ECHL expansion to Reno

[Wisconsin Wildcat]

Apparently some guy in Boise has purchased the defunct Columbia franchise with the intent of starting it back up in Reno. The ECHL site confirms this under "Future Markets", but all news on this is almost 2 years old. Can anybody with the their ear to the ground on ECHL matters tell me anything new? I really don't like having to drive 3 hours to find a game.

 

[aparch]

Re: ECHL expansion to Reno

Someone in Reno already owns the rights to a club in Reno, and he continually pays the dues to the league to keep it dormant until a new arena can be built for it in Reno. But, since the city/community (from what I've read, you live there so you may know this better than I) won't pander to him and build a new arena, the franchise stays dormant.

Columbia was dormant awaiting their own arena/renovations for the last few years, and I think the rights holder finally gave the franchise back go the league.


The "Coming Soon" for Reno on the ECHL's website has been there for almost six years (since just after the Westward expansion/merger of the WCHL).

 

[Wisconsin Wildcat]

Re: ECHL expansion to Reno

Yeah Aparch, everything you've told me is what I've found elsewhere. The guy's name is Larry Leasure, and he's a real estate developer in Boise. Every time I see his name I can only think Leisure Suit Larry.

What makes no sense to me is we have an arena comparable to the Allstate here in Reno. We don't NEED new one. The thing is 10 years old tops. We have a NBA D league team that plays there, so it's not like it's not set up for sporting events. I'm sure there's enough removable seating to accomodate an ice sheet. We also have one of these wanna be arena football teams, and they play there too. Their season just fell apart because they're run by a bunch of morons. What I did find out in an article about their financial woes is that the arena was getting $5000 a game on the lease. If an ECHL team gets about the same deal, I really can't see why that's not fair. Maybe the guy is greedy and doesn't want to pay a lease. Who knows.

 

[Wisconsin Wildcat]

Re: ECHL expansion to Reno

I sent an email directly to the league, and this is what I got back:

The Reno membership continues to be in Voluntary Suspension while awaiting construction or renovation of a suitable arena in Reno. The owner gave an update to our Board of Governors at our recent Annual Meeting and remains committed to locating a team in the market.

I still call BS on this. The arena is there, but the guy just doesn't like the deal for some reason.

 

[moose97]

Re: ECHL expansion to Reno

I sent an email directly to the league, and this is what I got back:

The Reno membership continues to be in Voluntary Suspension while awaiting construction or renovation of a suitable arena in Reno. The owner gave an update to our Board of Governors at our recent Annual Meeting and remains committed to locating a team in the market.

I still call BS on this. The arena is there, but the guy just doesn't like the deal for some reason.

It's all well and good that there is "an arena" there, but no where online was I able to find confirmation that it had ice-making capabilities. Are you sure that they can have ice in that place (have they had Disney on Ice or Ice-capades there before)? It very easily could have been a budget saving measure to not install the pipes and compressor to make ice in order to save $1 million or so in the construction budget and another $50,000-100,000 a year in operating costs.