Employees from Friends of the Festival drove around Black Creek Club taking pictures for an operations manual they'll write for the 2010 Chattanooga Classic -- if there is a tournament next year.

PGA Tour officials and local organizers want to keep a Nationwide Tour event alive in Chattanooga, but the contract has expired. A new one could be signed in the next six to eight weeks, or the tournament could become part of Chattanooga's golf history.

"We are all confident that we can continue this," PGA Tour tournament official Tim Iley said. "We'd love to see a title sponsor infuse more money into the event and help keep it solid.

"Right after this event we'll talk about another extension."

That's the rub -- finding a title sponsor, a company willing to extend a six-figure paycheck in exchange for title sponsorship rights.

Tournament director Mickey McCamish said Monday it's possible the event can continue to survive without a title sponsor, but not for many years.

"It's not absolutely necessary," McCamish said. "But you reach the point that it's been seven years without, and eventually you have to make a business decision. A title sponsor brings credibility to the event, and confidence that it's going to be here for many years."

Friends of the Festival, which operates the tournament, spent much of tournament week pursuing potential title sponsors -- EPB, TVA, Alstom Power and Volkswagen.

McCamish and his staff have plans to follow up immediately and ride the momentum of the tournament experience.

"It's the time to make it happen," McCamish said. "Sponsors were able to touch and see the event, and we were able to connect how it benefits their business."

Tournament organizers concentrated their efforts on securing Alstom or VW as the title sponsor with the other heavily involved as well.

"We all put the full-court press on Volkswagen," said U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who is on the Classic executive committee. "I talked with (Volkswagen president) Stefan Jacoby, and he said he wants the plant open and profitable before he takes on title sponsorship.

"But we're going to continue pursuing it because it makes so much sense."

Whether it remains the Chattanooga Classic or evolves into a name such as the Alstom Open or the Volkswagen Challenge, all officials want to see the tournament continue.

"What's happened is that Friends of the Festival were able to take this event up a notch within the community, revenue has increased and sponsor participation has increased," Iley said. "We've seen it grow to where the only piece that's missing is a title sponsor."