A tornado that tore through MetraPark’s Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings this summer is still impacting the local economy in the Magic City. In the past month, the Montana High School Association has decided to move both the all-class high school wrestling tournament and the Class A boys basketball tournament from MetraPark to facilities located in other cities because of damage to the Rimrock Auto Arena.
MetraPark officials had tried to get the basketball tournament moved from the Rimrock Auto Arena to its other Expo Center. But on Tuesday, the MHSA board voted 5-1 to hold the tournament, scheduled for March 3-5, at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman. The one vote against the move was from board member Dennis Holmes, who is principal at Billings Senior.
Yellowstone County Commissioner Bill Kennedy told the Billings Gazette that he was disappointed.
“It’s going to affect quite a few businesses that have depended on the income coming in through the doors and people shopping and things like that,” Kennedy said. “It gets disheartening, but I’m happy that we had one vote.”
Click here to read the full Gazette story, here for the MHSA statement on its basketball decision and here for the MHSA statement on the wrestling move.