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Board Approves Reinsdorf's Purchase, Stockton Relocation of Atlantic City Franchise

January 31, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL announced on Monday that the Board of Governors has approved a Transfer of Controlling Interest for the Atlantic City Membership from Atlantic City Hockey, LLC to Stockton Hockey Franchise Group which is headed by Michael A. Reinsdorf.

The Board also approved a Transfer of Home Territory from Atlantic City, N.J. to Stockton, Calif. where the team is scheduled to begin play in 2005-06 in a 10,000-seat arena that is part of a waterfront development in downtown Stockton. The multi-purpose facility will have 24 suites and 400 club seats as well as offices for the sports teams and the arena operations and management staff.

Chairman of the Board for the Stockton group is Michael Reinsdorf, who is a member of the executive committee that oversees the operations of the United Center in Chicago and he also attends the NBA Board of Governors meetings on behalf of the Chicago Bulls.

"The move to Stockton brings another strong market and a state-of-the-art facility to our West Division," said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. "Mr. Reinsdorf provides strong ownership with significant experience and success in operating sports teams. We are excited about the prospects this provides for the ECHL for many years to come."

The membership was purchased and moved from Birmingham, Alabama to Atlantic City prior to the 2001-02 season. The original ownership group in Birmingham included Michael Reinsdorf's father Jerry Reinsdorf, who is chairman of both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball.

Michael Reinsdorf is the managing director of International Facilities Group, L.L.C. (IFG) which has been selected as the facility operator and manager for the Stockton arena and a number of other facilities in Stockton, including the newly renovated 2,000-seat Bob Hope Fox Theater. Reinsdorf's responsibilities with IFG include overseeing new development, lease and contractual negotiations for new IFG projects and overseeing the everyday management of the company. Reinsdorf's intimate knowledge of the sports industry, as well as his experience in the real estate industry has benefited him in several endeavors including the development of the Chicago Bulls Training Facility and the James Jordan Boys and Girls Club.

The CEO of the Stockton group is Dan Chapman, a native of Stockton who spent 14 years with the Stockton Ports professional baseball team, serving as the general manager from 1989-99. Stockton won the California League championship in 1986, 1990 and 1992 and Chapman was named The Sporting News Class A Executive of the Year following the 1990 season. He received an Award of Excellence from the California League in 1992 and was named Business Manager of the Year by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce in 1993. He has spent the last three years as CEO of the Stockton Boys and Girls Club which was recognized as the Community-Based Organization of the Year by the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce in 2004. Chapman began serving his first term as an elected member of the Stockton City Council in January.

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