Murfreesboro to keep ‘Spring Fling’ for next three years

The city of Murfreesboro won its bid to continue hosting “Spring Fling,” the state championships for public schools in several sports.
Murfreesboro narrowly edged out Chattanooga to keep the Olympic-style event through 2012.

“Spring Fling” began in Chattanooga, but Murfreesboro has hosted the event for the last four years. The sports festival includes track and field, baseball, softball, tennis, and boys’ soccer, and brings some 3.5 million tourism dollars to the local economy.

The two cities’ proposals were extremely close, but Murfreesboro offered more benefits like hotel rooms and shuttles where Chattanooga offered cash. Former Murfreesboro Representative John Hood says the city is also more accessible across the state.

“I think the geographical location had a lot to do with it – A slight edge over Chattanooga; we’re right in the geographic center.”

Last month the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association had considered boycotting any bid that allowed guns in parks under a new state law. The board backed off on advice from lawyers, and one TSSAA board member says the measure played no part in the association’s decision.

Both cities have opted out of the state law.

EXTRA:

Murfreesboro offered $350 thousand, with in-kind contributions pushing the total value of its offer to $394 thousand. Chattanooga offered $375 thousand in cash, for a total bid worth $392 thousand.

TSSAA Board Chairman Mike Reed says either city would’ve served the event well.

“Both bids were outstanding – probably as good of bids as we’ve had in the history of the organization. You could’ve gone with either one and been satisfied.”

Reed says one factor was that Murfreesboro’s offer included more hotel rooms, which is key for an event that requires hundreds of referees.

–

Scott Smith is president of Chattanooga’s sports and events committee.

He notes the committee gave preference to Murfreesboro’s track facility, which proved particularly advantageous because track and field encompasses a large fraction of the student athletes involved.

“I think that was a big sway, and then I think obviously location – you know, the center of the state’s not something we can overcome. I think maybe those two things were the big factors because it sounded like everything else was almost dead even.”