The Ramada Hotel in Aberdeen is closing, and questions are being raised regarding the hotel room requirement limit for state tournament and championship events. For the past two decades, Aberdeen has become known for hosting the Boys class B basketball tournament.
Currently, host sites are required to have 907 hotel rooms. This is to ensure the ability to house players, coaches, and fans during state events.
The closing of the Ramada means Aberdeen will fall to 890 hotel rooms, a number that is less than the required mark.
John Krogstrand with the South Dakota High School Activities Association says even though the Ramada closing comes as a surprise, it won’t affect anything in the near future.
"Well right now we’re contracted out for three more years. Contracts went out for the 2018-19 school year that has [boys] B Basketball in Aberdeen through that point in time," said Krogstrand. "There’s no inclinations or intentions at this time from anyone with the activities association to take those contracts away."
The activities association will continue to examine the future status of hotel rooms in Aberdeen, along with all other cities and towns that want to host SDHSAA state championship events.
Krogstrand says the Aberdeen Convention and Visitors Bureau will work to find rooms for guests who may get displaced by the closing of the Ramada.
