ALBUQUERQUE -- The New Mexico Scorpions will skip the
Central Hockey League's 2005-06 season while they wait for the
construction of a new arena.
Scorpions President Doug Frank announced Tuesday that the team
would sit out the season rather than continuing to play at the
"deteriorating" Tingley Coliseum.
The new $42 million arena in Rio Rancho will seat 6,500 and is
scheduled for groundbreaking on June 14.
Frank also said the pending sale of his team to Bill Dutton,
director of development for Phoenix-based Arena Management and
Construction, has fallen through.
Dutton said it's in the best interest of the Scorpions and their
fans to move ahead with their plan to move to Rio Rancho. He said
he plans to focus his efforts on an arena in downtown Albuquerque.
The city selected Dutton's company to build the 10,000-seat arena
in March 2004, but efforts to attract private funding have stalled.
Frank said he decided to move the team sooner than expected
because of recent comments by the state fair commissioner and the
Expo New Mexico general manager regarding the team's status as a
tenant at Tingley Coliseum.
"Our modest requests concerning the deteriorating conditions of
Tingley Coliseum have been met with incomprehensible indifference,
leaving me no choice but to make this very difficult decision,"
Frank said.
A message was left seeking comment from an Expo New Mexico
spokesman.
The Scorpions provided about $50,000 in revenue to Tingley
Coliseum in 2005-06.
Frank said the team is thrilled to be playing at the Rio Rancho
Event Center in 2006.
"I applaud Mayor (Jim) Owen, the Rio Rancho City Council and
the commissioners of Sandoval County for their foresight and
ability to work together to make this project a reality," he said.
Special incentives will be developed for season ticket holders
who have paid for their 2005-06 tickets should they commit to the
following season in Rio Rancho. Refunds will be given to those who
don't wish to attend games at the new venue.