The PIAA's decision to move the state boys and girls basketball finals from Hershey's Giant Center to Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center for 2007 and 2008 was money-driven.

PIAA executive director Brad Cashman cited a Penn State bid providing the 15,261-seat arena rent-free. Penn State will collect 4 percent of the PIAA's gross ticket revenues in lieu of a flat fee.

Cashman said the PIAA will save $16,500 over the next two years and up to $12,000 in the option year of 2009.

Cashman also said that Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, which operates Giant Center, had nearly tripled its asking price over previous years, a statement denied by Hershey representatives.

Garrett Gailla, a Hershey Entertainment and Resorts spokesman, said his company requested an increase of $2,500 in a flat rental rate each of the three years of the contract, an increase to cover the added cost of staging the event.

"It is not a profit center," Gailla said.

Cashman later backtracked on his statement, saying he had "misread" Hershey's bid for the basketball finals and that it only represented a single-digit percentage increase over its successful 2004 bid. Neither the PIAA nor Hershey Entertainment and Resorts would confirm the exact amount of the increase.

Giant Center had hosted the eight basketball championship games since 2003. Previously, Hersheypark Arena, the Giant Center's predecessor, had hosted the games from 1976 to 1978 and 1980 to 2002.

The last time a state basketball championship was held in State College was in 1937 at the old Penn State Armory.

Two other venues, Pitt's Petersen Events Center and Temple University's Liacouras Center also bid for the PIAA basketball championships, but Cashman said both bids were too expensive.

The Giant Center will retain the PIAA team and individual wrestling championships for the next two years. The swimming and diving championships will return to Kinney Natatorium at Bucknell University. Both sports are contracted for the next two school years with an option for a third year.