guinevere
06-16-2003, 02:36 PM
Not sure where to put this soooo...
Hockey hotbed? AHL likes Des Moines
A second National Hockey League team has expressed interest in locating its top
minor-league club in Des Moines.
The Calgary Flames want to explore locating their American Hockey League
franchise at the Iowa Events Center, a team official said Wednesday.
Representatives of the Minnesota Wild previously have said they have interest in
establishing a franchise here.
Michael Holditch, vice president of hockey operations for the Flames, indicated
that the team's owners are considering submitting a proposal to Polk County
officials in the next three weeks to locate their now-dormant AHL franchise in
Des Moines.
"All that I can say right now is that we are interested," Holditch said. "It
sounds to us that the community is building a very impressive building."
Completion of the Wells Fargo Arena - part of the $217 million Iowa Events
Center project - is scheduled for June 2005. Arena seating capacity will range
from 15,500 for hockey games to 17,000 for concerts.
Polk County officials recently sent a request to all 30 AHL franchise owners,
asking for bids to operate a hockey team at the arena. The bids initially were
to be submitted this week.
County officials have since extended the time table for submission of bids to
July 1.
The Flames might be the only AHL franchise owner to submit a bid, according to
league president and CEO David Andrews.
Andrews said owners of existing AHL teams are "highly unlikely" to acknowledge
any intention of leaving their current location when the earliest date for a
team to play in Des Moines is two years away because that would alienate the
team's current fan base.
But Des Moines is at the top of the American Hockey League's list of possible
locations for a franchise, Andrews said.
"There is no question that we are interested," he said. "Des Moines, in my view,
is the number one location we would hope to move into over the next few years."
County officials acknowledged this week that franchise owners might be reluctant
to submit bids two years before the arena is completed.
"We understand that there are those kinds of issues out there," said Mark
Stevens, the county's event center project manager. "If indeed it is an existing
franchise and not a dormant one, we would, obviously, be willing to work with
them to make that happen. Our first goal with hockey is an American Hockey
League team. If we can bring one here, that is what we intend to do."
The AHL completed its 67th season Thursday with game seven of the Calder Cup
finals between the Houston Aeros - Minnesota's top farm team - and the Hamilton
(Ontario) Bulldogs. The game, in Hamilton, drew an AHL record crowd of 17,428.
All of the existing AHL teams are either owned or affiliated with National
Hockey League teams for development of players. Andrews said 12 of the league"s
30 franchises are owned directly by NHL teams, while the remaining franchises
have independent owners.
The Wild have an affiliation agreement with the Aeros.
The Flames recently obtained sole control of the now-defunct AHL Saint John's
Flames that operated for the last 10 years in Saint John, New Brunswick. Flames
owners bought out local investors, who owned half of the franchise.
"Our agreement with the Saint John group simply expired and a new deal couldn't
be worked out," Holditch said. "We simply decided to wait at least a year before
doing something with the franchise."
Flames officials immediately announced that the franchise would remain dormant
for the 2003-04 season and signed an affiliation agreement with Lowell (Mass.)
Lock Monsters, which also is an affiliate with the Carolina Hurricanes
Just thought it was a little interesting given their agreement as a Lock Monster affiliate for the next year,
Guin
Hockey hotbed? AHL likes Des Moines
A second National Hockey League team has expressed interest in locating its top
minor-league club in Des Moines.
The Calgary Flames want to explore locating their American Hockey League
franchise at the Iowa Events Center, a team official said Wednesday.
Representatives of the Minnesota Wild previously have said they have interest in
establishing a franchise here.
Michael Holditch, vice president of hockey operations for the Flames, indicated
that the team's owners are considering submitting a proposal to Polk County
officials in the next three weeks to locate their now-dormant AHL franchise in
Des Moines.
"All that I can say right now is that we are interested," Holditch said. "It
sounds to us that the community is building a very impressive building."
Completion of the Wells Fargo Arena - part of the $217 million Iowa Events
Center project - is scheduled for June 2005. Arena seating capacity will range
from 15,500 for hockey games to 17,000 for concerts.
Polk County officials recently sent a request to all 30 AHL franchise owners,
asking for bids to operate a hockey team at the arena. The bids initially were
to be submitted this week.
County officials have since extended the time table for submission of bids to
July 1.
The Flames might be the only AHL franchise owner to submit a bid, according to
league president and CEO David Andrews.
Andrews said owners of existing AHL teams are "highly unlikely" to acknowledge
any intention of leaving their current location when the earliest date for a
team to play in Des Moines is two years away because that would alienate the
team's current fan base.
But Des Moines is at the top of the American Hockey League's list of possible
locations for a franchise, Andrews said.
"There is no question that we are interested," he said. "Des Moines, in my view,
is the number one location we would hope to move into over the next few years."
County officials acknowledged this week that franchise owners might be reluctant
to submit bids two years before the arena is completed.
"We understand that there are those kinds of issues out there," said Mark
Stevens, the county's event center project manager. "If indeed it is an existing
franchise and not a dormant one, we would, obviously, be willing to work with
them to make that happen. Our first goal with hockey is an American Hockey
League team. If we can bring one here, that is what we intend to do."
The AHL completed its 67th season Thursday with game seven of the Calder Cup
finals between the Houston Aeros - Minnesota's top farm team - and the Hamilton
(Ontario) Bulldogs. The game, in Hamilton, drew an AHL record crowd of 17,428.
All of the existing AHL teams are either owned or affiliated with National
Hockey League teams for development of players. Andrews said 12 of the league"s
30 franchises are owned directly by NHL teams, while the remaining franchises
have independent owners.
The Wild have an affiliation agreement with the Aeros.
The Flames recently obtained sole control of the now-defunct AHL Saint John's
Flames that operated for the last 10 years in Saint John, New Brunswick. Flames
owners bought out local investors, who owned half of the franchise.
"Our agreement with the Saint John group simply expired and a new deal couldn't
be worked out," Holditch said. "We simply decided to wait at least a year before
doing something with the franchise."
Flames officials immediately announced that the franchise would remain dormant
for the 2003-04 season and signed an affiliation agreement with Lowell (Mass.)
Lock Monsters, which also is an affiliate with the Carolina Hurricanes
Just thought it was a little interesting given their agreement as a Lock Monster affiliate for the next year,
Guin