Further to reports last week that the Calgary Flames are looking at the possibility of moving the Abbotsford Heat to Glen Falls New York, new reports give credence to the rumours.
Cover photo: John Carl D’Annibale/Times Union
A report on Timesunion.com confirms that Glen Falls is trying to attract the Heat to fill its empty stadium.
As a sign of the strong willingness of Glen Falls officials to make a deal with the Flames, Timesunion.com states that the Glen Falls civic center “may be closed down if a new team cannot be secured.”
In another report Monday the heat are described as ‘the best hope’ to keep the Glen Falls Arena open.
That story describes the situation this way:
“Glens Falls is known as one of the best minor league hockey cities in the U.S., having hosted the Adirondack Red Wings for 20 years until 1999. The Phantoms are middle of the road in terms of AHL home attendance, with 5,031 fans per game. The Heat average 2,614 fans, last in the league.”
The situation in Glen falls seems similar to that in Abbotsford with the arena losing money but local bars and restaurants doing well because of the average 5,000 fans per game. That part of the equation has not really materialized in Abbotsford since the local bar and restaurant scene doesn’t seem to depend on Heat fans for their business.