At least we’ll have Spokane

Step on up, Stockton. Don’t be shy, Des Moines. Approach, Albuquerque. Open your arms, Omaha.

You are the kind of cities the United States Figure Skating Association needs for its national championships. What happened in Spokane last week made that clear, providing a template for the future.

Take a city with a good facilities, a highly competent organizing committee and no major league professional sports and it doesn’t matter how relatively small or and isolated it is.

Spokane’s motto might as well be, “Gateway to Idaho.” By 2005 estimates, it is the 99th largest city in the country, in the middle of the 108th largest metropolitan area.

Yet it drew 25 percent more spectators for the skating nationals than any previous host, a group that includes places such as Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas and Atlanta.

“Spokane proved a midsize city can host this event at the highest level to the benefit of all,” said USFSA executive director David Raith.

So why not Omaha (61st largest metro area), Albuquerque (62), Stockton (77) or Des Moines (94)? Fresno (57)? Knoxville (79)? The 2008 nationals are in St. Paul, 2009 in Cleveland. The USFSA wants a big market for the Olympic year (2010), but that may be vainglory.

All a city needs is several hotels, a reasonably well-served airport, a permanent arena with a seating capacity near 10,000 (Spokane Arena’s is 10,393 for ice events) and another building, such as the Spokane Convention Center, that can accommodate a temporary ice sheet.

Beyond that, the nationals can be a big deal in a place not jaded by the frequent presence of similar events.

“The city is like a little Olympic Village,” Olympic silver medal ice dancer Tanith Belbin marveled last week.

“Skating was so big here it made us feel kind of important,” said men’s champion Evan Lysacek.

The Spokesman-Review covered the event in the news, business and sports sections, publishing a special skating section every day.

Spokane had some natural advantages few cities can match. It took only 15 minutes to walk from one rink to the other on scenic paths along the river.

When skating officials look at the end of the sport’s golden (goose) era, at least they’ll always have Spokane.