Courtesy of the American Hockey League
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced today that the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic will be held at historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sunday, January 29 and Monday, January 30, 2012.
The first AHL All-Star event held outside an AHL city is being made possible through the partnership of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Caesars Entertainment and the American Hockey League.
“The American Hockey League is looking forward to working with Boardwalk Hall, the ACCVA, the CRDA and Caesars to make the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic a truly special event,” said Andrews. “The historic Boardwalk Hall will provide an incredible and appropriate backdrop for us to celebrate our league and our sport’s best young players.”
The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic, pitting the top players from the AHL’s Eastern Conference against the best of the Western Conference, will begin with the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m.; the AHL All-Star Game will follow on Monday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic, which include admission to both the Skills Competition and the All-Star Game, are priced at $52 for seats on the glass, $37 for lower-level seats and $32 for upper-level seats. Tickets go on sale Monday, Sept. 12, at noon ET, at the Boardwalk Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (800) 736-1420 and at www.ticketmaster.com. For group orders, please call (609) 348-7021.
Details on other social events to take place during the All-Star Classic, including the 2012 AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, will be announced at a later date.
“The AHL All-Star Classic is a great addition to the lineup of exciting sporting events scheduled to take place in Boardwalk Hall this year,” said Jeff Vasser, President of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. “Continuing with A10 Men’s Basketball, ECAC Hockey and the Atlantic City Boardwalk Rodeo, Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall is the perfect venue to enjoy your favorite activity.”
“Partnerships and events of this magnitude are what continue to help grow our market and position Atlantic City as the East Coast’s top entertainment destination,” said Don Marrandino, Eastern Division President for Caesars Entertainment. “The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic at historic Boardwalk Hall will shine the national spotlight on Atlantic City, allowing the community to showcase what a diverse entertainment destination we are.”
While this is the debut of the AHL’s All-Star Classic at Boardwalk Hall, the venue enjoys a life-long association with hockey dating back to Dec. 28, 1929, when the New York Rangers took on the Ottawa Senators in a regular-season National Hockey League contest. Boardwalk Hall hosted four Albany Devils games during the 2010-11 AHL season, and is currently the home of the ECAC Hockey men’s championship.
“We’re thrilled to host this event as it provides the perfect opportunity for local fans to see the best up and coming talent that hockey has to offer”, said Greg Tesone, General Manager for Boardwalk Hall. “The All-Star Game, coupled with the Skills Competition and Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, will also allow fans to interact with the players and experience the sport on a more engaging level.”
The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic in Atlantic City will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League, competing in the AHL All-Star Skills Competition and the AHL All-Star Game.
Showing posts with label Atlantic City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atlantic City. Show all posts
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Boardwalk Hall to host minor-league and college hockey in 2010-11
Courtesy of the Press of Atlantic City.
Area hockey fans were thrilled to hear these six words: Hockey is back at the Hall.
The New Jersey Devils this season will bring to Boardwalk Hall five minor-league games, which are being sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and Caesars Atlantic City. An official announcement will be made at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Boardwalk Hall.
"I'm certainly happy to have hockey back in the city. I will definitely be there," said Atlantic City's John Russo, 22. "I thought the Bullies were the best sports in the city for the last 15 years."
The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies played four seasons at Boardwalk Hall but went to Stockton, Calif., in 2005 after attendance numbers sagged.
Russo's reaction was typical of fans contacted, who missed having a local team. Fans will get four games with the American Hockey League's Albany Devils and one with the East Coast Hockey League's Trenton Devils at Boardwalk Hall. The schedule will be released during Tuesday's news conference.
The move is part of an ongoing trend by Atlantic City officials to bring in more sporting events and other nongaming attractions.
"The idea for me is to mix up entertainment options and produce entertainment to a different group that wouldn't traditionally come to Atlantic City," ACCVA Executive Director Jeffrey Vasser said Friday.
Just this week, it was announced that the Offshore Powerboat Association is bringing powerboat racing back after an absence of almost 20 years.
In November, Boardwalk Hall will host the Legends Classic, a four-team college basketball tournament. Next March, the state high school wrestling tournament, the Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division I college ice hockey tournament will all be contested at the hall.
Harrah's Entertainment traditionally has brought nongaming events to Atlantic City, specifically boxing. But in April, it sponsored the Caesars Tennis Classic, during which tennis stars Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Andy
Roddick performed. More than 7,000 people attended the event, which is scheduled to return next year.
"I think anything that brings a broader visitor base to Atlantic City is a good thing," said Don Marrandino, president of the eastern division of Harrah's Entertainment. "We have to change the way people do things in Atlantic City to get people here, and we saw this as an opportunity."
Russo went to about 10 Bullies games a year with his family, but the overall attendance figures were not strong enough to keep the ECHL hockey team in town. In its final year, the Bullies averaged audiences of 2,453, the fifth lowest in the league at the time.
The Trenton Devils - then called the Trenton Titans - were a big rival of the Boardwalk Bullies. The Bullies won the ECHL's Kelly Cup under Mike Haviland in 2003, who also coached the Trenton Titans to a championship in 2005. Haviland was an assistant coach for this year's Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.
A good turnout for the five Devils games this winter could give the city another push for a team.
"A great turnout would go a long way," Vasser said. "I think if you find an owner, one of the questions will be about the community support."
Vasser also feels the Albany Devils games will boost the two-day ECAC hockey tournament, which starts March 18, 2011. The college tournament has been held in Albany since 2003.
"This is a great opportunity to reach out to a different market segment," he said.
Area hockey fans were thrilled to hear these six words: Hockey is back at the Hall.
The New Jersey Devils this season will bring to Boardwalk Hall five minor-league games, which are being sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and Caesars Atlantic City. An official announcement will be made at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Boardwalk Hall.
"I'm certainly happy to have hockey back in the city. I will definitely be there," said Atlantic City's John Russo, 22. "I thought the Bullies were the best sports in the city for the last 15 years."
The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies played four seasons at Boardwalk Hall but went to Stockton, Calif., in 2005 after attendance numbers sagged.
Russo's reaction was typical of fans contacted, who missed having a local team. Fans will get four games with the American Hockey League's Albany Devils and one with the East Coast Hockey League's Trenton Devils at Boardwalk Hall. The schedule will be released during Tuesday's news conference.
The move is part of an ongoing trend by Atlantic City officials to bring in more sporting events and other nongaming attractions.
"The idea for me is to mix up entertainment options and produce entertainment to a different group that wouldn't traditionally come to Atlantic City," ACCVA Executive Director Jeffrey Vasser said Friday.
Just this week, it was announced that the Offshore Powerboat Association is bringing powerboat racing back after an absence of almost 20 years.
In November, Boardwalk Hall will host the Legends Classic, a four-team college basketball tournament. Next March, the state high school wrestling tournament, the Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division I college ice hockey tournament will all be contested at the hall.
Harrah's Entertainment traditionally has brought nongaming events to Atlantic City, specifically boxing. But in April, it sponsored the Caesars Tennis Classic, during which tennis stars Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Andy
Roddick performed. More than 7,000 people attended the event, which is scheduled to return next year.
"I think anything that brings a broader visitor base to Atlantic City is a good thing," said Don Marrandino, president of the eastern division of Harrah's Entertainment. "We have to change the way people do things in Atlantic City to get people here, and we saw this as an opportunity."
Russo went to about 10 Bullies games a year with his family, but the overall attendance figures were not strong enough to keep the ECHL hockey team in town. In its final year, the Bullies averaged audiences of 2,453, the fifth lowest in the league at the time.
The Trenton Devils - then called the Trenton Titans - were a big rival of the Boardwalk Bullies. The Bullies won the ECHL's Kelly Cup under Mike Haviland in 2003, who also coached the Trenton Titans to a championship in 2005. Haviland was an assistant coach for this year's Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.
A good turnout for the five Devils games this winter could give the city another push for a team.
"A great turnout would go a long way," Vasser said. "I think if you find an owner, one of the questions will be about the community support."
Vasser also feels the Albany Devils games will boost the two-day ECAC hockey tournament, which starts March 18, 2011. The college tournament has been held in Albany since 2003.
"This is a great opportunity to reach out to a different market segment," he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)