My mind keeps coming back to Chicago as the best long-term option. Yes, I know there's stuff wrong with it, but there's also plenty that's right.
Four hours driving time from Ferris or BG. 10 hours from Huntsville or Bemidji. 6-7 hours for everybody else (except the Alaskas)
Lots of direct flights from just about ANYwhere in the world, with 2 major airports to choose from.
A large metro population (about 10 mil) that certainly MUST contain lots of alumni, PLUS a bunch of other hockey fans.
My quick search shows over 90 ice rinks in the Chicagoland metro area. Sure, most are tiny community rinks, but certainly there must be ONE that fits our size needs. In the right size building (say 4-7000), supply will be more in balance with demand, and nobody will crab about paying a premium price.
Sometimes I think we focus TOO much attention on the attendance of students. While I LOVE the spirit and enthusiasm they bring, let's face it. The average college student doesn't have the time OR the money to travel anywhere beyond his immediate backyard, and what limited resources he/she has are (at this time of the year) more likely to be spent on a spring-break trip to some warm weather climate. Yes, there are those total die hards who will pile 8 into the same car and same hotel room, but they're going anyhow, even if they have to drive around or across Lake Michigan to do so. At the other end of the spectrum are the 'high-rollers' among your season ticket holders...guess what?...they're going anyway, no matter if it's across the street or across the country.
It's the people 'in-between' that make the difference. Grand Rapids is a nice place, so is St Paul. Every sports fan ought to visit Green Bay once in their lifetime, but none of these places are 'destinations' for anything OTHER than the event. Dad and his buddies are MUCH more likely to get momma's OK to make such a trip if the wives are invited along to spend a day shopping and take in a show. Chicago is one of a handful of cities in the USA that can be such a destination...and its within one day's travel from any of us.
I'd be willing to bet that every one of our schools has a Chicagoland chapter of their alumni association. They'll use an event like this to socialize, network and re-live the 'good-ol-days'. Put this all together, and I truly believe it would work.
