5-22-07 - The Wichita City Council met with staff members Tuesday as the council sought answers on why Wichita lost the bid to host a major bowling tournament in 2011. The answers they got left some council members even more upset.

City staff told the council there were no warning signs the $100 million bowling deal with the US Bowling Congress would go bust.

"We have spent countless hours going over the chain of events that led to the situation that we're in," said city manager George Kolb.

In March of 2004 Wichita landed the championship tournament, which was expected to bring a massive economic impact over the course of six months. But the trouble started when a draft contract was sent to the city attorney in December of 2006. The USBC wanted a clause that the city would spruce up Century II, the site of the tournament.

The city attorney said it is against the law for Wichita to have any open ended financial obligations in a contract. Despite more negotiations, the USBC wouldn't budge. They stopped talking with the city this past March and at the beginning of May they decided to back out.

"It was never stated to us that these were deal breakers," Wichita City Attorney Gary Rebenstorf told the council.

But council members say there were plenty of red flags and they should have been told as soon as talks started breaking down. The council now hopes the bowlers will give Wichita a second chance.

It agreed on Tuesday that the convention and visitors bureau, not the city, will have full negotiation power this time. The mayor hopes to meet with the tournament's leaders face to face.