Wausau tourism group interested in Badger State Games

The executive director of the Wausau Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau said Friday that his group plans to enter into negotiations with the Wisconsin Sports Development Corp., to purchase the rights to the Badger State Games.

The Madison-based corporation said last month that it was ending the Badger State Games.

Darien Schaefer, the head of the Wausau group, said his group had interest in the winter games portion of the Badger State Games, and would be open to contracting with another community to stage summer games.

Schaefer said he had no idea what it would cost to buy the rights to the games, but said the games had value.

"There's a ramp-up in investment that would be needed," Schaefer said Friday.

Schaefer said his group had created the Sports Authority, an arm of the convention bureau, that could potentially operate the Badger State Games.