I think if you really wanted to make a tournament like this a national success you would have to have it in Topeka, Wichita, or the Kansas City metro area. Only these cities have the combination of lodging, population, and a large media outlet to promote and support a tournament of the magnitude.
If you were to bring in 81 teams, assuming each team brings 16 people (wrestlers, coaches, managers) that would be almost 1300 participating attendants alone. That does not including parents, fans, and media from other areas... all of which would need accommodations. Does Salina have hotel space for 2000+ people?
Secondly, towns like Wichita, Topeka, and the KC area have much larger wrestling populations that could help to organize and run the tournament. I am sure Salina has its share of willing and able wrestling volunteers, but to make sure the tournament runs smoothly it would be much better to have it in an area where people would be in abundance.
Thirdly, a larger area would be more attractive to the media and to teams traveling in from out of state. Although Salina is a very nice town, there would be little to do during breaks in the action. KC, Wichita, and to a lesser extent Topeka provide a much more diverse array of entertainment options for visitors. Let's face it, even if the wrestling's great, if people are bored they're probably not going to want to come back.
In all likelihood, this even will never happen, but if it ever does get organized I’ll put in a good word here in Indiana with the schools I’m helping out.
Oh, and here's an idea for the name:
Mid-west Mauler
