WIAA tells Tacoma Dome to update field

TACOMA – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association could seek a new home for the state football championships if the Tacoma Dome doesn’t update its antiquated Astroturf field.

“We told them that if they didn’t get that done, this next season could be our last year there,” WIAA executive director Mike Colbrese told the King County Journal.

The football championships moved from the Kingdome to the Tacoma Dome in 1995. The turf at the Tacoma Dome is a former surface used at Kingdome and is about 20 years old.

Football may not be the only event leaving the Tacoma Dome. The WIAA is also examining moving the State 3A basketball tournament back to Seattle, perhaps by 2007. Colbrese said moving the tournament to either KeyArena or Hec Edumundson Pavilion makes sense because of the number of 3A schools in the Seattle area.

Colbrese said the State 4A basketball tournament would remain in Tacoma as long as the setup at the Tacoma Dome remains the same.

Attempts to keep the football championships have already started, Tacoma Dome director Jody Hodgeson said, with the hope of having a new turf available for the 2006 football season.

The dome is also moving forward with plans for renovation.

A $40 million bond measure will be presented to Tacoma voters in September to help pay for improvements, including a new video marquee, seating bowl and view improvements and concourse concession and restroom upgrades.

The WIAA’s preference is to keep the football championships – played in early December – in an indoor facility.

“There was a real concerted effort at one time by the Seattle community to move the event up to Qwest Field,” Colbrese said.

“But the board has taken the position that as long as the Tacoma community is moving forward on redesigning the inside of the dome and the new turf – and that’s the first issue – then we’ll stay indoors.”