Since 2000, the EastSide Centre has hosted the IHSA state softball tournament.

And, city officials are pushing to keep it in town for another five years.

At District’s 309 School Board Meeting, Principal Paul Whittington gave a report on the future of the tournament, which draws 16 teams from across the state each year.

Whittington, along with Dan Cunningham, executive director of Eastside Centre, and Deb Neff,  tournament director of East Peoria High School, drafted a letter asking the IHSA to extend the state softball tournament for five more years.

Whittington presented the letter to the board.

“We think it has been proven that all four classes of the IHSA softball tournament should continue to be played at the same venue to insure consistency and establish tradition,” they said in the letter.

Whittington said they have one more year in their current contract, so if approved, the tournament would be extended to 2016.

“I believe we have a very good chance of extending that tournament for another five years,” Whittington said.