Major Sporting Event Decisions Expected This Week

Several major athletic announcements are expected this week that could bring thousands of people and potentially millions of dollars to Eastern Iowa.

Key leaders from Iowa City including the mayor and legendary coach Dan Gable have done all they can to bring the 2012 USA Wrestling Olympic Trials to the Carver Hawkeye Arena.

Right now, Iowa City is competing against the Council Bluffs/Omaha area and Columbus, Ohio. Meanwhile, Cedar Rapids is hoping to hold on to a tournament it has hosted for years.

"From an athletic and a fan standpoint, there's not going to be a more incredible environment than Carver Hawkeye Arena," Josh Schamberger from the Iowa City and Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau said.

Las Vegas and Indianapolis are the two most recent hosts. Iowans love of wrestling and the endorsement of superstar coach Dan Gable has allowed the state to become a finalist.

"Wrestling is obviously, to a certain degree, religion in Iowa," Schamberger said.

 Other cities have brought in as much as ten million dollars to their community when the event came to town.

"Every hotel in the corridor will probably be full for those three days. Not just Coralville and Iowa City, but Cedar Rapids as well," Schamberger said.

 The State Volleyball tournament has been a Cedar Rapids staple for years, but another city could steal the competition. City leaders have been fighting to keep the event in town because of all the benefits it brings.

"Being able to showcase what our community has to offer. The resources, the amenities, especially post-flood. Looking at what we have back as well as the new businesses that have opened up," Cedar Rapids Downtown District spokesperson Quinn Pettifer said. "Perhaps this will spark entrepreneurialism. Perhaps this will spark somebody to think about moving to Cedar Rapids. It's not just about the tournament."

Both cities are game for these major competitions. Now, it's just a matter of waiting for organizers to make decisions.

At the end of this month, another major decision is also expected. That's when RAGBRAI will announce the overnight stops. Both Hiawatha and Coralville are in contention.