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Wednesday, February 7, 2001

WPHL All-Star game awarded to Memorial Coliseum in 2002

By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times

Caller-Times file

The WPHL will unite Fort Worth and Corpus Christi players when the league brings its All-Star Game to the IceRays’ home rink next season.

Corpus Christi - whose Memorial Coliseum has the smallest seating capacity and smallest ice surface among any Western Professional Hockey League team - will serve as host of the league's 2002 All-Star Game, the league announced Tuesday.
   WPHL president Brad Treliving said at a press conference prior to the IceRays' game Tuesday night against El Paso that it was Corpus Christi's organization - which was awarded the league's Franchise of the Year Award last year - that helped bring the annual event to the city.
   "This is our marquee event, so the bottom line from our standpoint is the organization," Treliving said. "Corpus Christi may have the smallest building, but it has the best atmosphere. They weren't hindered by their facility because they do a good job in putting on the game. You have to have faith in the organization. We're not just showcasing the team, but the effort the organization has put in."
   Odessa was host to this season's all-star game, which drew 5,390 fans to the 5,200-seat Ector County Coliseum on Jan. 26. In the first five years, the WPHL has drawn an average attendance of 5,586 to its all-star games.
   Corpus Christi, meanwhile, is sixth in the league in attendance with an average home crowd of 3,559 this year.
   Treliving said that having the league's smallest venue would offer fans a different type of hockey game to enjoy from the previous five all-star games.
   "The play was a factor, and we looked at that," he said. "With smaller ice surfaces, you tend to see less scoring and more high-impact play."
   The IceRays initially made known its interest in hosting the All-Star Game during WPHL meetings in June 2000. The franchise turned in its formal application before the Nov. 1 deadline along with four other WPHL teams.
   IceRays officials learned late last week of the league's decision.

Past All-Star Games
A look at the previous five WPHL All-Star games: Year Location Building (capacity) Attendance 1997 Belton Bell County Expo Center (5,320) 5,031 1998 Lake Charles, La. Lake Charles Civic Center (5,549) 5,057 1999 Austin Travis County Expo Center (7,400) 7,427 2000 Amarillo Amarillo Civic Center (5,200) 5,027 2001 Odessa Ector County Coliseum (5,200) 5,390

   "There was a lot for us to overcome," said IceRays coach Taylor Hall. "To pull off such a large event, you have to have people who can handle it. At the point where we're at now, we're not afraid of taking this on. We're welcoming it with open arms."
   City officials were not present during the team's initial presentation, though city councilman Javier Colmenero said Tuesday that the IceRays made their bid to the WPHL with the city's full backing.
   The city's selection as all-star hosts further magnifies the IceRays' status in their own community, Comenero said.
   "Hockey is still a young sport in Corpus Christi, but look at how the people have accepted it," Colmenero said. "We are in a desirable location for any type of venture. As we head into the future, we are now beginning to see the ramifications of a successful organization. It is time to rejoice."
   Treliving said he will return to Corpus Christi next week for a preliminary meeting with team officials. The next step is to decide on a date for the game, which Treliving said will be on a Friday during the last two weeks in January or first week in February, depending on the league schedule next season.
   "When (the WPHL) saw how small our building was, no one thought we were going to make it," Hall said. "The opportunity is always there, but so many miss it, even when it's right in front of their face. Without the help of the league, this wouldn't have been possible. They taught us a system that works, which hopefully will keep us successful for many years."



Staff writer Javier Becerra can be reached at 886-3734 or by e-mail at becerraj@caller.com

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