Ontario May Be Gearing Up for a New Hockey Team
Photo credit: HTR
Most recent developments may indicate that the AHL will be making a comeback to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
According to a report by Bret McCormick of Sports Business Journal, the American Hockey League may be making a comeback to Hamilton, Ontario.
According to SBJ, talks regarding the return of an AHL team to Hamilton are ongoing between the league and Oak View Group, the organization that funded the renovation of Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre. The city's major arena, FirstOntario Centre, is undergoing ongoing renovations, and the potential return of AHL hockey coincides with significant changes in the city's sports scene.
Ten story suites, a distinctive premium offering combining bunker suite privacy with direct visual access to the seating bowl and the event taking place, will be included in Oak View Group's renovation of the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario. When the $280 million building is reopened in late 2025, OVG will manage the entire complex. The building's 21 suites, which can accommodate up to 18,000 people, include the floor suites, which are arranged ten in a row on one side.
«It's the right size from a suite perspective in the market,» OVG Canada President Tom Pistore said. The goal, with architects Brisbane Brook Beynon (BBB), was to «not to overbuild suites,» Pistore said. «And when you do build them, make them really interesting and exciting.»
Before the 2023-24 season, the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL relocated to Brantford. When the renovations started, the Hamilton Honey Badgers of the CEBL and the Toronto Rock of the NLL moved permanently to Brampton.
Numerous historic hockey events have taken place in the arena, including the 1987 Canada Cup, where the legendary Gretzky to Lemieux goal defeated the Soviets in the tournament. In 1990, 17,383 fans packed the arena to watch Oshawa vs. Kitchener in the OHL finals, setting a record for the highest single-game attendance for an OHL game. Aside from hockey, FirstOntario Center has hosted other historical events. In 1988, it played host to the first WWE (then WWF) Royal Rumble and housed the Toronto Raptors for a couple of games while the Air Canada Center was being built.
Tim Leiweke is the chairman and CEO of Oak View Group. He was previously the president and CEO of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment. Numerous arenas, including those for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and Seattle Kraken, the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders, Coachella Valley Firebirds, Providence Bruins, and Colorado Eagles, have been developed by the company.
Should these plans materialize, Hamilton will once again be considered as one of the more prominent AHL markets. It will also be able to bridge a significant gap left by the departure of its teams and restore an important aspect of the city's sports culture.
Latest 10 stories
