MARSHALL -- Promoters of a national hot air balloon championship plan to hold the event at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds, although the fair president said Friday a deal is not final.
"They have talked to us, but nothing has been set," Charles Letts, president of the 15-member fair board, said. "We have had some conversations and there are a lot of things that we don't have answers to and we don't even know all the questions."
The Balloon Federation of America announced Thursday its plans to host the 2009 U.S. Nationals Hot Air Balloon Championships Aug. 26-30, and Derrick Jones of Battle Creek, one of the organizers, said the fairgrounds is the top choice.
"We have some alterative sites, but we don't have any intention to entertain them," he said Friday.
Jones, executive director for the past 10 years for the Holiday Balloon Fest in Battle Creek, is scheduled to meet Monday with the fair board to discuss a proposal although Letts said he doesn't expect a final decision then.
"Before we make a decision, we will have to have a lot of questions answered and right now there are a zillion questions," he said.
Letts said one consideration is not harming Battle Creek's Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival scheduled for July 1-5 at W.K. Kellogg Airport. The Field of Flight and the Holiday Balloon Fest are separate events.
"I would like to see a show here, but we don't want to see it jeopardize their event," he said. "We are too close a community to be hurting each other."
Jones said that is one reason organizers of the national championship selected Marshall.
Assuming a deal can be reached in Marshall, Jones said it could be the first of two or three years the BFA will hold the nationals at the fairgrounds. And the organization has sent a letter of intent to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the balloon governing body, and expects to bid on hosting the 2012 World Championships.
The world championships have been held in Battle Creek three times -- in 1981, 1985 and 1995.
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