The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) is removing its state basketball tournament from the Macon Coliseum to Georgia's biggest college arenas, according to a Marietta Daily Journal report.
The report states that the 2017 state tournament games will be held in two locations. The University of Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum will host games on March 8 and 9, and Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion will host games on March 10 and 11.
The newspaper obtained the information by an open records request.
GHSA is looking to move it's event after several issues with the Macon Coliseum including the basketball stanchions not being properly fastened for the 2016 tournament.
Emails obtained by the MDJ sent from GHSA associate director Ernie Yarborough show that after 15 years of trying to get the event at the Stegeman Coliseium, UGA's Athletic Department was prepared to move forward in hosting the tournament.
There were also emails exchanged between Yarborough and David Grice, the associate athletic director for facilities at Georgia Tech, confirming the dates and proposing to move forward to finalize an agreement.
The emails also reveal GHSA approached the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, Ga. inquiring about their space and dates. The email states that GHSA was already looking to move the event there as early as 2019, but Yarborough was hoping to move that forward.
Georgia's high school basketball state tournament games have been held at the Macon Coliseum since it opened in 1968.
To read the full report: click here.
