aug. 8 to submit proposals.

Hillsborough County has not hosted a football championship game since 1969. It has, however, been home to the state baseball tournament since 1997.

"There's no question we made the effort," Korhn said. "I said from the get-go that this was something in the future that I'd like to see come to Tampa. I'm for hosting every event we can host.

"It's good for the community and good for our kids."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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