State wrestling tournament to be held at Southwest Motors Events Center in Pueblo

The state wrestling tournament is headed to Pueblo.

The CHSAA Board of Directors on Wednesday voted to approve the Southwest Motors Events Center, a multipurpose arena in the northwest corner of the Colorado State Fairgrounds, as the host site for the 2021 state championships this winter.

The event will take place on March 12 and 13. Details about the tournament were announced last month.

The Events Center has been a host to CHSAA regional basketball and cheer competitions in the past.

The venue will provide the opportunity to have a state wrestling tournament that resembles some type of normalcy, said Adam Bright, the CHSAA assistant commissioner who oversees wrestling.

“Providing a culminating event with the CHSAA Championship experience is a goal for all CHSAA sanctioned events during this season,” Bright said. “The City of Pueblo has played host to multiple CHSAA events in the past, and provides an excellent venue to continue the championship experience during this 2021 wrestling season.”

The Events Center’s large floor can fit multiple mats on the floor — an annual and necessary feature at the state tournament.

During a typical non-COVID year, it has a permanent seating capacity of 3,264. The large venue allows for the potential for a larger variance for spectators, if granted.