This is a hockey town

With the opening of the Independence Events Center around the corner, I am amazed many are still asking the question, "Can hockey make it in Kansas City?"

One need only walk through the doors of Overland Park’s Pepsi Ice Midwest to answer that question. More than 500,000 people each year attend ice skating and hockey related events at the two-rink center.

The University of Kansas Men’s Hockey Team, 500 youth and 500 adult area hockey players, six high school teams and five out-of-town teams -- each at the varsity or junior varsity level -- call Pepsi Ice Midwest home. Additionally, the facility plays host to more than a dozen major hockey tournaments each year, drawing players and their families from across the United States.

I hope the Independence Events Center will serve to strengthen what is already a strong hockey community.

Bobby Collier

Director of Hockey of Operations

Pepsi Ice Midwest

Olathe

Comments

[JoCo]

Heck, Sol, we couldn't even keep an NBA franchise here with the likes of Tiny, Sam, and Scotty. And KC is big on roundball, witness the college tourney history. Like you, I can't see hockey drawing enough. I hope we're wrong.

Anyone know the latest on Scotty Wedman? I lost track after his accident way back on Barry Road

[solomon]

....looks like a nice facility along i-70, but if they think hockey is a draw in this town they'll be disappointed.......

[JoCo]

Well, Kee, they WILL be playing "on ice".

And how dare Jackson County/ Independence build a hockey/multifunctional enterprise/gov't facility when they already have wasted real estate at the Truman Sports Complex!

[Kee]

I suggested the name for the hockey team, The Independence MethMen! Too bad it didn't catch on.......