Hot Hoops in Hot Springs?

UNTflyer · March 4, 2012

Another rumor heard here in Hot Springs...

Benson wants to move the tournament ASAP. The destination at the top of his list...

Biloxi, MS

bstnsportsfan3 · March 4, 2012

ewwww.....

UNTFan23 · March 4, 2012

Biloxi, MS is a 9 to 10 hour drive from DFW. Flights start around $400 for a round trip.

Edited March 4, 2012 by UNTFan23

Stix · March 4, 2012

Yeah, I know it sucks for those in DFW (never mind those in Arkansas) because it would be a longer drive. And it sucks for those of us who have not had the opportunity to make it to Hot Springs.

But Biloxi would be great - beaches, casinos, and it's close to New Orleans. The Mississippi Coast Coliseum (and Convention Center) seats around 10,000.

We might only be going there for one year, anyway.

UNT90 · March 4, 2012

Yeah, I know it sucks for those in DFW (never mind those in Arkansas) because it would be a longer drive. And it sucks for those of us who have not had the opportunity to make it to Hot Springs.

But Biloxi would be great - beaches, casinos, and it's close to New Orleans. The Mississippi Coast Coliseum (and Convention Center) seats around 10,000.

We might only be going there for one year, anyway.

I believe we have a contract with Hot Springs for 2 more years, so we may never experience the Mississippi coast.

Edited March 4, 2012 by UNT90

Arkstfan · March 4, 2012

The beach in Biloxi blows. The barrier islands prevent almost all wave action and its quite stagnant (if you've been on the beach in downtown Corpus Christi near the Lexington you know what I mean) and it will be a rare March you can do anything other than look at the water and the island because it will be too cold to get in the water.

You will be hard pressed to find a better place to eat than in nearby Ocean Springs though. Restaurants there are top-notch.

The casino we stayed in for my wife's conference I thought I was going to suffocate from the cigarette smoke before we got on the elevator to our room.

There are a few of the nice old homes left but sadly there are a lot of foundations and steps with no house as well.

I'd like to see the tournament rotate around rather than one place each year but Biloxi presents more travel issues. Biloxi is another hour further from MTSU and WKU than Hot Springs is. Really only handy to USA not too bad for ULL and Troy (3.5 hours and 4 hours respectively).

When the Hot Springs extension was signed, the rumor was that Waters was retiring and they wanted the new commissioner to be able to come in and negotiate the next tournament deal without a contract expiring right on top of them.

foutsrouts · March 4, 2012

Maybe he's moving it southeast for more geopraphical balance, because he knows that the conference is losing it's two northwestern most members? Ya think?

UNTflyer · March 4, 2012

Contracts can be broken for lots of reasons...

UNTFan23 · March 4, 2012

Contracts can be broken for lots of reasons...

If they move the location for next year they will lose a huge portion of the North Texas contingent that is traveling to Hot Springs.

UNTflyer · March 5, 2012

I don't think so. And what if we move to CUSA or MWC? CUSA has had it in Memphis for several years except for last year in El Paso.

MWC has theirs in Las Vegas.

untwillrise · March 5, 2012

Vegas baby!!!

Green Mean · March 5, 2012

So Benson would choose Biloxi, MS over New Orleans? If you're going to move it wouldn't New Orleans be the ideal site?

UNTFan23 · March 5, 2012

I don't think so. And what if we move to CUSA or MWC? CUSA has had it in Memphis for several years except for last year in El Paso.

MWC has theirs in Las Vegas.

There is no way we'd be able to bus students to the tournament site on the same day. That means we could lose several hundred potential attendees for games like the one that was played tonight.