AHL Utica Comets

Comet Tales: Opening Night

October 28, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


The sub-story to Wednesday's coming out party of The AUD and the birth of the Comets for the home crowd was obvious to me. Anyone that was in attendance for the Comets-Devils game, and walked about the AUD for the first time since the renovations, had to be impressed. What has, and is still on-going, has been created from scratch. The work that began this past summer, is proof that 'mountains' can be moved. When private enterprise has a stake in business, and you have the enthusiasm to get it right, and you simply can't accept 'no' for an answer, it is amazing what businessmen can do. The Comets for all intents and purposes started from square one last June. Now, for all to enjoy, looking just in the main lobby you can see what once would have been considered impossible, very real. The merchandise store is an important accent on just how major league the Comets ownership and the American Hockey League are.

The concession stands have come into this century and look marvelous. The wallpaper motifs displaying pictures of the the AUD being built, or pictures of Clinton Comets players, who paved the way for today's product, is a classy salute to hockey heritage in the Mohawk Valley. Even right down to the ATM machines being branded. And how cool is the 50/50 stand, as well as identifiable and professional, are those giving you your receipt? Plus, how intriguing, and what will become a must stop for fans is the ability to view the video boards/scoreboard operators working the controls? Reminds me a bit of the Wizard of Oz where the curtain is pulled back and you get to see how the Wizard is created.

Details. So many details need to be attended to, from the sponsorship decals on the arena steps, to the signs hanging throughout the building, sleep must have had been but a few hours at a time. And what do you think of the paint job inside the AUD? The colors say 'hello Canucks and Comets'. Imagine, because hockey has done what more than a few claimed couldn't be possible, especially in the three months or so that the organization had to play with, someone would want to bring a baseball team to Utica. Nothing is impossible, many objectives are probable, but if they only knew what had to be done and with the clock ticking, would they still want to go ahead with their vision?

I do want to touch on the Comets yearbook. To those of you who have purchased copies, I am confident that you are satisfied. First-class. Planning for this project began in July and was worked on right up until days before the Home Opener. This one project was incredibly time consuming. Now, thinking of all the other things on the Comets to-do list - I remain in amazement, but not denial. Private enterprise combined with a strong work ethic, with cooperation from out local political leaders, just ran all the way towards the final goal.

Collecting a 'W' wednesday night by the Comets would have been the icing on the proverbial cake. Success will come, sometimes not at a rate we fans and players too, hope for. The gameday experience, right out of the shoot, for me, as a fan is as comparable as anything I have seen in Albany, Syracuse, or Rochester. Rookies will only improve on their performances, just as players, the more they execute their duties.

The media, as one would expect, were all over the home opener. I had not seen as many members from the newspaper, TV and radio stations, at an event as the fan fest and game, in as far back as I could remember. Aside from the final score, and the microphone difficulties when Night Ranger sang the National Anthem, Comets ownership had to have enjoyed a prolonged exhale, when they turned out the lights.

We are all fans of the region, the game, and have civic pride for what is offered here. The takeaway word from the inaugural home game is - details. From the scrambling of each employee to put into action what they have been practicing since the summer, to successfully utilizing the many amenities offered inside The AUD, details from staying on course of a vision scored big-time Wednesday night.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 28, 2013


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