In an update to Wednesday’s story Two WSHL Teams At Risk With Dallas Arena Closure, TJHN has learned that two potential homes for WSHL teams in the Dallas area have been purchased by the Dallas Stars.
In a series of business moves the Dallas Stars have acquired the AHL’s Calder Cup Champion Texas Stars, and the Cedar Park Center where the AHL team is located.
In other moves potentially effecting ice availability for any potential relocation of the WSHL’s Dallas Icejets and Texas Attack, the Stars parent company Northland Properties Corporation, has taken over two other local ice arenas.
The Stars have purchased both the Plano Star Center and the Ice Training Center in Richardson.
The 120,000 square foot Star Center, featuring two full-size NHL ice surfaces, underwent a complete renovation in 2012. The facility is home to Severyn Sports, a multifaceted sports training center owned by former NHL player Brent Severyn, and Vitality Sports Medicine, specializing in chiropractic and sports medicine care.
The 51,000 square foot Ice Training Center in Richardson houses two full-size NHL ice surfaces. Opening for business in 2001, Ice Training Center in Richardson will become the Dr Pepper Star Center Richardson once the purchase is finalized, making it the seventh Dr Pepper StarCenter location in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex including Euless, Farmers Branch, Frisco, McKinney, Valley Ranch and Plano.
With the Dallas Stars maintaining close relationships with both USA Hockey and various NAHL and NA3HL organizations, multiple sources are reporting that it is unlikely ice will be available to WSHL teams based upon expansion of those programs ice time usage. One source stating;
“Its supply and demand. We have a lot of user groups that want and need more ice. The closure of an arena displaces youth hockey players, figure skaters and other recreational user groups. Those people need to be accommodated, and they have been working on securing ice for months in anticipation of that closure.”
While it certainly remains possible that a WSHL team could secure ice, it is questionable that ice would come with the necessary dedicated dressing room and other facilities that would be required for junior hockey. It is also unknown what times in the day that ice would be available to any team not only for practices but for games.
One thing that is certain is that the Stars organization is doing everything possible to grow hockey, and ice sports in general in the greater Dallas metropolitan area. Like the Buffalo Sabres, more NHL teams are seeing the value in that local user growth as well as regional branding. TJHN sources are reporting that other NHL clubs will soon be entering into similar agreements in the near future.
