[HDE]

I don't get the POLITICS angle I keep hearing.
The region has gone under a rotation plan for 15 or 20 years or maybe longer. It was the 52nd District's turn in 2013 and was Harlan County's turn within the district. I believe Harlan County was even listed on the KHSAA order of sites for the regional.

Like I said, I don't have a problem going to the Arena most of the time, but Harlan County was told by the KHSAA that they had to give each school $1,500 and not have split sessions. Their facility was inspected by several school officials representing the KHSAA and deemed large enough to host the regional. From what the commissioner said, Harlan County is the only high school facility large enough, if I remember correctly.

Politics would have been if the other schools had been able to take away Harlan County's turn.

[BriarCreekBrave]

^^
You stated that TAX dollars were paying for the HCHS and the athletic facilities....and even joked about it.

You are either naive or simply being obtuse when you ask why politics keeps getting mentioned.

When tax dollars are involved you can bet that politics are involved. Honestly I wonder about other issues involved besides politics.

[HDE]

State tax dollars pay for all schools, or a good portion of them. The state offered a financial incentive to get some of our old, old schools closed and a new one built in its place.

Your original post about the cost of HCHS was incorrect, and I pointed that out through humor, or at least my attempt.

I don't get it. It was Harlan County's turn. Harlan County wanted to host the tournament. It was big enough to hold the tournament. The tournament was played here.

If you got a good conspiracy story to share though things are kind of slow in basketball right now.

[teampaul]

Expensive as far as what? Concessions? Never go to state or a UK or U of L game then. You'll be floored by the prices.

Expensive as far as rental? Doesn't matter. Schools made MORE when it was at Corbin than in Harlan.

So your price is a moot point. Strike One.

Travel? Pretty sure more region fans are CLOSER to Corbin than Harlan. So there's Strike Two.

And nosebleed? Corbin ain't Rupp, Yum, Diddle, NKU Bank of Ky.
The Corbin Arena and Pikeville East KY Expo are SMALL arenas. Not "nosebleed" by any stretch.
Louisville Valley, Marshall County, Montgomery County, Central Hardin, Henry County and Mason County have HS gyms similarly sized to Corbin Arena.

So that's Strike Three. You're out.

Next.

Not only food prices but a ticket to get in will run you 12+ dollars depending if you want to sit on floor level. So students are required to sit in the upper deck which is no "nosebleed" you're right but isnt very much fun for fans. You're far away from your team and their bench. Who wants to watch a basketball game form 50 yards away? Not me. And for us in Middlesboro, Bell, Pineville, Harlan, Harlan Co the drive is a little quicker. And isn't much farther for Knox County. That is just selfish on our part to try and make it hard on the Laurel and Corbin teams but we may not always want to go up there.

Overall I have no desire to pay 16 dollars to sit close to my team. Then when I still pay for an over priced ticket and drink my over priced pop I have to sit at the very top of the arena that no one is at far away from your team, band, and cheerleaders so it's just not a fun environement. This is coming from someone who could careless about Harlan County. I dont even like them. I just know that the Basketball Regional Tournament was more fun at a basketball gym with 8 dollar tickets than 12 dollar arena tickets where I can't even enjoy my team because I'm 50 yards away with no one else around

[Olred]

And with the crowds that showed up you can sit as close as you want!! Haha