Columbia will continue to host the Missouri State School Activities Association (MSHSAA) state boys and girls basketball and wrestling championships through 2031. The MSHSAA governing board, meeting in Columbia this week, announced the state championship site selections on Thursday.
The Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau (Columbia CVB), the Columbia Sports Commission, and Mizzou Athletics submitted proposals for the three competitions and were awarded all three, meaning sports tourism and athletic competition will continue to fuel the local economy.
“The opportunity to host MSHSAA events is incredibly important to our tourism industry, which is a vital local economic driver,” said Columbia CVB Director Amy Schneider. “Our entire community understands the importance of bringing events to Columbia and came together to help support these proposals.”
The proposals were submitted in partnership with Mizzou Athletics. Additionally, community sponsors have pledged significant financial support for the event proposals, Schneider said.
The Cross Country Championships, State Music Festival, and rotating classes of the Golf Championships are currently hosted by Columbia.
The proposals were submitted in partnership with Mizzou Athletics. Additionally, community sponsors have pledged significant financial support for the event proposals, Schneider said.
The Cross Country Championships, State Music Festival, and rotating classes of the Golf Championships are currently hosted by Columbia.
Schneider told COMO Business Times that her team “always expect to win a bid,” but they had to put together a solid plan to compete with other cities also hoping to win MSHSAA championship hosting responsibilities.
“You always know there is competition out there,” she said. “That’s why we put our best foot forward. With a partner like the University of Missouri, we were always hopeful.”
Columbia’s economic ecosystem for many years has benefitted from hosting MSHSAA and other athletic championship events. Combined with NCAA and NAIA competitions, Columbia has been a hub of sports tourism for mid-Missouri.
“I used to say that August, December, and January were slower months, but not anymore,” Schneider explained. “There’s just so much happening here. There’s so much good stuff going on in Columbia.”
Meanwhile, the complete list of championship events awarded by the MSHSAA board on Thursday included:
- Football Show-Me Bowl: Spratt Stadium | St. Joseph | 2029-30
- Basketball Show-Me Showdown: Mizzou Arena | Columbia | 2029-31
- Girls Wrestling Championships: Hearnes Center | Columbia | 2030-31
- Boys Wrestling Championships: Mizzou Arena | Columbia | 2030-31
- Girls Volleyball Championships: Show Me Center | Cape Girardeau | 2028-30
- Boys Volleyball Championships: Show Me Center | Cape Girardeau | 2029-31
- Speech & Debate Championships: Missouri State University | Springfield | 2027
- Speech & Debate Championships: Lincoln University | Jefferson City | 2028-31
- Theatre Championships: Miller Performing Arts Center and Lincoln University | Jefferson City | 2027-31
According to an MSHSAA press release, the championship and festival venue contracts are now aligned to conclude following the 2030-31 school year, paving the way for a new, streamlined championship bidding process.
Last December, the MSHSAA board approved a shift from individual, event-specific Requests for Proposals (RFPs) with five-year terms to a unified RFP process operating on three-year cycles. Beginning in January 2029, communities will have the opportunity to submit proposals for multiple MSHSAA championships and festivals through a single process.
“This new approach will make the bidding process more efficient for both MSHSAA and the communities interested in hosting our championships,” MSHSAA Executive Director Jennifer Rukstad said in the release. “It also gives communities greater flexibility to look across our championship calendar and put together proposals that showcase how they can partner with MSHSAA to host multiple events.”
