kinross_19
04-27-2004, 01:48 PM
You ready?
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By Alicia Henrikson
The Capital-Journal
Topeka will have a hockey team in the Central Hockey League this fall.
Shawnee County commissioners approved a three-year lease contract with Topeka Ice, LLC today on a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Marice Kane dissented.
"I think this is good for the Expocentre and it's good for the community," Commission Chairman Ted Ensley said after the meeting.
Kane said she isn't opposed to having a hockey team. She said she had not receive a copy of the contract and didn't have the opportunity to read through it.
"I would be glad to approve this when I have an opportunity to read it and ask questions about it," she said.
As for Ensley and Commissioner Vic Miller, the two came to the meeting wearing hockey jerseys. Both said last week that the contract likely would receive favorable votes from them. (:D)
Topekan Lou King couldn't have been happier about the commission's decision. He attend Monday's meeting to hear the outcome of the hockey contract.
"I had season tickets before and I'm already on the list to get them again," he said after the meeting. King said he's been asking Expocentre manager H.R. Cook for months about getting a new hockey team.
"I'm 100 percent behind this," he said. "I was raised in Michigan and played hockey as a kid."
Commissioners were questioned by Topekan Tom Langer about the hockey decision. He wanted to know if commissioners had studied the economic viability of having another hockey team in Topeka. He based his question on the fact that the county transferred funds to the Expocentre in 2003 to help it financially.
"Don't misunderstand," he said. "I think hockey is great."
The taxpayers have a right to know how this will work financially, Langer said.
Miller said he thought it was better to have an event at the Expocentre than not. Having hockey will being a quality of life issue, he said.
Former Topeka Scarecrows general manager Chris Presson came to the meeting on behalf of Horn Chen, who is the owner of the new team.
Presson said the CHL had no qualms about having a team back in Topeka.
When asked by Ensley if he would be coming back to Topeka, Presson said "maybe we'll know later this week." The CHL plans to hold a news conference on Friday regarding the new Topeka hockey team.
After the meeting, Presson said Chen planned to transfer his assets from the team he owned in Indianapolis. Chen sold the team name in March.
Presson said by holding the assets, it gives Chen and his team the right to speak with the players and ask them if they want to come to Topeka.
"It gives us more bargaining power," he said. Presson noted that the Indianapolis Ice has been a strong team and has made it into the playoffs. He said getting rid of that team also helps the CHL.
"It was far enough north that teams didn't like to travel there," Presson said. "Topeka, geographically, is close to Wichita, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. We'll have four teams within four hours of each other. That's going to limit costs and increase revenues."
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I can't wait! Seems that there will be a 'name the team' contest starting on Friday! Oh happy, happy day!
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By Alicia Henrikson
The Capital-Journal
Topeka will have a hockey team in the Central Hockey League this fall.
Shawnee County commissioners approved a three-year lease contract with Topeka Ice, LLC today on a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Marice Kane dissented.
"I think this is good for the Expocentre and it's good for the community," Commission Chairman Ted Ensley said after the meeting.
Kane said she isn't opposed to having a hockey team. She said she had not receive a copy of the contract and didn't have the opportunity to read through it.
"I would be glad to approve this when I have an opportunity to read it and ask questions about it," she said.
As for Ensley and Commissioner Vic Miller, the two came to the meeting wearing hockey jerseys. Both said last week that the contract likely would receive favorable votes from them. (:D)
Topekan Lou King couldn't have been happier about the commission's decision. He attend Monday's meeting to hear the outcome of the hockey contract.
"I had season tickets before and I'm already on the list to get them again," he said after the meeting. King said he's been asking Expocentre manager H.R. Cook for months about getting a new hockey team.
"I'm 100 percent behind this," he said. "I was raised in Michigan and played hockey as a kid."
Commissioners were questioned by Topekan Tom Langer about the hockey decision. He wanted to know if commissioners had studied the economic viability of having another hockey team in Topeka. He based his question on the fact that the county transferred funds to the Expocentre in 2003 to help it financially.
"Don't misunderstand," he said. "I think hockey is great."
The taxpayers have a right to know how this will work financially, Langer said.
Miller said he thought it was better to have an event at the Expocentre than not. Having hockey will being a quality of life issue, he said.
Former Topeka Scarecrows general manager Chris Presson came to the meeting on behalf of Horn Chen, who is the owner of the new team.
Presson said the CHL had no qualms about having a team back in Topeka.
When asked by Ensley if he would be coming back to Topeka, Presson said "maybe we'll know later this week." The CHL plans to hold a news conference on Friday regarding the new Topeka hockey team.
After the meeting, Presson said Chen planned to transfer his assets from the team he owned in Indianapolis. Chen sold the team name in March.
Presson said by holding the assets, it gives Chen and his team the right to speak with the players and ask them if they want to come to Topeka.
"It gives us more bargaining power," he said. Presson noted that the Indianapolis Ice has been a strong team and has made it into the playoffs. He said getting rid of that team also helps the CHL.
"It was far enough north that teams didn't like to travel there," Presson said. "Topeka, geographically, is close to Wichita, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. We'll have four teams within four hours of each other. That's going to limit costs and increase revenues."
----
I can't wait! Seems that there will be a 'name the team' contest starting on Friday! Oh happy, happy day!