ST. CLOUD - St. Cloud State University's Husky Stadium is a hotbed for high school sports action this fall.

Because the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis has been torn down, the state boys and girls soccer tournaments are in St. Cloud this year and next year. A total of 16 state soccer tournament games will be played on the field, including the four championship games next Thursday.

SCSU spokesman Ron Seibring says it's exciting to have the state tournaments in town. He says, "This is a big deal for the community. So, they (MSHSL) know they're going to get treated well. They know we've got the organizational capacity and the volunteer capacity to make the event go well. It really wasn't a hard sell, they came to use, we didn't go to them".

Besides hosting a number of section football games, Husky Stadium is also hosting eight quarterfinal an semifinal games in the state football tournament. (The Prep Bowl state championship games has been moved to TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for the next two years).

Husky Stadium is hosting more state tournament games this fall than any other facility in the entire state.

Seibring says it's a great opportunity for the SCSU students. He says, "another fortunate part for St. Cloud State is much of this can be turned into educational opportunities for our students. There is not better experience for learning than working these events."

The teams, and their fans, also mean a lot of added revenue for the community. Kelly Sayre from the St. Cloud Area Convention and Visitors Bureau says they've been working with the teams to coordinate things like reserving hotel rooms.

By the way, the St. Cloud Apollo boys soccer team will play in the state Class A semifinals on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. against Mankato West.

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