Youngstown Chevy Centre (I Told You So)

If You build It – They Will Come

November 29th, 2004, the city of Youngstown, Ohio invested 41 million dollars in a convocation center (Chevy Centre) deemed to breathe new life into the city by luring new business, sports teams, concerts, trade shows and special events to the downtown area.

Global Entertainment was the original management team of the convocation center and created a new hockey team, the Steelhounds, that played in the Central Hockey League. (What a coincidence that Global also managed the CHL) This sounded all good until the Grassy Knoll Institute exposed what the deal really was. The Central Hockey League is based in Texas and has teams in Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and now Youngstown, Ohio. Anyone else see anything wrong with that alignment? Youngstown was the only team East of the Mississippi. The travel expense was very high for Youngstown.

For the original update, go to…. Youngstown Convocation Center 2004

Just a few days ago, the Vindicator (Youngstown’s local newspaper) announced that the Steelhounds, owned by Herb Washington, will not play the 2009 season. Apparently, there are a few issues concerning travel expenses and fee’s not paid. Who didn’t know this was coming? (Apparently the people pushing the hockey league)

Today, the city of Youngstown has a convocation center with a huge slab of ice melting at it’s center core. Temperatures are rising, as are fuel prices as the center realizes declining revenue.

All hope is not lost however. The Arena Football League “Thunder” plays at the center but the schedule only calls for 4-5 home games per season. That leaves an abundance of open dates.
Concerts and trade shows fill some of the void with American Idol winner and country music star Carrie Underwood performing next week to a sold out audience. That still leaves hundreds of days left open on the calendar.

Alas, the center was counting on the hockey team as their revenue maker, hoping for 4500-5000 paying customers for 28-30 home games. That revenue stream has dried up. In fact, the Steelhounds never achieved that type of attendance. Estimates have been as high as 2500 per game and as low as 800 per game. Not nearly what the team needed to break even. (4500 hundred paying customers)

The Chevrolet Centre sits mostly dormant, patiently waiting for city council to sort out the hockey debacle and plan the next spectacular venue (Sarcasm) for the city.

If you build it, they will come. (But only in the movies)

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LURKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL