I don't remember where I read it, but I still think it is a possibilty to play out of Pacific Coliseum or even Rogers Arena, before they place the team in the East ways off to a major air hub to get flights to Vancouver
Canucks purchase the Peoria Rivermen (Post #162)
- Thread starter Lindgren
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thepuckmonster
Professional Winner.
Lets all actively boycott the Heat this season.
Oh wait.
That already happens judging by their attendance.
/deadpan
Oh wait.
That already happens judging by their attendance.
/deadpan
In fairness, the ultimate decision is probably the owner's alone.
Canucks LB
My Favourite, Gone too soon, RIP Luc, We miss you
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DustyMartellaughs
Flashing the leather.
so..... the tax payers best interest is to leave the Flames farm team in Abbotsford for a lame duck season? If they think attendance was bad the last few seasons what's it going to be like when it's a known fact that the city wants to turf them?
morons
Or go to the home opener en masse and cheer against the Heat - sell it out with fans in their Canuck jerseys booing the Heat and chanting "We want the Canucks" or something..
thepuckmonster
Professional Winner.
Eddy Punch Clock
Jack Adams 2028
No no no, it's a good plan see... like Gretzky's farewell tour around the league. Every night the good folks of Abbotsford will now know that this is the last season they can see their beloved Calgary Flames affiliate... place will be packed.
Yep, and if the Canucks do move the Rivermen somewhere else, there is zero chance they would move yet again the following summer.
Langley Events Centre makes the most sense.
ts not too far from the rest of the Lower mainland with the new Highway improvements, its a nice, modern rink owned jointly by BC and Langley Township, the Giants played 6 home games there a few years ago, and the Aquilinis own property there.
People don't go to games because they are emotionally invested in the Heat (or Flames) as such. They're just going to see relatively high-level hockey. Why would the impending departure of the team actually make them stay away? (If anything I'd want to take in a game while I still had a chance). This isn't a Grizzlies situation where they've been somehow double-crossed by the league or team and have lost any incentive to follow.
Moreover, if the city has to reimburse losses anyway, what benefit do the taxpayers of Abbotsford receive by not going to games? They end up just paying more that way.
Even if they can't get into Abbotsford, I'd prefer if they just planted themselves in the lower mainland to get their business and players in the right place.
opendoor
Registered User
- Dec 12, 2006
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Given the ridiculous agreement the Heat have with the City of Abbotsford where their losses are covered by the taxpayers for a decade (estimated to be about $1M a year), I can only assume that there's a hefty penalty the city has to pay if it wants to terminate the agreement early. It might be an expensive proposition to boot the Heat out and that's a price the city is likely unwilling to pay right now.
Peoria is not a long-term solution. No direct flights to Vancouver. You'd have to fly to Chicago, Vegas, Denver, Minnesota or Dallas and catch a connecting flight. Good luck rushing players to Vancouver for a home game in case of injury.
I think its too small to house an AHL team. Why not play a season out of the Agrodome or even Rogers arena for a season before they move to Abbotsford.
Edit, meant the Pacific Colliseum, not the agrodome.
LiquidSnake
Registered User
If Aqulini has enough cake, build an arena in Surrey. Would be successful for sure. Or maybe Queens park? Haven't been there in a loooong time
Queen's park is not AHL standard. It's 80 years old, needs a new roof, and only seats 3500It would need new dressing rooms, concessions, medical facilities, etc.
Building in Surrey would be smart. Surrey will have a bigger population than Vancouver by 2020. The issue in Surrey is that the City isn't too supportive of facility funding for sports. They lost the Rams and have an embarassingly bad stadium at Bear Creek for BC Summer games. Aquilini would have to fund it himself.
Silly idea if you think about it.
Canucks will have their farm team in Abbotsford next year. They ran out of time this year, but likely will work it out over the next year to make sure it happens.
They just need an interim place, and I think one needs to be close to Abbotsford to "share the market".
Surrey won't build a rink, and thankfully so. Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Langley all have rinks far too big for the team in place (Chilliwack and Langley have 5000+ facilities that draw between 1000 (Langley) and 2000 (Chilliwack) on average.
The Agrodome seats 3500. The LEC seats 5500. Abbotsford seats 7000.
The Adirondack Red Wings have 4,806 capacity, Texas has 6800, Portland Pirates have 6700, Binghampton is around 4700, The Ricoh in Toronto has about 8000, Syracuse has 6100, Springfield has 6800, St. John's has 6200, Rockford has 5700, and all the rest have about 10-20000+.
Either way, they'd have among the league's smallest building.
Chilliwack could be good too. Nice arena, modern and new, lots of parking, 5000 seats and only one tennant to compete with. Abbotsford airport nearby makes sense too.
