Southeast Idaho is officially on the map for the sports scene.
The Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls will host the inaugural Snake River Invitational from November 27-29. It is an NCAA Divison I men's college basketball invitation tournament which will feature four teams: the Boise State Broncos, Drake Bulldogs, North Dakota State Bison and North Texas Mean Green.
Mountain America Center general manager Aaron White says this event is just the beginning.
"This is year one," White said. "We intend to build from here. Our goal is to make the Snake River Invitational an annual tradition and one of the premier early-season college events in the region."
Each team will play the other three teams in the tournament, meaning there will be a total of six games in three days, with two games played each day.
Rob Spear, executive director for the Idaho Falls Auditorium District, says the community support has been a big key in bringing the tournament together.
"It's been unbelievable how they've responded," Spear said. "You always hear 'Build it and they will come,' but man, have they come and supported it. That just goes to show you that there was a pent-up desire and energy for something like this. To be able to deliver it to the community has been an awesome experience for us."
Associate head coach for Boise State men's basketball Mike Burns says the tournament is a major opportunity for Bronco basketball.
"I just think we're so much more invested because it is in our backyard," Burns said. "Put a checklist of things that make sense for why you'd want to do it. Quality opponents, Quad 1 opportunities, neutral floor, close to home, limited travel time, check, check, check. You go right down that list and so it really does make a lot of sense for us to be here. It matters to us to represent this state, and this gives us an opportunity to do that as well."
White says the support of the Idaho Falls area far exceeds its size.
"We're referred to as a secondary market," White says. "What I explain is, it's a secondary market by population [but] a primary market by attitude and willingness to support an event. Idaho Falls is a great community. We bring concerts here and they walk down along the river and they're like 'Oh my gosh, I didn't know this was here!' We're a special place. Special things happen here and as that gets out, it's going to grow."
One ticket grants admission to both games for the day it is purchased. Tickets are available now at Mountain America Center’s website.