POINT PLEASANT — Due to the expenses of last year’s event, members of the Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau have decided not to host the Cabela’s King Kat Tournament this year.

During Tuesday’s meeting, CVB members unanimously voted to eliminate this year’s fishing tournament. Chairman Denny Bellamy said the tournament is expensive to host.

Last fall was the first time Point Pleasant hosted the event. Organizers at that time said it was the first time the company had hosted a tournament in the entire state of West Virginia, and more than 60 teams participated in the event. Four states were represented at the tournament, which also featured a children’s event at Krodel Park. In addition to the tournament, television host Dan Sweet of “Catfish America” was on hand to document the event, which has aired multiple times on the Sportsman Channel.

Bellamy said that hosting the tournament last year already accomplished one main goal, which was to get the area more television exposure.

Rather than hosting the tournament this year, CVB members discussed hosting a family fishing tournament at Krodel Park. Bellamy said he would like the event to simply be a casual and fun evening for children and adults. He also said the CVB could get sponsors for the tournament, and costs would be minimal.

Despite the loss of the King Kat Tournament, Bellamy said there are still two professional fishing tournaments in the area hosted by Bend Area C.A.R.E. The group’s major tournament will be June 6 at the Lottie Jenks Memorial Park in Mason and is the largest catfish tournament east of the Mississippi River. The fall tournament will take place Sept. 19.

In other business:

• Bellamy reported that organizers are planning the Siege of Fort Randolph, which is set for May 15-17. Part of the fort currently is under construction due to a fire that damaged the tavern in February.

• Bellamy reported that the first quilt square of 2009 recently went up at the Lewis Farm in Hartford. The quilt square features a belt buckle design. Quilt squares will go up every month during the summer season, and the next quilt square will be dedicated in May at Paul Simon’s farm.

According to Bellamy, by the end of this year there should be an additional eight or nine squares added to the quilt trail.

• Bellamy reported that the tourism center, along with Charles Humphreys, Main Street director, and the Point Pleasant River Museum, had a booth at the Southeast Ohio Tourism Expo. The event, which was in March, took place in Gallipolis, Ohio. According to Bellamy, two bus tour businesses were in attendance and said they would bring tours to the area.

• Carolin Harris reported that McACT recently had auditions for an upcoming production of Hansel and Gretel, which is slated for June.

The next general meeting will be 9 a.m. Tuesday May, 19.