ST. LOUIS - June 28, 2001 - They call it the world's oldest and greatest sport, so it only makes sense that its national championship should return to America's best sports city.  The NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee announced today that it selected St. Louis as site of the 2004 and 2005 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The decision is subject to official NCAA approval. St. Louis is back in the rotation after setting an all-time total attendance record in its first shot at hosting the event last year.  The St. Louis Sports Commission, University of Missouri-Columbia, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC) and Savvis Center partnered on the successful bid. Mizzou will serve as the host institution for the 2004 and 2005 Championships.    "On behalf of the entire St. Louis contingent, we're ecstatic about the opportunity to bring the NCAA Wrestling Championships back to St. Louis in multiple years," said Sports Commission Chair Walter Lamkin.  "When we hosted the Championships for the first time in 2000, we worked very hard to provide the participants, officials, fans and media with a first-class experience.  I think the Wrestling Committee's decision is a tribute to that effort and reflects the overwhelmingly positive impression that the NCAA took away from St. Louis."    In its bid submitted to the NCAA Wrestling Committee, St. Louis actually requested any or all of the four years (2004-07) the tournament was available.  Traditionally, however, the tournament has preferred to go to different venues.  And in its 71-year history, the Wrestling Championships have never appeared in the same city in consecutive years. That will change in 2005.     Sports Commission President Frank Viverito said, "We approached this with the hope of getting at least one of the available years.  Anything above that would be a huge victory.  Until recently, this event had been a hidden jewel of sorts.  But in the last few years, as more cities have discovered the appeal of hosting the Wrestling Championships, the bid process has become very competitive.  I liken this to hitting .500 in   baseball; we're delighted to have been able to secure two of the four available years."    The St. Louis Local Organizing Committee's bid was bolstered by its track record of success from when it previously hosted the Championships in March 2000.  That event established a new NCAA Wrestling total attendance record of 96,994.  The current bid highlighted the experience enjoyed by the NCAA, and the many assets and amenities that make St. Louis a perfect match for the Championships, including:    * The state-of-the-art 20,000-seat Savvis Center - one of the nation's premier sports venues.  * The accessibility and convenience of a TWA / American Airlines hub city centrally located in the heart of college wrestling country, surrounded by the sport's most rabid fans.  * An abundance of first-class hotels, restaurants, entertainment opportunities and attractions all within walking distance of the Savvis Center and MetroLink system.  * An upgraded downtown hotel package in the form of the new Westin Cupples Station, Sheraton City Center and the 1,000-plus room Marriott Renaissance.       "Sometimes we take these things for granted, but we really are fortunate in St. Louis to have what it takes to be a prime event host city and sports destination," Viverito said.  "Our venues, geographic location, fans, volunteers, and ability to offer visitors a downtown package with everything just footsteps away are key to giving St. Louis a competitive edge.  On top of that, we have four organizations - the Sports Commission, CVC, Savvis Center and our friends at Mizzou - that have a terrific working relationship and are able to thrive as partners.  All of these elements are ingredients for success.  They're reasons why the NCAA Wrestling Committee, and the NCAA in general, are so comfortable with bringing their championships to St. Louis."     In 2005, the Wrestling Championships will take place two weeks prior to the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, giving St. Louis the unique opportunity to host two major NCAA championships in the same year. During that two-week span, it's possible that the two events could attract 65,000 visitors to the region - more than double the number brought in by the recently-held Women's Final Four.  Meanwhile, in 2004, the Wrestling Championships will be part of St. Louis' 2004 Civic Celebration marking the bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark expedition, and the centennial of the 1904 World's Fair and Olympics.      St. Louis' quest for additional NCAA championships is far from finished. Hoping to return the Women's Final Four to town in 2006 or 2007, the Missouri Valley Conference, CVC, and Sports Commission make a final presentation to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee July 5. The Sports Commission also intends to bid on the NCAA Frozen Four Hockey Championship next spring.  The first available Frozen Four date is in 2007.    The Sports Commission, Savvis Center and University of Missouri previously hosted the NCAA Wrestling Championships March 16-18, 2000. According to a study by Webster University Professor Patrick Rishe, the Wrestling Championships created $7 million in economic impact for the St. Louis region.  Rishe also found that 92 percent of the fans attending the Championships were from out-of-town.  Organizers project the impact number could reach nearly $10 million the next time around, meaning the back-to-back Wrestling Championships in St. Louis could generate $20 million for the region's economy.  The Championships are scheduled to take place in St. Louis March 18-20, 2004, and March 17-19, 2005.    TITLE TOWN:    Some of the major NCAA events - and non-NCAA events - on the upcoming St. Louis sports calendar:  * 2002 NCAA Men's Basketball First/Second Rounds  (hosted by the  Missouri Valley Conference)  * 2002 / 2003 Missouri vs. Illinois Football Series  * 2004 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships  * 2004 NCAA Men's Basketball Midwest Regional  (hosted by the Missouri Valley Conference)  * 2004 U.S. Senior Open  (hosted by Bellerive Country Club)  * 2005 NCAA Wrestling Championships  * 2005 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four    Previous NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis:  * 1973 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four  * 1975 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship  * 1978 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four  * 2000 NCAA Wrestling Championships  * 2001 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four