If someone comes by who can pin this, please do. We don't want it to get mixed in the shuffle

A few quick facts about East Texas and why they need a CHL team

Population (2004 Estimates):
Tyler: 89,552
Longview: 75,306
------------------------
Total: 164,858 and that's just the two larger towns in the area. We can't forget that there are many other centers of population such as Marshall, Kilgore, Palestine, and Jacksonville. For this purpose we can assume the population to be about 230,000

In contrast, the population of CHL cities
Loveland, CO (Eagles) 57,784

Albuquerque (Scorpions) 484,246 (New arena being built in Bernalillo, population 6,956)

Oklahoma City (Blazers) 528,042

Tulsa (Oilers) 383,764

Wichita (Thunder) 353,823

Bossier City 59,611 + Shreveport 198,675 = 258,286 Mudbugs

Fort Worth (Brahmas) 603,337

Southaven, MS (Riverkings) 36,244 + Memphis, TN 671,929= 708,173

Youngstown (Steelhounds) 77,713

Amarillo (Gorillas) 180,791

Lubbock (Cotton Kings) 207,852

Odessa (Jackalopes) 92,844 + Midland 98,082 = 190,926

Austin (Ice Bats) 681,804 (possible new arena in Cedar Park, population 45,360 + Leander 15,874 = 61,234)

Corpus Christi (Rayz) 281,196 + Portland 15,584 = 296,780

Laredo (*ucks) 203,212

Hidalgo (Killer Bees) 10,073 + McAllen 120,743 = 130,816

Therefore, East Texas would be a larger market than the following:

Rio Grande Valley
Laredo
Odessa-Midland
Lubbock
Amarillo
Youngstown
Loveland, CO

Sounds good to me !!

‘need a pond & a way to convince the redneck element that this is a good thing :whistle:

I still say the East Texas Freeze LOL

We could always be original and go with Longview Lobos! LMAO

Hockey Distractions...this post covers other things to do in these areas which may distract people from going to the Hockey games (hey, Central Texas lost its franchise when a movie theater opened up, this is important stuff)

Loveland, CO: Near enough to ski resorts that people go skiing on weekends

Albuquerque: Skiing, University of New Mexico Football, University of New Mexico Basketball

Oklahoma City: Football and basketball at the Oklahoma University down in Norman

Tulsa: Tulsa University sporting events

Wichita: Can't think of anything except that people may travel to Lawrence for KU basketball games

Bossier-Shreveport: Casinos. Casinos. Independence Bowl. Casinos.

Fort Worth: Stockyards, DFW-area sporting events

Southaven, MS: Proximity to Tupelo's casinos, Memphis' attractions

Youngstown: Really, I can't think of anything

Amarillo: Again, nothing

Lubbock: Texas Tech University sporting events

Odessa: Nothing

Austin: University of Texas sporting events, music scene

Corpus Christi: The beach on the warmer days of winter, Division I Basketball for Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and then the touristy locales on the cooler days (and lord do I hate those tourist traps)

Laredo: This place is actually so boring that Corpus Christi Caller-Times writer Greg Rajan said in his blog, "Of course Laredo fans travel to away games. There's nothing else to do in Laredo."

Hidalgo: Nothing.

I think East Texas holds up well in comparison to these places.

And btw my name for the team would be the East Texas Wolves...it just sounds cool

The only thing that would distract from the CHL team would be the HS Football Season

So don't schedule games on Friday night!

Just give high school football the same priority as high school volley ball...problem solved. :whistle:

See you at the hockey arena...I wish!

The next logical step toward getting a CHL Team

East Texas needs a new arena

Possible locations:

Lake Tyler for the scenery and available open land
Kilgore for it's relatively centralized location
323 @ 155 just outside of Tyler

Ideal size:
For this let's look at the average size of arenas in other cities around the CHL

Bossier City 12,500
Fort Worth 11,200
Southaven/Memphis 8,400
Youngstown 5,700
Loveland 5,289
Oklahoma City 18,100
Tulsa 7,111
Wichita 9,560
Austin 7,000
Corpus Christi listed at 7,495; I know for a fact they can get at least 8,500 in
Laredo 8,000
Hidalgo/RGV 5,500
Amarillo 4,986
Lubbock 6,726
Odessa 5,131

Now...average attendance at these same cities from last year's regular season in order of larger to smaller (and I will put the capacity next to it)

Oklahoma City 8245 (18100)
Laredo 6206 (8000)
Bossier 5423 (12100)
Colorado 5289 (5289)
Rio Grande Valley 5171 (5500)
Tulsa 4732 (7111)
Lubbock 4633 (6726)
Fort Worth 4601 (11200)
New Mexico 4554 (13100, moving to new arena 2006-2007)
Corpus Christi 4147 (7495)
Wichita 3995 (9560)
Austin 3966 (7000)
Memphis 3563 (8400)
Odessa 3313 (5131)
Amarillo 3016 (4986)

Something to note...CC sold out all games in the first 3 years of Franchise history, playing at the 3500 seat Memorial Coliseum. And I will take smaller but cosier anytime over the big, hulking arenas like in Oklahoma City or Bossier.

Therefore I advocate building a 5,000 seat arena *with the ability to easily expand if the market dictates*

For any type of hockey arena to be built in this area it would have to be a multi-purpose facility. It would need to be something that everyone could use and enjoy, hockey fans or not.

I see a facility that could be configured for hockey (pro hockey, public rec league hockey and public ice skating), basketball, concerts, tractor pulls & rodeos (for the redneck element), conventions and so on.

I'm thinking that 5000 seats would be fine when configured for hockey.

Let us dream on...

Rodeo? I dont think a Rodeo could be put in the same Arena as a hockey rink. Or could it be :coocoo:

It is in Austin and Corpus Christi for sure

http://www.bucdays.com/rodeo/

Here are some pics from Corpus Christi's arena


Rayz face the flag in front of an opening night crowd of 7,495


Islanders face Oklahoma State in front of a sellout crowd (attendance not reported)

http://americanbankcenter.com

Melt the ice, lay down some plywood, haul in some dirt, add livestock and rednecks...yee-haw!

Pretty sure they do that kind of stuff at CenturyTel.

They don't even have to melt the ice anymore. There is some type of special insulating floor that you lay over it. I know for a fact that the Alamodome in San Antonio does this because they play football on top of two permanent ice sheets. I believe the same technique is used in CC, but I'm not sure

* SH 57 (between 155 & Old Jacksonville)
* In Coffee City, on the banks of Lake Palestine.

A team in Coffee City could have a nice ring to it, i.e. "Coffee City Conquistadors"

Coffee City? Ive never even heard of that place

I thought about Coffee City, but a lot of the area on the banks is developed.

The 57 location is quite intriguing.

How about the Coffee City Capuccinos?

http://www.joplinglobe.com/story.php?story_id=199750&c=87



Joplin population according to the Census Bureau website is 46,380.

This is getting ridiculous

It's as if East Texas is the only section of our country that JUST DOES NOT GET IT !!!!!!

http://easttexaschl.blogspot.com/

Hockey comes first and then the sacred East Texas excuse for a neighbor kickin' good time, high school footbawl !!

If we ever get a team I'm going to recommend you as the head of public relations.

We need to somehow get this info to our local politicians, city council people and area economic development groups. And maybe try to make the CHL aware of our area.

Bottom line...try and peak a little interest!

I'm currently working on getting some contact info for local and league officials for my next post on there. Let the PR war begin!

I volunteer to be team Historian and webmaster of the Dynamos fan site !!

NO!!!

Updated with Contacts

This sounds like a great idea to me!!!:rocker:

Of course!

We all know Smoaky.com Hockey Fans are the smartest hockey fans around :yay:

Yep -- what we lack in numbers we make up with grey matter and unconditional loyalty

LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC! MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US!

Unconditional Loyalty? Dear God thats an understatement

Man these new smilies lmao I love em! :yay:

That is because nobody around here has seen a REAL hockey game. I never held any real intrest in the sport until I saw it played live in person. You don't realize how fast those guys move or how hard they hit until you sit right by the glass:thumbsup:

We really need this. Tyler would probably be the best choice as far as populaiton goes. Please, please let this happen inmy lifetime!

Put it on I-20 on the county line...that way when you get funding you have two tax-bases to draw from.

There was an idea discussed a few years back of building a big multi-purpose facility in the Longview area, but they lost support because it was not able to be funded.


Because of all the whining about not having a big stadium in East Texas to play high school football in...you might as well make it similar to the Alamodome...too bad it will NEVER happen.

I could care less about a place to play football ... we don't need that as a motivation to construct a Convention Center for a town the size of Tyler


... and it WILL happen !!!

The blog will begin to be updated with lots of information regarding minor league hockey starting on January 4.

IF East Texas got a CHL team, it would be hard for me to root against the Mudbugs. I've been a die-hard fan since 2001 and know several of the booster club members over there. Anyone realize that there IS an East Texas hockey team? It's in Texarkana. IF it were to get the funding, and actually happen, I'd be there. It'd be a matter of getting the word out and getting the fan support built up.

Yeah -- I knew that, but I am more interested in professional Hockey

Y'all wouldn't happen to have any old, dingy, small coliseums in East Texas, would y'all? Something that seats about 3500 and is about 50 years old? Because if y'all do...

That would be the best arena in the CHL. I must admit that I was glad when the Rayz moved out of Memorial to the AmericanBank Center (new...hockey capacity 7,495), but after two years (Ok, a year and a half) of hockey there, I still prefer the intimacy of the Coliseum to the spaciousness and amenities of the ABC.

So, East Texas, give us your old, dilapidated buildings that you have given up on! It will soon be the most magical barn in the CHL!

...

If only there was a team...

Check here my hockey friend:

http://www.oilpalace.com/

Ya know, looking at it, the Oil Palace just might be the ticket. It's got the old barn look and it would be cozy.

We gotta start somewhere, right!

Exactly!

i would like to see an afl 2 team play there

A little big...but all in all, perfect!

If you expecting a hockey team...in East Texas..to make money off a place that would hold 3,500 don't count on it.

I say the Oil Palace is in perfect size. Just shape it up a little bit and there ya go. We're in the right direction.

I don't think the Oil Palace compares to the CenturyTel Center though. I absolutely love the CTC.

When the WPHL visited Tyler circa 2000 (I'm still trying to locate the article), they deemed The Oil Palace "too small".

I get the impression that the CHL prefers towns with fancy corporate-sponsored venues.

LoboFan07 -- what about the Maude Cobb Activity Center in Longview ??

I have never seen the building, so my apologies if it is a Harvey Hall clone !!

If the Oil Palace was too small, then Maude Cobb is WAY too small. I guess they could build onto it..But probably not.

Probably have to start something from scratch.

The WPHL deeming the Oil Palace "too small" was a cop-out excuse by the league. If it was too small, why did they grant a franchise to Corpus Christi, whose arena seated 3,500? Odessa (5316)? Alexandria (5600)? El Paso (5600)? Monroe (4712)? San Angelo (5250)? Amarillo (4986)?

Franchises granted by CHL after merger:

Arizona (Prescott Valley, AZ) (5100) begins play 06-07
Rocky Mountain (Broomfield, CO) (6000) begins play 06-07
Youngstown (5700)
Colorado (Loveland, CO) (5289)
Laredo (8000)
Rio Grande Valley (5500)

Note: All franchises granted by the CHL after the merger have been granted only after the promise of a new arena.

Quite honestly, all it takes is for someone to buy out the Oil Palace, renovate it to where it's up to date, stick a name on it (Perhaps the PennzOil Palace), and put some ice down.

NEXT STEP (?)

The five (six, seven?) of us contacting the CHL ???




If the Fabulous Oil Palace is going to be our venue, are we going to have to rethink our team’s nickname with something a little more crude (I’m sorry – I could not resist!)


WildCatters and Roughnecks are off limits, so how about:

Tyler Drillers
East Texas Ice Derricks
Tyler Petrols

I'm on it, again.

What was the first name we had gonna be?! LOL.