The NCAA announced sites for the 2003-07 Men's Final
Fours -- New Orleans (2003), San Antonio (2004), St. Louis
(2005), Indianapolis (2006) and Atlanta (2007). The Final
Fours will be played at the Louisiana Superdome, Alamodome,
Trans World Dome, RCA Dome and Georgia Dome, respectively
(NCAA). In Fort Worth, Wendell Barnhouse reports that the
men's basketball committee's recommendations must be
approved by the NCAA's championships committee, "but that is
basically a rubber stamping process" (STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/26).
FIVE STRONG CANDIDATES: In San Antonio, Griffin &
Williams report that the committee's decision to award five
Final Fours "was a surprise" because its initial plan was to
award only the three through 2005. Bill Hancock, the NCAA's
Dir of the D-1's men's basketball championships: "Our
committee had a tough choice and decided they couldn't do
it" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/26). In St. Louis, Tom
Wheatley reports that local organizers hoped to prevail in
2003 or 2004, and privately, some local officials "were
disappointed at having to wait until 2005." Convention and
Visitors Bureau President Bob Bedell said that Final Four
"means that $45 million will be left here in direct spending
for the region" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/26).
