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ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Greenville Road Warriors Sign 5-Year Lease with Bon Secours Wellness Arena

March 4, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits News Release


Greenville, S.C. | March 4, 2015 - The Greenville Road Warriors have signed a new five year lease with the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The partnership will allow the team and the arena to work together to develop innovative sales strategies that expand the Road Warriors' fan base, increase attendance and maximize the investment of its sponsors.

The Road Warriors, who came to Greenville in 2010, were purchased by current owner, Fred Festa, Chairman & CEO of W.R. Grace and Co., in 2012, and are making Greenville their permanent home. Since Festa took ownership, the team has seen the highest single season total attendance since its return to Grenville, as well as the highest regular season average attendance. The team has also developed significant community partnerships with local non-profits and community organizations including the Boy Scouts of America Blue Ridge Council, Greenville Zoo, the Children's Museum of the Upstate, Harvest Hope Food Bank, the American Cancer Society and numerous military and first responder-related causes. Under Festa's leadership, the team has given over $345,000 in donations back to the community.

"I believe that Greenville is a hockey market," says owner Fred Festa. "This community has welcomed us and we look forward to continuing to expand our fan base in Greenville through this renewed partnership with the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Greenville is thriving and we are excited to be here and be part of that growth."

The Road Warriors and arena staff will work closely together under their new arrangement, developing new strategies to promote ticket sales and increase the team's fan base. Season ticket packages are already on sale for the 2015-16 season and are available for purchase on the team's website.

"We have enjoyed our partnership with the Road Warriors over the years," said Beth Paul, General Manager of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. "Fred, Chris Lewis and I have been working together since November to get this agreement in place and we are all very excited about this renewed relationship. This is the beginning of a great new partnership and we look forward to working together for many years to come. "

Since 2012, the Road Warriors have posted the three highest individual game crowds since their return to Greenville, with the second largest crowd in Road Warriors history taking place on February 7th of this season. They are ranked in the top eight in the ECHL in regular season wins and made their deepest playoff run in team history, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

"Recent enhancements to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena have made it into a first class facility to showcase ECHL hockey," said Brian McKenna, Commissioner of the ECHL. "We are very pleased that the Greenville Arena District and the Road Warriors have agreed to a long term lease extension. Continual progress has been made over the past several years to grow the level of awareness and attendance at Road Warriors games. The terms of this agreement allow for a cooperative effort between the team and the arena to continue that trend. We look forward to ECHL Hockey at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena for many years to come."

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