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Chattanooga named a finalist to host FCS Championship Game

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WRCB) -- The city of Chattanooga is still in the running to host the NCAA FCS National Championship Game from 2010 through 2012.

Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee President Scott Smith said the NCAA informed him this week that the Scenic City has indeed been selected as one of the finalists in the bidding process to host the championship event.

Chattanooga's Finley Stadium has been home to the game for the past 12 years, and will host it once again next month.

"We always do the best that we can, but you're probably paying a little bit more attention to just the smallest things this year because they'll leave here with a last impression, whether that be good or bad, of Chattanooga," Smith said. "We've got the opportunity to maybe let them leave here and say 'We'd be crazy to move this game.'"

Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, is the only other finalist on the list.

Frisco's bid was a joint effort between the city, Hunt Sports Group and the Southland Conference, and proposes hosting the game at Pizza Hut Park.  The stadium holds 23,500 and is the current home of FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.

Spokane, Washington, along with Missoula, Montana, and Little Rock, Arkansas also entered bids to host the event, but all three were rejected by the NCAA according to media reports in each city.

When he entered Chattanooga's bid earlier this year, Smith said he'd be stunned if Chattanooga was not on the list of finalists considering everything the city has done to grow the game into a marquee sporting event.

The game has drawn at least 12,000 people and registered a $1 million economic impact each year since it came to Chattanooga in 1997.

Last year saw a $1.3 million economic impact with a crowd of 17,823, according to Smith. 

Smith said there are several factors that will likely go into the NCAA's final decision, including attendance.

"I think they're looking at monetary offer. I think they're looking at facility, and location, and all of those things bode well for us," Smith said, citing that Chattanooga knows exactly what it takes and costs to put this event on each year. 

"But again, crowd is so huge because if to them, the local attendance seems somewhat indifferent, they may leave saying 'We need to try somewhere else and see if their crowds are excited about this game.'"

Representatives from Frisco and the NCAA will be in town the week of this year's championship game to observe how Chattanooga puts it together.

A final decision is expected in March of 2010.

Tickets for this year's game are already available at the UTC box office, by phone at (423)266-6627, or by visiting the championship game's official website by clicking here.