Schumer, Diamond: Philadelphia Phantoms Eager to Move to Glens Falls; City Is Team's First Choice0

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SCHUMER, DIAMOND: PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS EAGER TO MOVE TO GLENS FALLS; CITY IS TEAM'S FIRST CHOICE

Schumer and Glens Falls Mayor Diamond Reveal That Owners Of Philadelphia Phantoms Are Ready to Move Franchise To Glens Falls; Talks Between the City, the League and the Team are Almost Finalized

Show of Support Needed to Seal The Deal; Goal is 2500 Season Ticket Holders

Schumer, In Several Personal Phone Calls, Urged Owners of Philadelphia Phantoms to Move to Glens F

Last night, at the Albany River Rats American Hockey League (AHL) hockey game in Glens Falls, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Mayor Jack Diamond announced that the owners of the Philadelphia Phantom's were ready and eager to move their team, the Philadelphia Phantoms to Glens Falls. Schumer has been working with Mayor Jack Diamond to bring a professional hockey team to Glens Falls, and over the last weeks has personally lobbied owner Rob Brooks to relocate the team to the area. Schumer and Diamond announced that Glens Falls was Brooks' first choice, and that he is ready to move that team if they can sell enough season tickets. Schumer noted that the goal of 2500 should be achievable, as the arena is frequently sold out for visiting River Rats Games. Schumer and Diamond made the announcement after dropping the ceremonial first puck at the River Rats sold out game. Currently, the Phantoms are finalizing details of an agreement with the league, the Civic Center and the City of Glens Falls.

"It's been a long fight to bring hockey back to Glens Falls, but we are inches away from our goal," said Senator Schumer. "In the middle of a community of avid hockey fans, the Glens Falls Civic Center is the perfect location for the Phantoms, and I can already picture them celebrating many future victories here."

"We very much want to come to Glens Falls. It's our first choice. We're working hard with the City to finish up the details," said co-owner Robert Brooks.

Schumer noted that Glens Falls has a storied history with hockey. For two decades from 1979 to 1999, the Adirondack Red Wings of Glens Falls had a successful AHL campaign, winning three division championships and four Calder Cups. More recently the Civic Center played host to the Adirondack Frostbite of the United Hockey League. This is the third season Glens Falls hasn't had a team following their 27 year run from 1979 to 2006 and fans and local community leaders are anxious to have a team again. Civic Center General Manager Jason Blumenfeld recently said that he is looking to bring hockey back to Glens Falls and Mayor Jack Diamond said that the city's top priority is to have an AHL franchise. The Albany River Rats, an AHL Team, frequently plays at the Civic Center to a sold out crowd.

The Philadelphia Phantoms recently announced that they will relocate the team since its current facility, Wachovia Spectrum Arena in Pennsylvania, will be closing this year. After meeting with Mayor Diamond last month, Brooks said he was quite impressed with Glens Falls and that given the community's passion for ice hockey, the city would be a good location for the Phantoms franchise. The Albany River Rats played at the Glens Falls Civic Center four times this year, and their most recent against the Portland Pirates was a sell out. The Civic Center is also ready and able to accommodate its own AHL team. The Arena can be configured to accommodate a wide range of events with seating for over 4,000 hockey fans.

The Glens Falls area is also currently undergoing substantial growth. The city is located just a few miles from Malta where Global Foundries is planning to build a $4B semiconductor chip manufacturing plant, the biggest economic development project in New York history that is set to create nearly 5,000 new jobs.

The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in that serves as a developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). 29 of the 30 NHL teams have exclusive affiliation agreements with one of the AHL's 29 active clubs.

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