ECHL headed to Delaware?

Dover Delaware and Salisberry Maryland (didn't spell that right) are fighting to land an ECHL team according to the Delmarva news. No word on what team they may be looking at, or if it would be a new team. If Dover gets a team, there's a chance that the Southern Hockey league could move a team up to Maryland where a rink is already in place. In Dover they are building a new rink for Delaware St, which could house a professional hockey team as well.

In Maryland, a hold up is the beer ban needs to be lifted, as BYOB won't win any votes from the ECHL officals but fans wouldn't have to pay high prices.

I've never been to Dover (I ride though it on the Delaware Turkpike on my way to my vacation spot in Ocean City, Maryland), even though it is closer to me than Salisbury, but I think Salisbury is very suitable. They have a small town called Berlin (where the movie Runaway Bride was shot, I've been there too) and a bunch of throughfares around the area, including US route 50, and a big vacation spot in OCMD, nearby, which is very busy throughout the winter months (espically during Christmas). I think with the correct marketing, they could do well in Salisbury.

I've heard it's not for a NEW team but to re-locate an existing team.

The Dover Post has addressed a new arena in Dover. Delaware Civic Center Corp. is partnering with Delaware State University on a plan for a civic center and a DSU football stadium and wellness center to 40 acres off Route 13. They quoted Todd Glickman, vice president of sales and client services for Global Spectrum. The company, owned by Comcast Spectacor, is the fastest growing public facility management company in the country. Global Spectrum, which would handle booking acts, currently manages 37 arenas, convention centers and theaters in the U.S. and Canada, including the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia – home of the Flyers and Sixers. Glickman said the East Coast Hockey League has shown “extreme interest” in bringing a team to Dover.

Dover is centrally located in the state and regularly pulls visitors significant distances for NASCAR. horse racing and slots. The state is attracting growing numbers of retirees drawn by the favorable tax situation. There is a major Air Force base bordering the city to the south. Minor league hockey would be an attraction facing little competition from other professional sports. Also, close rivalries can be expected with NJ and PA clubs within easy driving distance. I think the probability of success is good in a growth area currently lacking entertainment options.

The Delaware State News reports that the Dover City Council unanimously approved a plan to move an electric substation that is on the proposed site of a $92.1 million sports and entertainment complex in Dover. Current plans call for a 7,500-seat arena that could be home to a minor-league professional hockey team.

Delaware Civic Center chairman E. Stuart Outten said the group was appreciative of the 40-acre donation the city made three years ago toward the project and and was equally pleased with Monday's vote. "I'm glad they support the hard work my committee and Delaware State University have put into this," Mr. Outten said. "It has brought us one step closer to making this a reality."

From The Delaware State News -- Center plan draws fire; Legislators question Dover sports complex

Supporters of a $92.1 million proposal to build a sports and entertainment complex on U.S. 13 in Dover made another pitch to a legislative money committee on Monday, but the plan met skepticism from lawmakers who will decide whether the state helps pay for it.

Representatives of the Delaware Civic Center Corp. presented lawmakers a feasibility study showing the facility would generate a $1.8 million operating surplus a year, with a timeline that has the civic center and stadium finished by August 2009.

The legislative Joint Bond Bill Committee could decide as soon as this week whether to include funding. Full story at:

http://www.newszap.com/articles/2004/06/21/dm/central_delaware/dsn02.txt

From The News Journal (delawareonline.com) -- Panel wary of financing for civic center, $40 million worries Bond Bill Committee.

Officials with Delaware State University and the Delaware Civic Center Corp. said Monday a planned stadium-civic center will pay for itself and inject an estimated $23.5 million into the Dover economy within four years of opening.

But members of the Legislature's Joint Bond Bill Committee said they have qualms about committing the state to a $40 million long-term investment in the facility, and to alternate plans for $20 million the group would borrow through Kent County.

The proposal calls for a 14,500-seat stadium designed to be expandable to 30,000 seats, and a 7,500-seat civic center arena. The arena would host DSU's basketball teams and talks are under way to bring a minor league hockey team to it. Full story at:

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/06/22panelwaryoffina.html

In the immortal words of Roseanne Rosanadana, "It's always something."

Jim Flood, Sr., the publisher of the Dover Post has written a recent column headlined, "The stadium/civic center project: A step worth taking."

He addresses the issue of state funding -- $40 million between now and 2010. He notes that, "The anticipated $75.1 million construction cost for the complex makes it hardly a minor project. By and large, the committee members indicated that they wanted more details about how the overall funding would work and what can reasonably be expected in terms of revenue produced."

I am encouraged that he goes on to say that, "If the bond committee members listen carefully they should be convinced that the project can fly." The full editorial may be found at http://www.doverpost.com/.

Bad news for hockey in Delaware. Legislators rejected a request for $2 million for this year, and a commitment for much more in the next four or five years, for a planned football stadium/civic center that could cost $75 million. Delaware State University did get $2 million for improvements to Alumni Field Stadium, increasing seating from 5,000 to 6,500. "We are truly disappointed that the project wasn't fully embraced as it was presented," said DSU President Allen L. Sessoms.

I've heard it's not for a NEW team but to re-locate an existing team.

Who's in a position where relocation is an option? The Cyclones? The Generals? Who else?

According to delawareonline, the state's fiscal year 2005 Bond Bill allocates $1 million for the Delaware Civic Center Corp., but no money for a new Delaware State University football stadium along U.S. 13.

Since the civic center, the stadium, and a "wellness center" are all part of a coordinated complex; this threatens DSU's participation in the effort to fund the project. The full story is at www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/sports/2004/07/02secondstudyofsp.html

The Delaware State News reports that, "Delaware State University President Allen L. Sessoms asked for $53 million in state funds for fiscal year 2006 on Thursday, but didn't mention a proposed sports and entertainment complex the school wants to build along U.S. 13 in Dover."
It goes on to say, "An indication of the sports and entertainment complex's fate will come Dec. 31, when budget director Jennifer W. Davis is slated to release an analysis of the project's financial benefits, such as employment and revenue-generating capabilities."
Read the full article at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2004/11/19/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt.

"What happens if the hockey team folded? We would not want to build it if a team is not coming." This is now the reason to further stall efforts to bring a much needed sports facility to Dover.
Build it and they will come. Not just hockey, but ice shows, the circus, concerts, trade shows, conventions - perhaps indoor football! Why limit the issue to hockey? Is the real question whether the people of Central Delaware and the state capital will support quality events in the Delaware Civic Center? The talking will proceed until Bond Bill Committee members make a final decision on funding in June.
Read the full article at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/01/12/dm/central_delaware/dsn02.txt

"What happens if the hockey team folded? We would not want to build it if a team is not coming." This is now the reason to further stall efforts to bring a much needed sports facility to Dover. There shouldn't be a problem getting an ECHL team in there, as long as they provide a reasonable lease. There should be a few franchises available for sale and relocation in the offseason. This shouldn't be a big worry.

Can't comment on the Dover situation, but the Louisiana IceGators are in receivership and are currently being run by the league until the end of the season. The Rivermen will also need a new home when the Blues move their AHL franchise to Peoria. Also, th ECHL will add the Gulf coast Swords next season. they'll paly in Bradenton FL, but I'm not sure which defunct franchise solt they are using.

Also, th ECHL will add the Gulf coast Swords next season. they'll paly in Bradenton FL, but I'm not sure which defunct franchise solt they are using. The Gulf Coast Swords aren't a defunct franchise, they are the old Columbus Cottonmouths moving to sunnier pastures.

Don't be surprised down the road if Atlantic City is moved as well. From some of the people I've talked to its not turning out as well as hoped. The franchise has done great on the ice but its not translating into people in the seats. This might not happen right away but it could happen sooner than everyone thinks. I’d say within the next 3 years they will move. Dover would make alot of sense for them. Has anyone wondered though with this plan to move a team to Dover why Wilmington hasn't been considered as a site rather than Dover? They already have the Blue Rocks single A baseball team and it seems to go well there. Any opinions or articles to suggest something might be done there? Thanks :help:

A Bullies move would be a disappointment, but no surprise. Keeping the team continues to be a challenge. People go to Atlantic City - they don’t live there. The gaming industry wants hockey to be a draw to the city, but not away from the casinos. Half of their market area is covered by water. Boardwalk Hall is a wonderful place to watch hockey, but parking is a problem. Might the Bullies move to Delaware? Why Dover rather than Wilmington?

It’s not so much that Wilmington hasn’t been considered as a site, but Dover is where the Delaware Civic Center would be, and ECHL hockey is planned as its major revenue tenant. The arena in Newark where the University of Delaware Blue Hens play seats only 1200. I don’t believe the Bob Carpenter Center can make ice. But, there’s a lot of hockey interest in the Wilmington area, so it might work. My preference would be to draw all those hockey fans south to Dover.

Central Delaware Newszap reports that the Dover City Council and the mayor held their annual retreat Friday, and emerged after six hours with their goals for 2005.

Support for the proposed Delaware Civic Center made the list, although it was ninth on what appears to be a prioritized set of ten items.

The article is at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/01/21/dm/central_delaware/dsn03.txt.

“Analysts say Dover venue wouldn't 'make it' fiscally.” So says the Baltimore Sun in an article found at http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/harford/bal-ha.dover16jan16,1,847618.story. "If you're looking at it from purely a fiscal point, the project doesn't make it," said deputy controller general Mike Morton, adding that the economic development effects and social and cultural impacts of the proposed complex also have to be considered. E. Stuart Outten Jr., board chairman of the Delaware Civic Center Corp., said the questions raised by analysts can be answered, and that the complex would provide a much-needed cultural boost to central Delaware.

So why should central Delaware press on for a Civic Center in Dover? The Bradenton Herald says this about their new facility now under construction in Lakewood Ranch, FL. "Sports and entertainment arenas – buildings that draw between 5,000 and 10,000 people to events at the minor-league level – instantly become a traffic generator for restaurants, bars, shops and night clubs upon opening. They're used to rejuvenate economically troubled urban areas and to promote expansion in suburban regions." The rest of the article is at http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/10619336.htm.

Delaware Civic Center Corp. officials said on Jan. 12 that they believe that obtaining $20 million in bonds from Kent County officials is the key to the state approving additional funding for a proposed sports complex in Dover. A State Budget Office's analysis suggested the possible creation of a nonprofit "sports authority" that would issue the $20 million in bonds and operate the complex.

Under the current financing plan, the state would spend $40 million from fiscal year 2006 through 2011 and another $20 million would come from financing such as bonds issued by Kent County. The remainder of the project would be funded by Delaware State University ($2 million), the Civic Center Corp. ($1.5 million) and private donations ($11.6 million). Read the whole story at http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/sports/2005/01/13complextoaskfor.html

The Bullies will relocate to Stockton, CA following the completion of the 2004-2005 season. The whole story is at http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/sports/020105NUBULLIES_31.cfm

The Bullies move was a foregone conclusion before the season even started. How many teams have ever worn a 4th year anniversary patch on their jerseys? They obviously knew this was going to happen.

I've been thinking about the Bullies lately, and ran across a very prophetic piece by Chuck O'Donnell for Hockey Digest in April 2003. He quotes Chuck Betson, the (minor league baseball) Surfs' director of media relations. "It's Marketing 101," he says. "You draw a circle around where your team plays, and that's who's going to come to the games. If you draw a circle around our teams, half the circle is in the ocean. It's a difficult market. It's a lot of people who are just in town for one day who want to go to the casinos, then go home. The local population, there's not a lot of white, collar, nine-to-five people. A lot of the people down here work in casinos and since the casinos are open 24 hours, a lot of people down here are working while you're playing. Plus, the Bullies are playing in the winter, when the tourism population isn't as great." Read the rest at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_6_31/ai_98565881.

But during my reflections on some of the special moments with the Bullies, I recalled the night Art Dorrington's jersey was retired, and he was recognized for his accomplishments as one of hockey's pioneer black players. My next thought was why shouldn't DSU, an historically black university build a hockey program? It seems like a concept whose time has come - along with a first-class facility adjacent to their campus. Any thoughts?

The News Journal reported on Feb 11 that owners of an American Basketball Association expansion team to be based in Wilmington, DE and scheduled to begin play this fall say they intend to build an arena in the city. The investors, Wilmington-based sports psychologist Dr. Joe Carr and Washington, DC-area businessman Melvin Coles, plan to build a facility that seats about 5,000 fans for basketball games and also host other events, such as concerts. There was no mention of hockey, but if the arena can make ice . . .

This doesn't help Dover's shot at an ECHL franchise, or the proposed Civic Center itself. The story's at http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/sports/2005/02/11abaownersplanar.html

Dover Post Staff writer Kelli Myers reported on Feb 16 that Dover could start seeing construction for what will be the Delaware Civic Center as early as this summer. Members of the Chamber of Commerce board decided to endorse the new plan completely after listening to the Delaware Civic Center Corporation’s presentation last week, according to Mike Harrington Sr., a member of the board. The project includes a 14,500-seat football stadium for Delaware State University and a 7,500-seat arena that would house the college’s basketball teams, and an ECHL team, which has been assured to the corporation, according to Roy Klein, vice president of the DCCC. The full story can be found at http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newproject.html.

A story from DELMARVA's TV 16, WBOC reports that the plan to build a $92 million civic center in Dover has a lot of people excited. An economic impact study shows the facility would bring in $27 million over several years to Dover alone. An additional $22 million would go to Kent County and another $16 million more to the state. The new civic center would serve as Delaware State University's 14,500 seat football stadium, HOME TO A MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY TEAM, and various concerts. The rest is at http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=2961956&nav=MXEFWUd0.

In a Dover Post story headlined Tourism Board Backs Civic Center, publisher Jim Flood Sr. writes, "After 30 years of discussion and promotion, and 20 years since the first state funding, the idea of a Delaware Civic Center is gathering steam. One indication was the vote of support last week by members of the Kent County Tourism board of directors." He cites support from Tony DiPrima, Dover’s city manager; Dick Cathcart, a member of the state House of Representatives who also works for Delaware State University; and Todd Whitman, who told the board of the commitment by the ECHL to have a farm team operate from the center. Read the rest at http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newciviccenter.html.

"It was a snapshot of the future, a glimpse of what minor-league hockey could be . . ." It's Florida, not Delaware, but it is a a look at what might be coming to Dover. A HeraldToday.com story at http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/10601066.htm describes plans for the new 7,400-seat arena in the Bradenton-Sarasota area. Moreover, it's a blueprint for what it takes to make an mid-size facility like the Delaware Civic Center a success.

On March 24, at 7:00 p.m. there will be a presentation on the proposed Delaware Civic Center. All are welcome at the Milford Senior Center, 111 Park Avenue, Milford, DE to learn more about the project. I'll be in Mississippi (and at the Seawolves/Salmon Kings match Wed. night), so if anyone in the area attends the presentation, I will really appreciate having a report posted to this site.

Maureen Milford reports in The News Journal that a Delaware group is proposing a more than $300 million gambling and entertainment playground on Wilmington's Seventh Street Peninsula. The project, called Diamond Casino Resort, would include up to 4,000 slot machines, a 400-room hotel, dinner theater, restaurants, shops and a public marina. A second phase could include a 7,000-seat arena. The story is at http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2005/03/29developerspitch.html.

Generally, an arena that size needs an anchor, usually a minor league hockey team - often supplemented with a basketball or indoor football team. It would be sad to see Dover beaten to the punch once again, not only for an arena, but by a casino complex drawing sports fans away from Dover Downs.

At the Parks, Recreation, and Community Enhancement Committee Meeting held on March 1, 2005, Dover Mayor Stephen R. Speed requested a brief discussion of the proposed Civic Center.

Last year, at the request of the State Bond Bill Committee, the Delaware Civic Center Corporation commissioned C. H. Johnson to perform a Civic Center Economic Impact Study. Mayor Speed reviewed the information provided in the study. He stated that the proposed Civic Center, which would be located in the vicinity of Sam’s Club and Scarborough Road, is a partnership project between the Civic Center Association and Delaware State University. He also noted that no other Civic Center projects are being proposed in Delaware.

Mayor Speed stated that this is a “Statewide” project and that the City’s anticipated contribution is the land that has already been donated and the relocation of the electric substation, which Council approved for inclusion in the Capital Improvement Program. Mayor Speed noted that the City would benefit from the Civic Center being a significant water, electric, and sewer customer. Another positive impact from this project is an estimated 501 new jobs and approximately $20 million in associated personal income. Mayor Speed stated that the Legislature has not yet voted on the Bond Bill.

In an April 17 article in The News Journal, Kristian Pope writes “DSU's athletic program reaches a crossroads. After success of men's basketball team, anticipation is high for progress.” Her story addresses the status of the Delaware Civic Center, and quotes Rep. Roger Roy, R-Limestone Hills, Bond Bill Committee co-chairman, stating, "There is no doubt it would be good for Kent County. But it's a matter of money and the priorities we set. There's only so much money institutions get each year."

Despite a review by the state's controller general of the analysis provided by the Civic Center Corp., Roy said the Bond Bill Committee isn't convinced the project will be self-sustaining.

Kent County Levy Court president Dave Burris said he recently sent the legislature a letter of intent to back the $20 million bond sale, with three caveats: the county wants a seat on the Civic Center Corp. if it is reorganized by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner; the county wants income from receipts to pay for the bonds; and it wants a ticket tax imposed if revenues fall short.

The full text is at http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/sports/2005/04/17dsusathleticpro.html

The Gators are toast... will cease operations.

Can't comment on the Dover situation, but the Louisiana IceGators are in receivership and are currently being run by the league until the end of the season. The Rivermen will also need a new home when the Blues move their AHL franchise to Peoria. Also, th ECHL will add the Gulf coast Swords next season. they'll paly in Bradenton FL, but I'm not sure which defunct franchise solt they are using.

Also to reply to BMoak, the Gulf Coast Swords asked for and received a extension so they now plan to enter the league in 06-07 rather than this coming fall. That's not a good sign . . .

ECHL terminated the Rivermen's E franchise once the season ended there is no ECHL Rivermen....

Mike Finney reports in The News Journal of May 5, that DSU officials again met with legislators to discuss the Civic Center and Stadium. "It was just a presentation to let us answer some questions regarding the project that some of the members of the committee had from last year," said Tripp Keister, DSU's associate athletic director for development. Keister said Delaware State remains committed to the entire project, which would house DSU athletics as well as a professional hockey team and various entertainment events. "I think the project is what it is and remains the same project that's been reported," Keister said. "There has been some ideas shared about building the complex in stages, but nothing has been finalized regarding that."

The full story is at http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/sports/2005/05/05dsuofficialsmee.html.

Why does the Delaware Civic Center Corp. (DCCC) insist on keeping the public (who will pay for the facility and decide its success or failure by their attendance at events) in the dark as to what is being proposed? The only public presentation I'm aware of was last March 24 at the Milford Senior Center. Perhaps the DCCC believes that, once you've got their money, their hearts will follow.

ECHL terminated the Rivermen's E franchise once the season ended there is no ECHL Rivermen....


I think that was mainly because the AHL is hitting them up next year.

Drew Volturo in the Delaware State News writes that a minor league hockey team is committed to relocating to Dover once the Civic Center is built. But he also says the facility would open in 2010. I find it hard to believe that a team owner would commit to anything five years in the future. What I do think is that the ECHL has said that, if you build it, we think someone will come.

The quote that really bothers me is, "If this is such a good plan, where are the private investors, Rep. Oberle asked. I didn't hear a ringing endorsement." While the politicians argue about funding the costs of our civic center with a $20 million bond, what they really want to do is collect taxes and ticket fees, while the private investors take the risk, and also pay off the debt, plus interest, plus taxes. Such a deal! And he also wants a ringing endorsement?

Don't get me wrong. I couldn't be a stronger proponent for ECHL hockey in Dover. But, the politicians are starting to try my patience.
Read it all at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/05/04/dm/central_delaware/dsn03.txt

At the May 9 Dover City Council’s Annual Town Meeting, Mayor Speed said he expects the city to see a new sports center built near Delaware State University. He said, “I think this year we’re actually closer than ever to actually getting the Delaware sports and entertainment complex approved for Dover.” He noted that the bond bill committee in the General Assembly seems receptive to helping fund the complex.

Senior Delaware lawmakers agreed Wednesday any additional money that the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council predicts at its meeting today will be earmarked for the capital budget, also known as the Bond Bill, which pays for construction projects, land acquisition and major equipment purchases.

Among the major decisions the committee will have to make will be whether to fund a request for $40 million over six years to build a sports and entertainment complex in Dover; and how to shore up the Department of Transportation's road-building account. The entertainment complex would include a new football stadium for Delaware State University and a civic center that would hold DSU's home basketball games, a minor-league hockey team, concerts and shows.

The Bond Bill Committee held off endorsing the project last year and legislative financial staff members have been analyzing the project's viability. Rep. Richard Cathcart, R-Middletown, a DSU vice president said, "Legislators are convinced it's a good project. Our biggest competitor now is probably DelDOT. It's just a money issue now."

Full story is at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/06/20/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt.

Matt Donegan writes in The Dover Post that, after a 30-year effort, the head of the Delaware Civic Center Corp. (DCCC) said the group is now the closest it has ever been to realizing its dream of an entertainment facility in Dover. If the Bond Bill Committee decides to grant the DCCC’s request for $2 million in state funding for FY 2006, approval would signify the committee’s commitment to allot a total of $40 million to the project over the next six years.

If approved, DCCC head E. Stuart Outten said, site planning would begin immediately to start the clock on what would be an estimated five-years of construction.

5 years?


Are they trying to attract an NHL team?

5 years?


Are they trying to attract an NHL team?


...."Matt Donegan writes in The Dover Post that, after a 30-year effort, the head of the Delaware Civic Center Corp. (DCCC) said the group is now the closest it has ever been to realizing its dream of an entertainment facility in Dover."

Don't ask me where I pulled the 5 from. Probably out of my posterior.


I wasn't talking about the effort, I meant the building of the arena

In a News Journal story available at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050625/SPORTS08/506250337/1002 , Kristian Pope writes that, as the June 30 deadline looms for the legislature's Bond Bill Committee to vote on the proposed $75.1 million Delaware Sports and Entertainment Complex, the project's fate has become increasingly uncertain.

"If it doesn't get done [now], it will never get done," said Bond Bill Committee alternate voter Rep. Richard C. Cathcart, R-Middletown. He also is DSU's director of purchasing and one of the project's key supporters. "We can't afford [to wait]," Cathcart said. "We'd have to start the process of requesting money with the risk of losing it again [next year]. It takes time to repair budget requests."

The uncertainty of support for the project has produced tenacious lobbying in recent weeks. Part of the lobbying effort was a letter from the Princeton, N.J.-based ECHL that stated its interest in placing a team in Dover if the civic center is built. "It's hard to read," Cathcart said of support for the project. "We think the business plan is good. It boils down to if the money is in there."

Joe Rogalsky reported today in the Delaware State News, that the legislative Joint Bond Bill Committee has agreed to allocate $2 million for the Delaware Civic Center but no money for a new Delaware State University football stadium, key legislators said Tuesday.

Supporters had asked the committee to approve a $92.1 million proposal to build a civic center and a DSU football stadium that would open in 2010. That proposal calls for the state to contribute $40 million over six years toward building the complex, beginning with $2 million in fiscal 2006. Instead, the committee will allocate $2 million in fiscal 2006 toward building just the civic center. The project will have to compete for funding again next year.

The full article may be found at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/06/29/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt.

Kristian Pope writes in The News Journal on 6/30, that a minor-league hockey team in Dover is not a given. The civic center project, which got a $2 million pledge from the legislature's Bond Bill Committee this week toward a $50 million-$60 million arena, was sold partly on the promise of bringing in a hockey team, which would fill about 40 dates annually. The ECHL has looked at placing a team in Dover when the arena opens, but there is no guarantee. The 28-team league, based in Princeton, N.J., has teams throughout the East Coast to Florida, in California and five other western states, plus British Columbia. The closest teams to Dover are Reading, Pa., and Trenton, N.J.

ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Still, R-Dover, expressing the league's interest in Dover, but McKenna said the letter is not a promise to put a team in the city. McKenna said the ECHL also has gotten inquiries from a group seeking a team for Salisbury, Md., to be housed at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center. But he said the arena needs too much work to put on professional hockey and that no one has the money for such upgrades. He said the league would not field teams in both Dover and Salisbury, and If you compare the markets, Dover is larger, a more logical choice.

McKenna said the league has no prospective owner of a Dover franchise but would prefer a local entity. "That doesn't mean owners around the league haven't spoken to other owners about it," he said. "The first step is to get the facility."

The full story is at <http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050630/SPORTS/506300328/1002>.

Chris Gasiewski, Delaware State News reports that when the state Bond Bill Committee appropriated $2 million to the Delaware Civic Center Corp., last week, all thoughts of a new football stadium at Delaware State University were thwarted. The DCCC had proposed a joint plan for the center along with an adjacent football stadium for DSU. The proposal sought $40 million over six years in state funding and an additional $20 million from Kent County Levy Court to build both complexes. But the committee chose to give $2 million to the DCCC and nothing to DSU for a stadium.

The epilogue of Senate Bill 190 states the committee would not commit to long-term funding for the center, which may host a minor league hockey team, DSU basketball games as well as concerts and shows. Also, Civic Center chairman E. Stuart Outten Sr. and the DCCC would have to report back with a financial plan in December. Outten feels with the amount of use the center will get, it should be easy to obtain revenue. "I thought the project with DSU had good promise," Outten said. "I also felt the civic center standalone would do well financially. The state is being cautious, as they should. Delaware is exploding with growth and the civic center makes sense for the state. We'll be able to make a case for that."

Read the full story at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/07/09/dm/sussex_county/sports/dsnspt01.txt

Joe Rogalsky writes on Oct 13 in the Delaware State News that civic center supporters are looking forward to meeting a Dec. 1 deadline for presenting a revamped business and operations plan to the legislative Bond Bill Committee.

LeRoy Klein, a local businessman and center supporter, said if General Assembly members approve of the business plan, work will begin in earnest to complete construction and open the facility by 2010. The Delaware Civic Center Corp. wants to know whether the project would qualify for federal funding if the center is built to specifications that allow for it to be used as an emergency shelter.

The full article is posted at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/10/13/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

Chris Gasiewski writes on Oct 24 in the Delaware State News that the ECHL has been monitoring the plans in earnest consideration of bringing a hockey team to Dover. If the center is built, a team will come. "We have an interest in the market," league commissioner Brian McKenna said. "If a building is approved and constructed we will be interested." McKenna said that either an existing team would relocate to Dover or the league would establish a new franchise if the center is built.

E. Stuart Outten, a Dover businessman and head of the Delaware Civic Center Corporation said, "We have been assured when the civic center is built the ECHL will have a hockey team here. "The Joint Bond Bill Committee allocated $2 million to the civic center corporation back in June, with the stipulation that the corporation would have to present a business plan to the committee on Dec. 1. Outten said the corporation will be prepared to do so. "We are moving along," he said. "We have a consultant working on some fine tuning of the details."

As for hockey, the ECHL has interest in the Dover area because it is a non-competitive market. While Dover is in somewhat close proximity to both the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals, it would save fans time and money to attend an event in Dover. "It is attractive," McKenna said. "On the regional basis, with the fan support, putting all that together, it's a market." McKenna said a team, whether it is relocated or started from scratch, would have to fulfill responsibilities before dropping the puck. First, season ticket sales would have to meet league expectations. The staff would also have to become involved with the community and select a jersey. "It's important to get involved in local chamber of commerce," McKenna said. The team would also become involved with local hockey leagues, such as those held at Centre Ice Rink in Harrington.

The article can be read at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/10/25/dm/central_delaware/sports/dsnspt01.txt.

Kelli Myers writes in the Dover Post - Civic Center group plans to keep the late Roy Klein’s vision alive. The story also notes that the DCCC was no longer seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds for the project. The article is posted at http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newsklein.html.

Kristian Pope reported in the News Journal on 12/01/2005 that Delaware Civic Center Corporation co-chairman E. Stuart Outten said he has asked for a one-month extension to prepare his final presentation to the state legislature for funds to build a civic center because there has been a delay in receiving the final projected cost of a civic center from the C.H. Johnson Consulting company. "It's simply a formality," he said. "We want a totally prepared presentation. We're dealing with a lot of money."

The final figures by C.H. Johnson were recently tweaked, Outten said, to reflect the option of building on land owned by Delaware State University adjacent to U.S. 13 in Dover. DSU associate vice president for business services Richard Cathcart said building on school property would allow a greater number of parking spaces for the facility.

Cathcart also said DSU wants the civic center to be built on its land so it could be connected to a football stadium if one is built by DSU -- without state funding -- in the future. Cathcart said the university's consultation from C.H. Johnson on a football stadium, separate from the civic center project, should be ready later this month.

Read the story at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051201/SPORTS08/512010362/1002/SPORTS

Joe Rogalsky writes in the Delaware State News on 1/25, that the long awaited proposal was submitted to the legislature last week and that, according to the report, building a civic center in Dover would cost nearly $60 million. The report does not contain specific proposals of how much funding the corporation is seeking from the state, Kent County and private sources. Those details will have to be worked out as the Bond Bill Committee prepares the fiscal 2007 capital budget, which takes effect July 1.

According to the report, the arena would have a 7,500-seat capacity, which could be expanded to 9,100 for concerts. The facility would feature 300 club seats, each selling for $1,000 a year, and 20 luxury suites, costing $30,000 per year. It would open in 2010 or 2011, with naming rights expected to be sold for about $200,000 per year, .

The report mainly features research done by Chicago-based C.H. Johnson Consulting Inc. It projects that the complex will hold 145 events a year, attracting 452,800 fans; and generate $2.8 million in revenue, a $400,000 profit in 2011, growing to $3.6 million in revenues and a $600,000 profit in 2020.

The story is posted at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2006/01/25/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

Kristian Pope writes in The News Journal on 02/11/2006 that Delaware State coach Greg Jackson has drawn interest from bigger schools. The Hornets seem primed to repeat last year's MEAC Tournament championship, the first in school history, but Jackson confirmed he is being courted to leave DSU for a better coaching job when the season concludes. First-year DSU athletic director Chuck Bell said. "Just so fans know, I'll do my best to keep [Jackson] here.

Bell said the upgrading of DSU's facilities, considered to be among the MEAC's worst, will be a key factor in retaining Jackson. The school is awaiting a decision from the state legislature's Joint Bond Bill Committee on additional funding for the Delaware Civic Center Corp.'s proposed $59.6 million multi-use arena in Dover. The Hornets hope to play men's and women's basketball games there. "He's had a tremendous recruiting disadvantage [with Memorial Hall]," Bell said. "And compared with the facilities around the MEAC, I'm amazed that Greg's been able to compete against that."

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060211/SPORTS08/602110341/-1/NEWS01

Kristian Pope writes in The News Journal that it appears that DSU is losing hope that the Civic Center will be built.

Delaware State's dream of an on-campus civic center to house its basketball games is all but gone, school officials said Thursday, but a contingency plan is being developed for a privately funded facility.

The school was hopeful its partnership with the Delaware Civic Center Corp. would lead to construction of a state-supported $75.1 million, 7,500-seat, all-purpose arena and conjoined football stadium located near campus on U.S. 13.

The state legislature's Bond Bill Committee removed the football stadium portion of the project last June and is not expected to decide until July on additional funding for the arena portion.

Read the rest at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/SPORTS08/603030365/-1/NEWS01

Ben Andersen writes in The Dover Post that a state group will ask the federal government for $15 million to pay for 25% of the proposed $60 million Delaware Civic Center. As part of recently completed Delaware Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, the state is eligible to apply for federal money for the proposed 9,100-seat arena.

Bernard Dworsky, a UD professor who administrated the process, said there is no way to know if the funding request would be approved, but the arena scored highly on benchmarks such as local partnerships and job creation. The state’s final economic development plan should be submitted by May. An answer on the funding could return as soon as the fall, Dworsky said.

Thanks for keeping this updated, Tim.

Kristian Pope reports in the 3 May 2006 News Journal that Delaware Civic Center Corp. officials will ask the state today for $3 million and tell lawmakers of their plans to raise $60 million to build a civic center next to the Delaware State campus.

DCCC chairman E. Stuart Outten said said the plans would be made public today when the DCCC goes before the state legislature's Joint Bond Bill Committee. Much of the money likely will come in the form of a bond sale or private funding. The Bond Bill Committee's deadline for completing the state budget is June 30.

Outten said he is optimistic the DCCC's plan will gain favor with the committee. "Hopefully, we'll have everything in line to start construction in 2007," he said.

For the full article, go to http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/SPORTS08/605030375/-1/NEWS01http://login.passport.com/login.srf?id=2&vv=400&lc=1033

So, would this still be a prospective home for an ECHL team, or has that been nixed with the new designs? Also, the article doesn't say, but would a 2007 construction start be early enough to get a team in for the 2008-09 season?

So, would this still be a prospective home for an ECHL team, or has that been nixed with the new designs? Also, the article doesn't say, but would a 2007 construction start be early enough to get a team in for the 2008-09 season?

I would think that a construction start of 2007 would be very tight to get the team in for 08-09, unless the team plays on the road for the first month or 2.

I guess it would depend if they mean January 2007, or December 2007 :)

WGMD, Delmarva's Local News Source reports May 4, that it's still not clear if state lawmakers will boost funding in the coming year for Dover's planned civic center. Officials with the Delaware Civic Center Corporation updated the legislature's Bond Bill Committee yesterday. Kent County has agreed to cover about one-third of the construction cost.

There is a new website at http://www.doverciviccenter.com hosted and designed by FirstStateWeb.com which states that it is an internet development company based in Dover, and feels it necessary to be part of the community they live in. They believe that the people of Dover, DE have a will to be involved in the building of The Delaware Civic Center and want a place to discuss the matter. A good thing is that it requires registration to post at the site.

It currently includes the following two categories of forum items:

Speculations & Discussions

Polls - These polls will help us understand how you feel about the Dover Delaware Civic Center.
Financing - Who is financing the project, where is it coming from and where will the proceeds go?
Attendance - Who will attend the events?
Employment - How many new jobs will this create for DOVER residents?
Social Economics - Let's talk about the social and economical ramifications of the Dover Delaware Civic Center.
Delaware State University - What does Del State have to gain and how will it help Dover in this joint effort to bring a civic center to Dover?
Images - Images from the proposed Dover Delaware Civic Center.

Confirmed Facts About Dover Delaware Civic Center

Location - Where will the civic center be located?
Funding - How much money will this project cost and where is it coming from?
Employment - How many jobs are being created for LOCAL residents and what are the average salaries?
Delaware State University - Why did they donate land and what are they going to receive in return.

Kristian Pope reports in a 10 June ‘06 News Journal story found at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060610/SPORTS08/606100334/1002/SPORTS that DSU men's basketball games may move to the Rollins Center. DSU athletic director Chuck Bell calls Memorial Hall inadequate.

Bell said he's adamant about finding an alternative venue, even if it does not mean an increase in seating capacity. He said the Rollins Center's capacity would not be much more than the 1,520 seats at Memorial Hall, which was reduced last year from 3,000 after Bell's staff determined the seats were too small. DSU sold out four of its 10 home games last season.

DSU is awaiting a decision from the General Assembly on funding a proposed $60 million, 7,500-seat civic center in Dover. The legislature has until June 30 to finalize the state's budget for fiscal year 2007.

The legislature pledged $2 million for civic center planning for fiscal 2006. The Delaware Civic Center Corp. has asked for that money to be released so it can start planning and for another $3 million to start the project. Officials said that if construction began today, the civic center wouldn't open before 2010. "There's nothing on the horizon for a civic center, just a lot of talk and no action," Bell said.

The Hornets have won two straight MEAC regular-season championships. The team set a school record for wins last season (21) and won its first postseason tournament game, beating Northern Arizona in the NIT opening round.

Joe Rogalsky, Delaware State News writes on June 29 that Bond Bill Committee members voted Thursday to authorize $2 million toward building a civic center on U.S. 13 in north Dover.

The civic center would house a minor league hockey team, Delaware State University basketball games, concerts and other events. The arena would have a 7,500-seat capacity, which could be expanded to 9,100 for concerts. The facility would feature 300 club seats, each selling for $1,000 a year, and 20 luxury suites, costing $30,000 per year.

Legislators have allocated money in previous years, including $2 million in fiscal 2006, but had not committed to moving forward. The $2 million appropriation in the fiscal 2007 budget combined with language allowing the facility to be built partially on land owned by DSU excited supporters, who have been backing a center for decades.

E. Stuart Outten Sr., president of the Delaware Civic Center Corp., said the state’s commitment will let supporters secure funding from the Dover and Kent County governments, as well as private investors. If all goes well, he said, construction of the $60 million facility will begin in about a year and take four to five years to complete. "This will be a great enhancement to the quality of life in the area," said Mr. Outten, a Dover businessman and former state legislator.

Thanks for keeping us updated, Tim. I pass through Dover en route to Ocean City, MD via Rt. 1. How far are we talking from exit 104?

Kim -- The arena will be less than a mile from Exit 104. With a little traffic light timing control, leaving after an event should be a breeze.

Kelli Myers, Dover Post staff writer reports that in the early hours of July 1, legislators approved a $597.5 million bond bill, which funds capital projects including construction, for FY 2007. Included in the bill was $2 million for a civic center, pleasing E. Stuart Outten Sr., chairman of the Delaware Civic Center Corporation. The General Assembly also gave the corporation permission to utilize some land owned by Delaware State University off Route 13 for the project. “This is just what we needed to move forward,” he said, noting the $2 million, along with the $2 million the legislature set aside last year for the project, will allow the corporation to finish the final layout for construction. “This project is a major undertaking but I think this is a green light from the General Assembly saying they approve of the Delaware Civic Center and for it to be in the center of the state.” Construction, which would last between four and five years, should begin in about a year, Outten said.

Sen. John C. Still III, R-Dover North, was glad to see some money set aside for the Delaware Civic Center. Citing the civic center as a great benefit for Delaware, Still said he hoped more funding would be set aside for the project. “With 1,000 net loss jobs in Kent County, we need it as an economic engine for the area more than anything,” he said. “This is a big project that will have major ramifications on the city and county.” Unless substantial funds are acquired for the project soon, Still said he’s afraid the corporation will lose out on certain opportunities, such as housing an East Coast Hockey League team. “I’m pleased it didn’t get taken off [the bond bill], but it’s not fully on there either,” he said.

In The News Journal on June 14, Kristian Pope and Patrick Jackson write that building a civic center and public arena in Dover isn't a new idea -- it's been kicked around since the mid-1980s. Getting the financial commitment to make such a facility a reality has been a struggle. But state lawmakers changed that in the early hours of July 1, when they put a $4 million down payment on the estimated $56 million project in the state's capital budget.

The Delaware Civic Center Corp. (DCCC) received $2 million in new funding and now has access to $2 million awarded in 2005 that had been put on hold while the Bond Bill Committee reviewed information about the project. Overall, the DCCC will ask for $40 million from the state, with the remainder coming from a $20 million bond sale through Kent County Levy Court. Construction is expected to begin next spring.

"You almost want to say, 'It's about time,' " Rep. Donna Stone (R-Dover South) said. "The city of Dover and Kent County Levy Court have been on board with this for some time now, and we're finally putting money forward. I definitely do think this is up and running now."

The arena would be built partially on land owned by the university. The DCCC would use the land as part of a 99-year, $1-a-year lease with the school.

The article is posted at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060714/SPORTS08/607140365/-1/NEWS12

Drew Volturo writes in the Delaware State News on 11/18/06 that a proposed state economic initiative could open the door for federal and state funding for various construction projects, including a long-standing plan for a Dover civic center.

E. Stuart Outten Sr., who chairs the Delaware Civic Center Corp., said he was pleased to hear that another funding avenue might have opened up to get the 30-year project off the ground. “For all the years we have been working on it, I’m very excited that part of the state feels that the civic center, with its diversity of possible entertainment, will be a benefit for the economy and are getting behind it,” Mr. Outten said. “Hopefully, with the proper funding, we can break ground in a year.”

Mr. Outten estimated about 80 percent of the funding is secure if Kent County bonds and anticipated state funds are in place. He was cautiously optimistic about the possibility of securing federal funds, wondering if there would be any “strings attached” to the money. “If it doesn’t make the timeline years off, we would consider it,” Mr. Outten said.

The full article is at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2006/11/18/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

Thanks for the updates, Tim

Rachael Jackson writes in The News Journal that, "Quiet little Laurel argues over big development - $500 million project would bring 1,400 homes, hotel, sports venues."

More than 100 residents packed the Laurel (DE) Fire Hall on Monday night to voice their opinions about a development that could create a hub of sporting events, housing, retail businesses and amusements in the otherwise sleepy town.

At stake is 480 acres of farmland. Developers are proposing multiple sports stadiums, 1 million square feet of retail space, a hotel with an indoor water park and 1,400 residential units for the now-quiet stretch of land.

"The original concept [of Discovery Place] was to bring a modern-use sports facility to Delaware," said Wendy Baker, director of public relations for Ocean Atlantic Associates. "We looked at locations and this site was chosen because it's in the heart of Delaware on a major thoroughfare that bisects the state."

The plan includes a 12,000-seat sports arena, but I have not seen anything about hockey. As is fairly typical for small towns in general, and those in "Slower, Lower" Delaware in particular, much of the local population is adamantly opposed as evidenced by the statements at http://www.newszapforums.com/forum39/19990-3.html.

This story was posted Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/NEWS/611210364/1006/NEWS.

Rachael Jackson has updated her story for The News Journal, in a posting dated December 6, 2006, and headlined Development disturbs quiet Laurel - Not all residents in favor of 480-acre Discovery Place. Read it at: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061206/NEWS/612060365/1006/NEWS

The Delaware Civic Center project now has an official web site with the appropriate address - http://www.delawareciviccenter.com/. Information provided includes the full downloadable feasibility study, a list of potential uses, facts about the facility including an overhead view of the intended site, a promotional video, and an invitation to sign up for a newsletter.

The Delaware Civic Center project now has an official web site with the appropriate address - http://www.delawareciviccenter.com/. Information provided includes the full downloadable feasibility study, a list of potential uses, facts about the facility including an overhead view of the intended site, a promotional video, and an invitation to sign up for a newsletter.

Interesting that the potential uses specifically states ECHL (although someone should tell them that ECHL no longer stands for East Coast Hockey League) and not just hockey in general.

Interesting that the potential uses specifically states ECHL (although someone should tell them that ECHL no longer stands for East Coast Hockey League) and not just hockey in general.

Not to mention the ECHL is not "the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League."


Looks nice though.

In a story posted on Dec 13 at http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newscivic.html, Jeff Brown writes that A subcommittee of the Delaware Civic Center’s board of directors has selected the architectural firm it wants to design the projected $60 million facility.

As of press time, however, the unnamed company has yet to announce whether it will take the job, said Carolyn Courtney, executive secretary for the Delaware Civic Center Corporation.

The subcommittee looked at letters of interest from 13 firms, eliminating nine of them before sitting down with the remaining four, Courtney said. Those interviews were completed last Monday, and the prime candidate notified on Thursday.

"We have started to negotiate with a firm," Courtney said. "They were notified on Dec. 7, and we’re waiting for them to look at the contracts."

"The main issue is getting all the financing in place," said E. Stuart Outten Jr., chairman of the DCCC board of directors. He also said that, assuming the money falls into place and environmental and site plan studies are completed on time, construction workers finally could break ground this summer.

Further to my entry of 11/21/06, The News Journal posted the following on Wednesday, December 20, 2006:

Laurel's Town Council OKs zoning changes paving way for Discovery Place project

LAUREL -- The proposed Discovery Place project in Laurel passed another hurdle this week as Town Council voted to adopt zoning changes for a 480-acre plot of farmland.

The project, just east of U.S. 13, calls for 1,400 dwelling units, more than a million square feet of retail space and multiple sports stadiums. The land was annexed to the town Dec. 4 despite opposition from residents who fear the project may bring urban problems to their rural community. A final vote on both the land annexation and the zoning changes is scheduled Jan. 8.

In her story in The News Journal, posted Tuesday, January 9, 2007, Rachael Jackson writes that opponents say huge development will disrupt rural lifestyle.

Developers with plans for multiple sports stadiums, more than a million square feet of retail space, 1,400 housing units and possibly a hotel with an indoor water park received final approval from the Laurel Town Council Monday night. The approval follows months of packed public hearings and controversy over 480 acres of mostly farmland that were officially annexed into the town Monday.

The $500 million development will be built as a destination for youth sporting events, complete with a 12,000-seat sports arena, a 6,000-seat baseball stadium and several other venues, along with hotels, shopping, entertainment and permanent housing.

Read the full story at: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070109/NEWS/701090340/1006/NEWS

rural life style:

I'm pretty sure there's not much in Central Delaware other than the city of Dover and Dover AFB



So what's being interfered with?

The Dover Post notes that Delaware Civic Center Corporation has announced the selection of Sink Combs Dethlefs Architects of Denver, Colo., as architects for the proposed civic center.

The company has national experience in designing mid-sized and collegiate products, according to a DCCC press release. Work by the company includes arenas in Prescott Valley, Ariz., and St. Louis.

The building is planned as a multi-purpose arena for ice hockey, basketball, trade shows, family entertainment and tournament-style athletics. Global Spectrum will handle programming at the arena.

Link to Dover Post (http://www.doverpost.com)

You have to find the keyword search and enter "Arena" for the article.

By Jim Flood Sr.
Publisher

After 30 years of discussion and promotion, and 20 years since the first state funding, the idea of a Delaware Civic Center is gathering steam. One indication was the vote of support last week by members of the Kent County Tourism board of directors.

From its beginning concept as a Dover Civic Center, the idea has evolved and expanded over the years to its present identification as the Delaware Civic Center and Sports Complex, with a price tag of $92 million. The new and pivotal element in the project’s development is the inclusion of Delaware State University as a prime user of the center for its basketball and football programs.

Dover has donated 40 acres behind the Lowe’s store on the city’s northern side and the Delaware Civic Center Corporation, using some of the $5.35 million in state funds provided since 1988, has added to that site. The city is to provide a total of $17 million in support, including the land value and other costs. As the current funding plan outlines the financing, private money would account for $11.6 million and Kent County Levy Court would finance a $20 million debt. With the city’s participation already counted, the center would be spending $44.6 million for an arena and $23.4 million for a stadium, with $7.1 million ticketed for site work.

By Kristian Pope, The News Journal, posted Sunday, January 21, 2007

Sometimes, ideas are so good they make too much sense. Other times, it's impossible to understand why some people just don't get it. Take Delaware's long-discussed civic center, for example. The state has no freestanding sports/entertainment complex. That's not an oversight. It's not even poor planning. It's quite simply the most ludicrous thing I've encountered while covering events in this state.

It's a shame. In my travels covering Delaware State sports, I've seen cities with more arenas than they know what to do with. That's clearly not the way to go, either. But Delaware always will be small-time, in my opinion, until it gets its act together and builds this thing once and for all.

If the state were a family, this entire fiasco would be like trying to persuade the family that its house needs a kitchen.

Full story at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070121/SPORTS/701210338/1002/SPORTS

The Dover Post reports on 1/24/07 that, at last week’s meeting of the Kent County Tourism board, the prospects for construction of the Delaware Civic Center were reported to be quite bright. According to one timetable, the center aims to be open by September of 2009, a date which would coincide with the start of the basketball season for Delaware State University. DSU is expected to use the new basketball court, which is part of the project.

Also, Volume 1, Issue 1 of the Delaware Civic Center Arena News has been published. You can sign up to receive the newsletter free at http://www.delawareciviccenter.com/.

Jeff Brown writes for The Dover Post that Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner turned down an $18 million funding request for the center when she submitted her fiscal 2008 spending plan to the General Assembly Jan. 24. The $18 million figure rejected by the Minner administration represents the state’s 30% share of the project. Local and private funding is to account for half, with the federal government picking up the remaining 20%. But Uncle Sam won’t chip in until everyone else has raised their share of the money.

Getting the project’s funding machinery in gear falls on Dover Mayor Steve Speed, named in January to head the DCCC’s financial subcommittee. Speed also is working to overcome what he says is the misconception that such a project in Dover would not be profitable. In actuality, as a public facility the arena would not need to make piles of money, only enough to meet its expenses, he said. Speed, for one, is hopeful. Minner’s budget request is just that – a request – and there are other avenues to pursue, he said. “We’re still looking to the state for a large chunk of money. For the upcoming fiscal year, we’re talking with the legislature and the bond bill committee. The legislature always makes changes to the governor’s recommendations.”

Read the story at http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newscivicenter.html

The Delaware Civic Center Commission's early February meeting with their architectural firm, Sink Combs Dethlefs, has provided more specific information for the arena project. Attachments show exhibition and trade show arrangements.

http://www.delawareciviccenter.com/PDFs/Exhibition_Floor.pdf
http://www.delawareciviccenter.com/PDFs/Trade_Show_Booth_Layout.pdf

So that $18M fund request shouldn't be a problem, no?

As Dover's mayor Stephen Speed noted at the last DCC Commission meeting, the Governor has never included funding for the Delaware Civic Center in previous budgets, so nobody should read too much into it this time.

On a hockey note, the folks at the Centre Ice Rink at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington, DE (http://www.skateatthefair.com/), have expressed interest in providing office space and practice ice for the proposed team in Dover. The rink is located about 20 miles south of the civic center site.

In a story by posted at http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/03/13/dm/sussex_county/dsn03.txt, Misty Autumn Seemans, Delaware State News writes about issues addressed at the recent Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon at Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center.

She stated that Chamber chairman John Friedman said the group supports the creation of a Delaware Civic Center. There was no immediate comment from the legislators. “No one is jumping up and down,” retired Brig. Gen. Richard Bundy, a member of the chamber, said. Rep. Donna D. Stone, R-Dover, and Sen. Still later said they would support a center.

Jeff Brown, Dover Post news editor writes that businesses along the Route 13 corridor in Dover soon may be asked to pay additional property taxes to raise money for a proposed civic center. The possibility of a tax hike, which could be as much as 15%, was raised during a joint meeting of three city council committees held April 12. The money would allow the city to make a $5 million contribution toward the $60 million projected cost of the center.

Dover City Manager Tony DePrima said the businesses, stretching from Scarborough Road to Dover Air Force Base, would be part of a newly created Business Improvement District, similar to one created for downtown businesses. Funds collected under the BID are used for general improvements in the central business area of Dover. “This is a way for the city to contribute without new taxes or a referendum,” DePrima said.

Obtaining that funding, however, has been a problem that has continually plagued the DCCC board of directors, including vice chairman D. Wayne Holden, who also spoke at Thursday’s meeting. Holden said that one of the biggest stumbling blocks in finding necessary funds has been a false perception that local residents would see tax increases to pay development and construction costs. That is not the case, he said. Under the Business Improvement District concept, the costs would be spread among the commercial property owners along Route 13, businesses that would see an upswing in profits from visitors to the civic center, he said. “You place the expense and the cost on those who will benefit the most,” Holden said. The idea of a new business improvement district to raise money for the civic center received a mixed reception from committee members.

The committees concluded the meeting by asking a draft resolution be prepared that, if approved, would put council on record as supporting the center. “We need it,” Councilwoman Sophia R. Russell said after the meeting. “It’s long overdue and there are a lot of positives with it. “We need to learn that Dover’s not a small town anymore.”

The article at http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newscivic.html includes a newly revised rendering of the center which was shown to council committee members at their April 12 session.

Kate House-Layton writes in the Delaware State News, "Ask E. Stuart Outten about the Delaware Civic Center and he might reach into his pocket and pull out a foam hockey puck." The puck that bears the logo and Web site of the Delaware Civic Center Corp., which Mr. Outten heads, also advertises the minor league hockey team that could come to the First State if the civic center is built.

Hockey wouldn't be the only attraction, civic center officials say. From basketball and wrestling to concerts and skating exhibitions, the civic center could house all these events in a way that other Kent County venues cannot. "It's projected for many, many uses," center administrator Carolyn Courtney said.

The civic center has spent the better part of 30 years as a dream and a plan. If revenue sources pull through, however, it's possible the $60 million project could break ground next year at its 40-acre site off U.S. 13. A minor league basketball team and an arena football team also have shown interest in the center, Ms. Courtney said. "These people want a place to play, and they want to hit Delaware, they feel we're a venue for their sport," she said.

http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/04/20/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

Group wants $7 million next year
Rachel Kipp posts at The News Journal website on May 3, 2007 that a group trying to move plans to build a civic center in Dover forward made a pitch Wednesday to the Joint Bond Bill Committee, as legislators questioned how expected contributions from a variety of organizations would come together to create a profitable facility.

The article is found at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/NEWS/705030400/1006/NEWS

Jim Flood Sr, Dover Post Publisher, wrote the following opinion piece in the 5/9/07 edition:

The decades old dream of a comprehensive civic center in Dover is edging closer to reality. It's going to happen. The arguments for in are very persuasive. But the same old question persists: When?

Proponents of the civic center marshaled sound reasons for partial state funding in a meeting last week with the Joint Committee on Capital Improvement. Experts testified on the strengths of the proposal. As expected, members of the committee were especially interested in just how the overall funding would be handled and how sound the projections are for a successful operation.

It's important to mention that the planned civic center is to be a state facility, one that will contribute to the economy of central Delaware but also to the economy of the state as a whole. With manufacturing declining as an economic mainstay, and with sources of income like gambling being challenged by other states, it is important to maximize the attraction of Delaware as a tourist destination.

The civic center would lure people to Delaware who wouldn't be coming here otherwise. Reasonably large conventions could be handled. DelState would have a place where sizable crowds could attend its basketball games.

Serious planning and sensible projections are part of the pitch that proponents of the civic center are making. Investment in the center now will bring dividends sooner.

Thanks for your dedication to this thread, Tim... please continue to keep us informed, and know that at least one person outside of Delaware is rooting for your guys to get this thing done and put Delaware on the pro sports map.

P_B

:bb:

Although at $2 million, (State) funds approved for the Delaware Civic Center were less than expected, Carolyn Courtney, administrator for the Delaware Civic Center Corporation, remains optimistic that ground breaking for the facility could come this fall. The corporation originally asked for $7 million.

“It’s a bit of a setback but it’s not going to slow us down,” she said. With an accrued $8.5 million account, Courtney anticipates both the city of Dover and Kent County will chip in $5 million each. “If that $10 million comes through, that’s enough to get shovels in the ground,” she said.

Construction on the civic center should take about 18 months; the project as a whole is expected to cost about $60 million.

http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newsbudget.html

Thanks for all the updates, here's hoping this thing happens.

Kristian Pope writes in The News Journal on August 2, 2007 that the university could build its own facility if money isn't allocated.

If the Delaware Civic Center Corporation fails to cobble together $16 million within the next year, its chairman said he fears the concept might be lost to developers in Sussex or New Castle counties or because Delaware State University would pull out of the project due to its continued delay.

"If we don't get it done, a major tenant, that being Delaware State, will be forced to build their own gym or field house in Dover," Outten said. "That will add significant cost. If we lose Delaware State, then we lose the magnitude of the project we want."

State Rep. Richard Cathcart, who also works as associate vice president of university operations at DSU, said Wednesday if construction does not begin in the next year, DSU will look at other options for an on-campus facility to replace 25-year-old Memorial Hall.

"We can't keep waiting around for the civic center to come on line," Cathcart said. "It's killing us."

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070802/SPORTS08/708020378/1002/NLETTER01

Misty Autumn Seemans and Kate House-Layton write in the Aug. 16 Delaware State News that the fate of proposed Dover arena rests with Kent County and the city of Dover.

Members of the Delaware Civic Center Corp. must fund part of its $62 million project soon or 30 years of work will come to a screeching halt.

“If the city of Dover doesn’t come up with the $5 million, then I don’t think Levy Court (the Kent County council) should either,” said Delaware Civic Center Corp. president E. Stuart Outten Jr. “And then we can walk away from this project because it’ll be dead.” The Dover City Council held off any further financial support until it hears back from a special subcommittee it appointed earlier this year to explore the civic center commission’s financial stability.

Mr. Outten said Delaware’s economy is changing toward tourism. “We have got to have the vision, in my opinion, to position ourselves in to take a good economic stance that will help our industry which ... is going to be tourism,” he said.

“I really, really want this to happen,” Levy Court Commissioner Bradley S. Eaby said. “We are finally getting some money for the state, down here in Kent County. So it’s a good time to hop on this project.”

http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/08/16/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

Jim Flood Sr., Dover Post publisher, wrote on Sept. 26 that since a civic center would be good for central Delaware and for the state as a whole, why shouldn’t the state carry a much larger financial role in bringing the center to reality? The whole state will benefit from such a center; why shouldn’t the whole state pay for it, or at least for most of it, from tax dollars? The civic center would be a boon to all of Delaware. It is understandable that all of Delaware should be involved in paying for it, just as taxpayers the state over pay for highways.

It was a night of tough questions, as approximately 150 area residents attended a public forum on the proposed Delaware Civic Center. Many of the concerns dealt with the financial impact of a center and how it would actually benefit the community. The event, hosted by the Greater Dover Committee, did not answer questions of how the facility’s construction would be funded, although that was the main concern of many in the audience.

Executives from Global Spectrum, which manages the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and would manage the Dover facility. Mike Ahearn, vice president of operations from Global Spectrum, said the trend recently has been for the newer facilities to be built in mid-market cities like Dover.

Todd Glickman, vice president of sales and marketing for the company, added the majority of their 67 arenas are in small markets. Even without the promised minor league hockey team the civic center would still operate in the black, he said.

Ken Wajda, company vice president of finance, said the only facilities that lose money do so because of specific problems, such as not having the capacity to have an ice sheet for hockey or hosting university events that don’t sell alcohol.

Glickman said the ECHL also is 100% committed to the arena and believes the market would be a home run. “They came to us and said, ‘You build it, we will come.’” Ahearn said.

http://www.doverpost.com/pages/newsciviccenter.html

Amid tight financial times for the state, Delaware State University president Dr. Allen L. Sessoms requested a 23.7 percent increase in state funding for the school’s operating budget in fiscal 2009 and $26.5 million earmarked for capital improvements at Thursday’s state budget hearing. A major part of the proposed capital improvement budget was a $10 million request for a new education and athletics center to house a basketball arena and instruction rooms.

DSU has been a key promoter of the much-debated Delaware Civic Center, which remains on the drawing board with funding problems. “That’s a big deal for us,” Dr. Sessoms said about the proposed $20 million field house. “We don’t have anything.” DSU’s current basketball arena seats 1,600 people and is too small for the school’s needs, he said.

“Even if the civic center goes ahead, and we’re putting our full effort behind that one, it’s not going to substitute all the other things we need a field house for,” Dr. Sessoms said. “And if the civic center doesn’t happen, or takes another 10 years, we have a fallback to at least play some basketball in a decent place.”

However, he said nothing would take the place of the proposed $60 million center in Dover, in which the school hopes to hold basketball games. Dr. Sessoms said if the state does not provide the requested $10 million, DSU would still have to continue forward with the plan at some level. “We’re going to go ahead with something,” he said. DSU spokesman Carlos Holmes said there are no plans available for the proposed facility, which he described as a “very viable plan B” to the civic center.

http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/11/01/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

By JAMES MERRIWEATHER, The News Journal, Posted Tuesday, 1/15/08

A city-appointed committee has recommended the city of Dover should chip in $5 million toward the cost of a $61 million civic center, but only if the state provides written assurances that the city would not be on the hook for operating deficits. After eight meetings to delve into the building proposal, committee members came away persuaded that promoters of the civic center had been far too optimistic in projecting that the facility would generate profits even in its first year. In large part, committee members said, the skepticism stems from projections that count on an ECHL franchise for almost half of operating revenues.

According to the committee's research, 27 of 52 the league's franchises folded within 10 years, including 10 within the last three years. A projection from C.H. Johnson, a Denver-based consulting firm, that hockey attendance would grow by up to 20 percent at Dover in each of the first five years, was dismissed out of hand. Committee members agreed the civic center probably would be saddled with operating deficits in its early years. "Historically, the ECHL has not hung around very long," said Timothy R. Horne, finance chief for Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment and a member of the city committee.

The estimated cost of the facility is $61 million. So far, the state has contributed $8.5 million and is being counted on to chip in $12 million more over several years. Delaware State University, which would stage men's and women's basketball games at the facility, has pledged to throw in $6 million. The wild cards in the funding scenario are Dover and Kent County Levy Court (County Council), which also has been asked to chip in $5 million as well as issue $20 million in bonds to help finance construction of the civic center. Commissioner Bradley S. Eaby, D-Dover, Levy Court's finance chairman, said Levy Court was waiting to see whether Dover hands over its requested cut before considering its proposed share of the deal.

Full article at:
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/NEWS/801150335/1006/NEWS

Ouch -- not a great picture of the league, but you have to admit, it's accurate in terms of teams having issues staying around more than a few years... and that's true across the low minors.

Hotel levy would face fight from lodging and tourism interests outside Kent
By JAMES MERRIWEATHER, The News Journal Posted 1/21/08

Since June 2005, the Kent County Levy Court has had the blessing of the Delaware General Assembly to issue $20 million in bonds to help pay for construction of a $61 million civic center. The Legislature also told the county it could impose a new hotel tax in Kent County should the money the new facility brings in fall short of what's needed to pay off the bonds. Now, county officials are looking into a statewide hotel tax hike to secure the bonds, a recommendation issued by a committee appointed to examine whether the city of Dover should chip in $5 million toward construction costs.

But expressions of opposition from representatives of hotels in New Castle and Sussex counties -- already bitten by a tourism slowdown blamed, among other things, on high gasoline prices and a generally sluggish economy -- suggest that any legislative approval of a statewide tax would come only after an all-out fight.

C.H. Johnson, a Denver-based consulting firm, has compiled figures indicating that by 2015, the civic center would generate $1.2 million in hotel spending within the city and roughly equal amounts in other areas of the county and beyond. They project a first-year surplus of $165,000 and incremental increases up to $369,000 in the fifth year of operation. McGinnis' committee rejected those projections, because of doubts that money generated by an ECHL franchise would be sufficient to cover 44 percent of operating revenues. "We just don't think [a minor league hockey franchise] will survive this market," McGinnis said.

Full article at: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/NEWS/801210340/1006/NEWS

There's tourism outside of the Delaware short points and Dover? Maybe northern Delaware (Wilmington) cause it's a bit more bustling but not much to really hang a hat on

The Dover City Council has rejected a request for $5 million for the proposed $62 million Delaware Civic Center.

The vote Monday was unanimous, despite a recent recommendation by a council subcommittee in support of the contribution.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/NEWS/80226012/1006

The Dover City Council has rejected a request for $5 million for the proposed $62 million Delaware Civic Center.

The vote Monday was unanimous, despite a recent recommendation by a council subcommittee in support of the contribution.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/NEWS/80226012/1006

Does this mean that the issue is dead?

Council votes against $5 million contribution to project
By JAMES MERRIWEATHER, The News Journal - Posted Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Dover City Council has decided not to contribute $5 million toward construction costs for a $61 million civic center, perhaps pulling down the final curtain on a dream that had been harbored for decades by many city residents.

Carolyn Courtney, administrator of the Delaware Civic Center Corp, says the corporation's board probably will determine the fate of the push for the project at its March 25 meeting.

House Majority Leader Richard C. Cathcart, R-Middletown, said that, given Dover's council vote and the reluctance of Levy Court to hold up its corner of the financing plan, it's doubtful that additional state money would be appropriated this year. "It would have put Dover on the map as a destination for major entertainment events," Cathcart said, "and I think it's a shame the [Dover] vote went the way it did last night."

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080227/NEWS/802270350/1006/NEWS

Any updates recently?