A few weeks before the event, the Tournament Directors meet with the staff at Hy-Vee Hall to review our arrangements, and verify dates/times. A day or two before we begin the setup process, the team at Hy-Vee hall mounts our table light suspension and electrical system.
Our 160 tables are supplied by High Country Promotions out of Colorado Springs, CO. Typically, it takes four semis to transport our tables. The trucks start rolling in on Sunday afternoon prior to the start of the event. The ISPA setup crew starts taping off the locations of each row of tables on the floor of the facility.
On Monday, the tables start getting unloaded from the semis. They are hauled into position with dollies, the legs are re-attached, and the tables are leveled. The pre-event space is marked so that the vendors know where to set up. The table vendor moves his equipment to the Tournament Director station, and ensures that all of the electronics are working as expected.
Tuesday is spent hanging the lights, and washing / placing 160 sets of pool balls. Table numbers are hung from the lights and the signs indicating which tables are in each row are also hung. The ISPA Office crew moves in with computers, files, printers, paperwork, trophies, etc. The jukebox is delivered and tested. Walkie Talkies for the tournament director and referees are delivered and tested. The vendors move in, and set up their booths.
On Wednesday morning, the sponsor signs are hung. Chalk is placed on the tables. Anything remaining on the "punch list" is addressed.
At NOON, the fun begins with the National Anthem then the start of the 9 Ball event.
On Sunday afternoon, the tear down process begins. Final matches and the Junior Tournament are moved to one end of the facility so the crew can begin disassembling the tables and loading them back onto the semis. They remove as many tables as reasonable without interrupting the competition.
Tear down finishes on Monday. The remaining tables and lights are loaded, and the semis depart. The office staff packs up all of the paperwork and sponsor signs. The table vendor carts out the remainder of their gear and heads on to the next tournament location.
And then we're DONE TIL NEXT YEAR!
...Well - sort of!. The ISPA Board of Directors and the Des Moines Tournament committee meet several times throughout the year, including an event recap with the folks at Hy-Vee Hall within a few weeks after the tournament wraps up. It's a year long process that truly never ends!