Post by sinbinmistress on Mar 29, 2006 16:35:59 GMT -5
By CHRISTOPHER D. KIRKPATRICK
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The Toledo Storm might have to pass the puck to another minor league hockey team as part of the new downtown arena project, say consultants studying where and if a new venue can be built and make money.
Part of the financial equation might include transplanting a team from the higher-level American Hockey League to Toledo. That could leave the Storm, a Detroit Red Wings affiliate that is part of the lower-level ECHL, searching for a new home or staying put to compete for fans.
"[We need] to make sure we are putting the best product on. Not only professional hockey and a potential upgrade to the teams that are there, but also arena football," said Jim Russell, senior vice president of Pizzuti Solutions LLC, which is a consultant on the project and also the developer of the east side Marina District.
Though they have not been promised a place in a new arena, Storm management said its team is the logical choice.
"I'm not trying to act naive.
Nobody gave me promises. And this is something that has to work for everybody," Storm President Barry Soskin said yesterday. "I might have to check out all my options, but I feel rock solid in Toledo."
The team now plays in the Toledo Sports Arena at the eastern foot of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge next to the Marina District development. What to do with the old arena, and where to build a new one, have been contentious political questions for years.
A citizen group called "Keep the Arena in the Marina" has staged some protests and picket lines recently.
But Mayor Carty Finkbeiner and Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken agree a new arena should be on one of five proposed sites downtown around the SeaGate Centre, which needs space to expand into for increased convention bookings.
Despite the choices, the site favored by Mr. Finkbeiner runs from the former Owens Corning Fiberglas Tower across North Superior Street to Frogtown Alley. That site would result in the demolition of Club Bijou and the Golden Lily Chinese restaurant and close Superior.
Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz plans to use a complicated bond deal to provide $15 million for some seed money for the arena, and the state would provide $5.5 million.
At a luncheon earlier this month, Tom Chema, whose Gateway Group is the lead consultant on the arena project, didn't specifically mention the Storm, only a hockey team in general when talking about the project.
Consultant Pizzuti Solutions is connected with the National Hockey League Columbus Blue Jackets, which has farm clubs that might entertain moving closer to home.
The organization's AHL farm club is the Syracuse Crunch in New York.
Pizzuti Solutions was also involved in the construction of Nationwide Arena in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets play.
"I can't specifically comment on specific teams, but part of our project is to identify all potential tenants," Mr. Russell said. He did say there were no plans in the works to move a Blue Jackets-affiliated team to Toledo.
Hockey is not the only game in town when it comes to funding the arena, Mr. Russell and Mr. Chema stressed.
The arena has to make money year-round, including hosting concerts and an arena football team - either a new franchise or one that already exists, Mr. Chema said.
Toledo, with two college football teams in the immediate area in the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, is ready-made for the indoor league, Mr. Russell said.
"Arena football continues the football season. That's the big deal about it, continuing it into the winter months," Mr. Chema said.
A new arena would take a few years to complete, with some estimates as far out as four or more. Mr. Soskin said in that time he must resurrect interest in the Storm for developers and elected officials to take it seriously.
He sold the team in 1999 for more than $2 million to Tim Gladieux, who owned the current sports arena until the city purchased it for $5 million late last year to add the property to the Marina District project.
Mr. Soskin returned last year to run the team, which he said was faltering financially. He founded the Double-A hockey franchise 15 years ago, and the team won two Riley Cups and four division titles under his ownership.
In September, Mr. Soskin signed a management agreement with Mr. Gladieux to run the team with an option to purchase the club.
Mr. Soskin said he has improved attendance since taking over again. A winning team certainly helps: the Storm has won 13 out of their last 16 games and 11 straight at the Sports Arena.
"I have to get my work done. I have to put people in the seats for people to look at me and act the same way [they did in the 1990s]," he said. "When that's done, I'm banking on their wanting the Storm. … We have to concentrate on the fans."
BLADE STAFF WRITER
The Toledo Storm might have to pass the puck to another minor league hockey team as part of the new downtown arena project, say consultants studying where and if a new venue can be built and make money.
Part of the financial equation might include transplanting a team from the higher-level American Hockey League to Toledo. That could leave the Storm, a Detroit Red Wings affiliate that is part of the lower-level ECHL, searching for a new home or staying put to compete for fans.
"[We need] to make sure we are putting the best product on. Not only professional hockey and a potential upgrade to the teams that are there, but also arena football," said Jim Russell, senior vice president of Pizzuti Solutions LLC, which is a consultant on the project and also the developer of the east side Marina District.
Though they have not been promised a place in a new arena, Storm management said its team is the logical choice.
"I'm not trying to act naive.
Nobody gave me promises. And this is something that has to work for everybody," Storm President Barry Soskin said yesterday. "I might have to check out all my options, but I feel rock solid in Toledo."
The team now plays in the Toledo Sports Arena at the eastern foot of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge next to the Marina District development. What to do with the old arena, and where to build a new one, have been contentious political questions for years.
A citizen group called "Keep the Arena in the Marina" has staged some protests and picket lines recently.
But Mayor Carty Finkbeiner and Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken agree a new arena should be on one of five proposed sites downtown around the SeaGate Centre, which needs space to expand into for increased convention bookings.
Despite the choices, the site favored by Mr. Finkbeiner runs from the former Owens Corning Fiberglas Tower across North Superior Street to Frogtown Alley. That site would result in the demolition of Club Bijou and the Golden Lily Chinese restaurant and close Superior.
Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz plans to use a complicated bond deal to provide $15 million for some seed money for the arena, and the state would provide $5.5 million.
At a luncheon earlier this month, Tom Chema, whose Gateway Group is the lead consultant on the arena project, didn't specifically mention the Storm, only a hockey team in general when talking about the project.
Consultant Pizzuti Solutions is connected with the National Hockey League Columbus Blue Jackets, which has farm clubs that might entertain moving closer to home.
The organization's AHL farm club is the Syracuse Crunch in New York.
Pizzuti Solutions was also involved in the construction of Nationwide Arena in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets play.
"I can't specifically comment on specific teams, but part of our project is to identify all potential tenants," Mr. Russell said. He did say there were no plans in the works to move a Blue Jackets-affiliated team to Toledo.
Hockey is not the only game in town when it comes to funding the arena, Mr. Russell and Mr. Chema stressed.
The arena has to make money year-round, including hosting concerts and an arena football team - either a new franchise or one that already exists, Mr. Chema said.
Toledo, with two college football teams in the immediate area in the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, is ready-made for the indoor league, Mr. Russell said.
"Arena football continues the football season. That's the big deal about it, continuing it into the winter months," Mr. Chema said.
A new arena would take a few years to complete, with some estimates as far out as four or more. Mr. Soskin said in that time he must resurrect interest in the Storm for developers and elected officials to take it seriously.
He sold the team in 1999 for more than $2 million to Tim Gladieux, who owned the current sports arena until the city purchased it for $5 million late last year to add the property to the Marina District project.
Mr. Soskin returned last year to run the team, which he said was faltering financially. He founded the Double-A hockey franchise 15 years ago, and the team won two Riley Cups and four division titles under his ownership.
In September, Mr. Soskin signed a management agreement with Mr. Gladieux to run the team with an option to purchase the club.
Mr. Soskin said he has improved attendance since taking over again. A winning team certainly helps: the Storm has won 13 out of their last 16 games and 11 straight at the Sports Arena.
"I have to get my work done. I have to put people in the seats for people to look at me and act the same way [they did in the 1990s]," he said. "When that's done, I'm banking on their wanting the Storm. … We have to concentrate on the fans."
