The word is out. St. Louis wants to host the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships again - permanently.    The city hosted the tournament back in 2000, and set the all-time attendance record of 96,994 fans for the three-day event. According to official information handed out today, the 2004 Championships are "closing in on that mark."    The Saavis Center is large enough to handle the ticket needs of the wrestling community. The layout for the mats works well, and the view from the seats is excellent for wrestling.    There is much to do downtown for the wrestling fans between sessions, with all the shops and restaurants at Union Station just a block away. The NCAA is setting up their fan experience exhibits at Union Station. The traditional W.I.N. show with wrestling vendors and organizations is also in Union Station.    There are sufficient hotels in the city for the competition, including a few right across the street from the arena. The media hotel this year is at the Sheraton, a two-minute walk from the Saavis Center.     The city is doing a lot to let people know that they are interested. A huge banner welcoming wrestling fans was hung on the parking garage next to the Saavis Center. Banners about the tournament were all over the airport. Local bars and restaurants are welcoming wrestling fans with open arms.    Articles are starting to appear in both the local media and the wrestling press floating the idea that St. Louis would make great sense as the full-time home for the tournament.     An article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch by Lori Shontz on Tuesday featured quotes from a number of Div. I coaches who liked the idea of keeping the event in the city. Coaches such as Mark Johnson of Illinois and Bobby Douglas of Iowa State were on record supporting St. Louis.    Mike Finn, the editor of W.I.N. magazine, endorsed the idea of St. Louis serving as the home base for the championships in the issue that hit the streets this week.    Next year, the event returns to St. Louis, a two-year run for tournament in the city. It is the first time that the NCAA has given any city a back-to-back opportunity. After that, the tournament goes to Oklahoma in 2006 and Michigan in 2007, and then the NCAA has the option to consider St. Louis again.    Can this really happen?     There is a precedent for this concept. The NCAA Div. I baseball tournament, known as the "College World Series" is held on an annual basis in Omaha, Neb. The arrangement seems to be working for the NCAA, as well as for the sport. There are also permanent sites for some of the NCAA football championships.    "We told the NCAA committee we would like to have the event in St. Louis as often as they would honor us with the championships," St. Louis sports commission President Frank Viverito told the Post-Dispatch. "We were thrilled to get the event back-to-back."     Is this what the wrestling community wants?    Certainly, the idea is being discussed, not only among the coaches but also among the fans. A good percentage of the annual NCAA wrestling crowd travels to the event each year, like an annual pilgrimage. These are the people who are currently visiting different cities to see the championships.     Would they want to go to St. Louis, year after year after year, to see their favorite sport? Who knows? But expect the topic to come up often in the next two years.    NCAA Wrestling Committee Chairman Curt Blake noted that there will be an open bid process for the future events, just like in the past. He said that he is aware of the discussion about making St. Louis the permanent home for the tournament.    During the press conference, the media asked a number of coaches if they liked the idea of making St. Louis serve as the home for the NCAA Championships.    Mark Johnson of Illinois again endorsed the idea strongly.      "I'd love to see it here. It is just 2 1/2 hours away for us. This city does a lot for the fans. There's plenty of hotels and places to eat here. It is in the heart of wrestling country. The St. Louis Sports Commission does a great job," he said.    Oklahoma State coach John Smith, although not endorsing St. Louis directly, came out against returning the event to college campuses again.    "I hope we don't go backward," said Smith. "I heard some people talk about campus. I hope it stays in a neutral place. This is a great spot for wrestling fans, and easy to get to. It has a great airport. It has been a positive."    Will the city with the arch become the gateway for NCAA Wrestling? Stay tuned…