Area tourism leaders are rooting for a little bit of summer football on the Kansas University campus.

The Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau is making a bid for KU’s Memorial Stadium to host the 2012 Kansas Shrine Bowl on the last Saturday in July.

Bob Sanner, the sports event director for the bureau, said the Shrine Bowl could generate about $1.5 million worth of spending in the community.

“It could be a very nice piece of business for Lawrence,” Sanner said. “The Shrine Bowl has grown to be more than just a football game.”

The game — which features all star teams of recently-graduated Kansas high school seniors — attracts about 10,000 spectators.

Leading up to the game, the Shriners host a cheerleading camp for about 125 students, a band camp for about 225 people, and a cross country camp and race for about 60 students.

The participants likely would stay in KU dormitories, but their parents, spectators and Shriner officials would stay in local hotel rooms. The event is expected to generate large amounts of hotel stays, Sanner said, because participants and spectators come from all parts of the state.

“We believe there are a lot of people who look for an excuse to come to Lawrence, and this would be a good reason for a lot of people to come,” said Sanner.

The game historically has been played in university communities across the state. But the event last was in Lawrence in 1994.

“It has been a long time since the Shrine Bowl has been played in Lawrence,” Sanner said. “We think that may work in our favor.”

Shrine Bowl officials — who donate proceeds of the game to the Shriners Hospital for Children — are expected to make a preliminary decision on the site for the 2012 game on Jan. 9.