Brass Hockey Bows Out After Long Fight to Bring Continued Play, Economic Development to New Orleans
June 1, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
New Orleans Brass News Release
New Orleans - Thanks, New Orleans, fans and employees. New Orleans Brass Owners plan to give up on New Orleans after giving up their lease at the New Orleans Arena in order to make room for the Hornets.
The Brass has been unable to secure a lease at the Municipal Auditorium with the City of New Orleans. Brass owner John Georges issues the following statement:
"We have had five great years in New Orleans and it's now time to give up. Although we have been successful in New Orleans thanks to a record breaking fan base, we have been unable to secure a lease and it is unfair to the League for us to remain in limbo. We plan to sell, move, or return the franchise to the League very soon. Although our fight to keep the Brass in New Orleans has been frustrating, we realize now that fan and customer support are important, but that, ultimately, political support is essential in this City. Clearly, that never existed in any kind of real way. Both the New Orleans Arena and the Municipal Auditorium are managed by SMG, a company that has made it clear that it does not want us as tenants, even though we pay twice the League average in rent and more than most of SMG's other tenants in the Auditorium. We  the Brass and the people of New Orleans - have never received an adequate explanation as to why it's not in the City's best interest to allow the Brass to play in the virtually empty auditorium. Moreover, we have never received a response from either SMG or the City to Dr. Oakland's Economic Impact Study, which showed the Brass having a positive economic impact for the City. The Brass remains the only franchise in town that paid full rent without State or Local subsidies of any kind, and we would have been content to continue doing so."
Georges continued: "I feel badly for New Orleans' children that we as adults could not find a way to keep this sport in town, but we as a team are proud that we were able to have brought this sport to New Orleans originally."
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ECHL Stories from June 1, 2003
- Brass Hockey Bows Out After Long Fight to Bring Continued Play, Economic Development to New Orleans - New Orleans Brass
- Southern Hockey Academy Returns this Week - Greenville Grrrowl
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