The city of Glens Falls is close to bringing an American Hockey League team back to the Glens Falls Civic Center next season. The only catch, they have to sell 2,500 partial or full season tickets by April 30 if the goal is to become a reality.
The Brooks Group, new owners of the Philadelphia Phantoms, an affiliate
of the Philadelphia Flyers, announced earlier this month that they had
picked Glens Falls as the city where they wanted to relocate their
team. The Phantoms became rink-less after the Philadelphia Spectrum was
slated for demolition at the end of their season.
However, before the city can bring back a minor-league professional hockey team for the first time since the Adirondack Red Wings moved out of the Civic Center in 1999, they will have to secure 2,500 season ticket deposits in the arena that has an occupancy of 5,000.
The team has currently sold more than 1,000 tickets, according to Glens Falls Mayor Jack Diamond.
"We are still a significant ways away from 2,500 but we are making progress, and I am confident we will get to that number," Diamond said.
Season ticket prices range from $320 to $760 for an adult 40-game package. The top-tier ticket level of $19 per game includes membership to an "exclusive VIP Lounge" in Heritage Hall, preferred parking and front-row seating at the games. A $25 deposit is required for season ticket orders.
On Wednesday, the owners of the team held a block party with free food and kids' games on the walkway of the Civic Center in order to meet with some of their supporters and give them a glimpse at what the Adirondack Phantoms' merchandise would look like.
While the addition of an AHL hockey team would help business in Glens Falls, team owners and city officials also believe it will be beneficial to surrounding areas, most notably Saratoga County.
Robert Brooks, co-owner of the Brooks Group, said that he had already met with Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Joe Dalton and Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson in order to reach out to the Clifton Park and Saratoga Springs area.
"I think that in this day and age you need to have regional appeal in order to succeed with an
AHL team," Brooks said. "This is not just for Glens Falls; this is the region's team."
Brooks added that he would expect a number of the players to want to settle down in the city of Saratoga Springs.
"It is a beautiful city," he said.
Diamond also said that he felt the team would be beneficial to surrounding regions and that if the team was going to be successful, it would have to rely on residents from these areas to support the team as well as those from Glens Falls.
"By tracking zip codes and ticket sales at some of the recent events they have had at the Civic Center, it has been shown that a lot of people from Saratoga County are attending events at the arena, so it is very important for us to go after that market," Diamond said.
Even if the city is to sell the 2,500 season tickets by the end of the month, there is still the question of whether or not a team can be successful in the area, especially after two other United Hockey League teams failed over the last decade.
Diamond said what makes him believe this time will be different is the fact that the team's ownership has a solid reputation in sports operation and because the team will represent a higher cailber of hockey.
"The addition of an AHL team puts Glens Falls and the region in a group of 29 cities nationwide that are affiliated with the professional hockey league," Diamond said. "So when you talk about the AHL you are going to be talking about cities like Chicago, San Antonio,
Cleveland, Milwaukee and Glens Falls. This is going to be a great opportunity to get the region's name out there, which in turn will allow neighboring areas to benefit including Saratoga."
One thing is certain, both ownership and city officials in Glens Falls seem to be intent on striking some kind of deal to bring the Phantoms to the Civic Center. The team's ownership along with city officials in Glens Falls signed a memo of understanding that the team will make Glens Falls its new home for three years if they reach the lofty ticket sale level on Wednesday. The Brooks Group has also already scheduled a "pick your seat" night at the Civic Center for season ticket holders in early May. The final step now, aside from selling the 2,500 season tickets, is to receive approval from the AHL board of governors to make the move official. A vote from the committee could come by the end of the month.
However, before the city can bring back a minor-league professional hockey team for the first time since the Adirondack Red Wings moved out of the Civic Center in 1999, they will have to secure 2,500 season ticket deposits in the arena that has an occupancy of 5,000.
The team has currently sold more than 1,000 tickets, according to Glens Falls Mayor Jack Diamond.
"We are still a significant ways away from 2,500 but we are making progress, and I am confident we will get to that number," Diamond said.
Season ticket prices range from $320 to $760 for an adult 40-game package. The top-tier ticket level of $19 per game includes membership to an "exclusive VIP Lounge" in Heritage Hall, preferred parking and front-row seating at the games. A $25 deposit is required for season ticket orders.
On Wednesday, the owners of the team held a block party with free food and kids' games on the walkway of the Civic Center in order to meet with some of their supporters and give them a glimpse at what the Adirondack Phantoms' merchandise would look like.
While the addition of an AHL hockey team would help business in Glens Falls, team owners and city officials also believe it will be beneficial to surrounding areas, most notably Saratoga County.
Robert Brooks, co-owner of the Brooks Group, said that he had already met with Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Joe Dalton and Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson in order to reach out to the Clifton Park and Saratoga Springs area.
"I think that in this day and age you need to have regional appeal in order to succeed with an
AHL team," Brooks said. "This is not just for Glens Falls; this is the region's team."
Brooks added that he would expect a number of the players to want to settle down in the city of Saratoga Springs.
"It is a beautiful city," he said.
Diamond also said that he felt the team would be beneficial to surrounding regions and that if the team was going to be successful, it would have to rely on residents from these areas to support the team as well as those from Glens Falls.
"By tracking zip codes and ticket sales at some of the recent events they have had at the Civic Center, it has been shown that a lot of people from Saratoga County are attending events at the arena, so it is very important for us to go after that market," Diamond said.
Even if the city is to sell the 2,500 season tickets by the end of the month, there is still the question of whether or not a team can be successful in the area, especially after two other United Hockey League teams failed over the last decade.
Diamond said what makes him believe this time will be different is the fact that the team's ownership has a solid reputation in sports operation and because the team will represent a higher cailber of hockey.
"The addition of an AHL team puts Glens Falls and the region in a group of 29 cities nationwide that are affiliated with the professional hockey league," Diamond said. "So when you talk about the AHL you are going to be talking about cities like Chicago, San Antonio,
Cleveland, Milwaukee and Glens Falls. This is going to be a great opportunity to get the region's name out there, which in turn will allow neighboring areas to benefit including Saratoga."
One thing is certain, both ownership and city officials in Glens Falls seem to be intent on striking some kind of deal to bring the Phantoms to the Civic Center. The team's ownership along with city officials in Glens Falls signed a memo of understanding that the team will make Glens Falls its new home for three years if they reach the lofty ticket sale level on Wednesday. The Brooks Group has also already scheduled a "pick your seat" night at the Civic Center for season ticket holders in early May. The final step now, aside from selling the 2,500 season tickets, is to receive approval from the AHL board of governors to make the move official. A vote from the committee could come by the end of the month.
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