By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Sometimes the good news has to wait. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) was originally going to announce its baseball and softball championship site host sites in October of last year. Last Friday, the KCAC board announced both championships will remain at the Great Bend Sports Complex through the 2025 season. Convention & Visitor's Bureau Director Christina Hayes said this is the ninth year for the championships and thanked the Great Bend Rec for its work in helping keep the championships here.
"Not only is it good for tourism and bringing in sales tax dollars and transient guest tax dollars, but this was a dedication and promise of the city council, the school district, and the Rec, all who have said they promise to bring in big tournaments to help have outside visitors spend money in town," she said. "This is a huge win for Great Bend, everyone involved, and we really appreciate KCAC for choosing us."
The championships first came to Great Bend in 2014. Since then, there have been many upgrades to the Sports Complex, including the $1.37 million project to turf the fields. That helped secure the new deal with KCAC.
"I think the Rec and the CVB, we put together such a great bid, and the Rec has done such a great job in the past being an amazing host to KCAC," Hayes said. "We, as a community, are so thankful they would choose us because that is a good four days of hotel fills. Of course, they eat our restaurants, they fuel up, they spend money, and it does put Great Bend on the map for the KCAC collegiate teams."
The KCAC Softball Championships will take place from May 3-5 at the Complex, and the Baseball Championships will run May 3-6.
“The KCAC is delighted with Great Bend’s desire to continue as our partner in hosting the conference’s Softball and Baseball Championships through the 2025 season,” said Dr. Scott Crawford, KCAC Commissioner. “We very much appreciate the upgrades to the Great Bend Sports Complex, the hospitality felt by KCAC teams when in Great Bend, and the city’s commitment to putting on two excellent events.”