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mommaswatching

Anywhere but Alltech, Please

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    Now that the two year contract is over, there has to be a better choice than Alltech.  Some improvement was made about the scoreboards but they were still hard to read (even with readers,lol).  Seats and floor in actual seating area were still filthy --- not knocking staff there they can only keep a building  so clean that was made for horses. I saw numerous little kids playing in the dirt that was on all the seats.  Many people had headaches and problems from the dust.   Yes I know wrestling is a sweaty sport but it is an indoor sport.

    As for taking KY wrestling  to greater heights, wrestling in a horse arena sure isn't the way. Our kids deserve to participate in an atmosphere that feels welcoming. and sounds and is  classier than a Horse Park. Using a knife to cut up the balls in the pre-finals celebration, that inevietably went over the Great Wall, was absurd. They could have let the air out and given them to little kids or  Goodwill.  Bottled water $3.00,  come on that is ridiculous.

     Also, not having brackets for sale or even posted was  very hard for our elderly fans.   Most grandparents do not have smartphones so they can get trackwrestling.   Many relatives were there that wanted to buy a hardcopy so  they could fill the brackets out themselves to help pass the time as they waited for their wrestler and to know  who they were watching wrestle.

 

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I couldn't agree more. The men's restroom only had two stalls and most of the sinks didn't work and the one that did was cold water. Also $14.50 for 2 pcs. of pizza 1 bottled water & 1 Power Aid is robbery. I say move it to Freedom Hall or Rupp or WKU.

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Memorial Coliseum - Parking was a free-for-all for both youth and High School. High School lighting is awful, 3 rows of lights made it so dim you couldn't see, couldn't video record. They should have an elevated platform for the finals, with all lights out except over the mat.  

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I have only heard one complaint that has anything to do with Alltech erana. The dust.. Dust and dirt? Really? I dont know what area you were sitting Mam, but I think someone had done a bit of vandelism if your seats were filthy and you saw kids playing playing in dirt. The area where our school sat was clean both days. Our little ones were also playing on the floor and were no more dirty than if they were playing on the floor anywhere else.  Also as far as the scorboards are concerned, I sat in the section by mat 6 all the way in the corner and I was able to see the score of the matches on mats 3 and 4 in the other end of the arena.  No matter where the tournament is held the concession prices are going to be rediculous just like at a ball game or a concert. The awards being a joke and brackets not being posted had nothing to do with the arena. These are all KHSAA issues. 

 

As far as having the opinion of holding the event at a place "classier than a Horespark", all I can say is that it seems we have a different view of what is and is not classy! Everone that has came from another state as a guest of our family the last two years to watch have all commeneted how great the location is or how great the venue and arena is for our State Tournament. Comments like "wow, this is really cool" or "wow, this is really big time here"  This is Kentucky. We are known to the rest of the country as the Bluegrass State which is defined by the thourghbread industry. I for one am proud of that. Our dual teams singlets last year had a horse on it. Did this project the image of our team being unclassy?  I dont understand the comment about headaches or people having problems from the dust. Our school had about 75 to 80 people there for two days and not one complaint about a headache or allergies or anything involving dust.

 

Everyone from our school likes the Alltech Arena and we all hope the tournament stays there. I have a few complaints from the tournament this year such as the awards, brackets not being posted or sold but these are all KHSAA issues. The only thing I would like to see improved on that is directly an issue with the arena is that would be really cool if the finals matches could be wrestled under a spot light like they were at Frankfort.

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I heard kids say they were suffering from allergies from all the animal dander in the arena. The place smelled like horses and cows.

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Really? Wow. OK not sure what to say to that. I can only assume that we must have grown up differently. I grew up climing trees and playing in dirt and creeks as the things kids normally do here in Kentucky. Maybe It really is a problem for some. I just cant understand why none of our 75-80 people in our section struggled with allergies or headaches. This will be my last reply in regards to this issue but to say the place smelled like horses and cows is just flat out an exaggeration! Each to their own. We will just have to agree to disagree.

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It must have had something to do with the ventilation.  Our section was completely covered with dirt - the seats and the floor.  We also had several parents and kids who were having a hard time with allergies and asthma.   Nice venue, but not suited for wrestling.  Don't expect it to change, however.

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Centrally located is a lowsy reason not to have it in louisville. I do believe that either the Cross Country or the track and field state meet is at UL. I know it would be too much to go to yum but come on now. Louisville or well the state in general has alot better places to hold the state tournament.

The pre state finals is a huge thing in KY. I know alot of guys who the week of state when not talking about comp. in the bracket could only think of 2 other things that were 1. first LARGE meal after the second day began and 2. what wacky things they would do before the state finals.
WE NEED people who have wrestling experience running this ONLY. Just like you wouldnt want an ex wrestler running the bowling, chess, or basketball state championships! Popping the balls was just wrong.

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Refdad, I grew up in the projects in the Ville but did those same things you did LOL!

I don't have animal allergies, but I assure you, I heard people complaining about it. And it did smell like manure. Ask rideemout, he posted the same thing.

The track and field state finals is usually at UK, but they are remodeling the track so it has been at U of L the last 2 years. And that U of L track facility is NICE!!!

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Move It back to Frankfort !!!!! The atmosphere for the finals with the lights going down and the closeness to the mats made the atmosphere increadable. I understand at Alltech the spacing is much better and could potentially create a lot less chaos , BUT the atmoshere at the finals and semi-finals was just not the same. The civic center is the perfect size for 5,000 screaming wrestling fans!  Alltech seemed clean and I didnt notice manure but if I did I wouldnt have cared ,  what kind of person dosnt love the smell of manure in the morning!

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Now with it only being 2 days, you can't go back to Frankfort. With only having space for 4 mats, it would have to go back to 3 days. Personally I would hate that. It's much better being 2 days.

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Alltech just can't compete with Frankfort's atmosphere. Frankfort has a really neat downtown area. Great hometown places to eat. I really miss it being held there. Don't get me wrong, I know there were issues, but all in all, Frankfort was great. P.S., If we had 16 man brackets instead of the dreadful 32, we could easily do our State Tournament in 2 days and on 4 mats. I know this is a whole other can of worms, but I had to bring it up. Also, wrestling the semi finals on 4 mats was terrible. This is the most exciting round, and we just breezed through it. We definitely need wrestling people putting together and running our tournament.

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Really? Wow. OK not sure what to say to that. I can only assume that we must have grown up differently. I grew up climing trees and playing in dirt and creeks as the things kids normally do here in Kentucky. Maybe It really is a problem for some. I just cant understand why none of our 75-80 people in our section struggled with allergies or headaches. This will be my last reply in regards to this issue but to say the place smelled like horses and cows is just flat out an exaggeration! Each to their own. We will just have to agree to disagree.

we have 3 boys sick after leaving there. warm up area was cold. i agree that the place is nice, but not for wrestling,

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I would Love to see it back in Frankfort too! I loved that venue! On another note Broadbent Arena here in Louisville(behind Freedom Hall) seats 6,600 and is open for rental Feb. next year the weekend of the 21st-23rd., and Louisville Gardens could be a possibility. It holds 6,000+. Both of those arenas have that Gladiator feel like the Arena in Frankfort has! 

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The KY Fair grounds charges about $8 to park!   And that's this years cost; with the "new" theme park coming, they'll probably jack up that cost even more.  Plus  it's a little walk to the arena once there.   The Fair grounds usually has several things going on at the same time (flea markets, other shows, etc).

.

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I still hate the 32 man bracket too but it has been going well on 6 mats, except you can't watch ALL the good matches. You could possibly do a 24 man bracket, making the 3rd place match at regions actually mean something. Winner goes to state. Give a first round bye to all region champions. I wonder if you could squeeze a 24 man bracket out in 2 days on 4 mats.

 

We have pretty much tried everything else.

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I just wish they could mix it up the brackets. Just have different bout numbers . I really don't know if any other prime locations. I would think that the 3 colleges that run wrestling in Kentucky would be interested but I don't know what type of facilities they have. NKU has a great arena and they of course don't offer wrestling there but it's not centrally located. I was thinking maybe Memorial colliseum ?

 

By bout numbers it just seems like they could start with mats 1-2 106's 3-4 113's 5-6, 120's  and go forth that way. These are just some pondering thoughts.

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Personally I would love to see it in Louisville, because Lexington either has or is getting everything else.  The baseball state championship is also played there.  But if you do it in Louisville, parking is the issue.  Some places don't have enough, and others charge too much. 

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