Den, pavilion boost community pride, economy

S ome have called them boondoggles, but you won't hear much complaining about Chinle's Wildcat Den or Ganado's Hornet Pavilion among the communities' businesspeople.

During last week's 3A tournament in Chinle, traffic in the community of 5,000 was bumper-to-bumper and you could forget about finding a parking place at the local Basha's.

"We got slammed!" exclaimed Maebelle Yazzie, assistant manager of the local Pizza Edge. "We had to call in all our employees."

While the local Holiday Inn wasn't as full as it is in full-throttle tourist season, "we definitely got some people in," said Evalina Slim Ute, the hotel's gift shop manager. "Some officials stayed with us, and a few of the teams."

Even though the Ganado School District is wondering how it's going to pay off the bond for the pavilion, Ganado High School athletic director Matt Komalty is convinced it's an investment in school spirit and community pride.

"It brings in the crowds," he said. "It's great for the teams to play in front of that many people."

The Wildcat Den is paid for, having been financed in-house. Revenues - most games raise about $15,000 from ticket sales and $7,000 to $14,000 in concessions - go to the school district's athletic department and upkeep of the building. The concession stands help operate the adjoining swimming pool and weight room, used both by the schools and the general public.

Chinle High School's junior class, who used to sell concessions at games at the community center, man one of the concession stands in exchange for a flat fee, "which is pretty lucrative for them," according to the district's assistant superintendent for business Quincy Natay, one of the masterminds behind the Den.

Before the Den was built two years ago, there's no way Chinle could have hosted the 3A North tournament like it did this year, noted Chinle Chapter Vice President Bruce Draper.

"At the old community center, we couldn't even fit in all the people who wanted to watch a regular game," Draper said. "People stopped coming because they knew they would be turned away."

That's generally a thing of the past, although the final round of last week's tournament was sold out even at the 6,100-seat Wildcat Den.

Draper has no figures, but "bringing in that many people has to help the economy," he said. "Plus it's great for us in the local community because we don't have to travel to Flagstaff or Phoenix for a tournament."

More than that, according to Komalty, the two big, comfortable stadiums are a source of pride for the towns.

"They're a real showcase for our teams," said Komalty, who is also the varsity coach at Ganado. "I love to play in both those buildings."

Draper agreed.

"I feel very proud that our school district recognized the need, looked to the future and built something like this," he said.

Natay noted the Den's design incorporates many natural and cultural features - the four sacred colors in each of the appropriate directions, for example, and the center-court depictions of the setting sun lighting up Spider Rock.

"That's also a way to generate pride in your area," he said.

In addition to sporting events, the pavilions bring in entertainment, like a recent concert of Navajo metal bands in Chinle.

A lot more people ask than are allowed to use the Den, said Draper.

"The school district is kind of picky about who they let in, and I don't blame them," he said. "They want to keep the building nice."

"It's a central gathering place for the community," Natay said. "It's an opportunity for people to escape everything else around them and experience something you would expect to find in a much larger city."

Is there any rivalry between the two communities with plush stadiums, only 30 miles apart? Komalty says no.

"Me personally, I like the Wildcat Den," he said. "I like taking teams over there. The way people on the nation love basketball, every school should have one of these."