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Old 04-17-2020, 03:57 PM   #1
sureLoss
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wranglers Heat exploring practice facility and potential new home in Manteca, Cali.

https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news...ca-great-wolf/

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The Stockton Heat minor league hockey team is exploring the possibility of building a practice facility in Manteca that could ultimately seat up to 5,000 spectators as a possible new home venue for the Calgary Flames affiliate.
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Manteca Economic Development Specialist Don Smail has been talking with Heat representatives and the City of Stockton. The Heat since they are unable to practice on ice at the arena, use Stockton’s Oak Park Ice Arena. The team that is part of the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division doesn’t have locker room facilities at Oak Park.

Smail said the Heat were looking at other alternatives including a possible move to Fresno when Manteca approached the team.

“This is a joint effort to help keep them in (San Joaquin) County,” Smail noted.

Lutzow noted if the council agrees to have the staff continue exploring the ice hockey arena project initial vetting will take place regarding its economic viability and feasibility.



Initial plan would be toserve as training facility & public ice arena

Based on preliminary discussions the arena would initially serve as headquarters for the Heat as well as being the team’s practice facility with home games still played in Stockton.

Lutzow said once the McKinley Avenue interchange on the 120 Bypass is in place, the proposed Manteca arena could then become the home ice for the Heat. In terms of freeway access, a Manteca arena would be within a half mile of two freeway interchanges along the 120 Bypass. The Stockton Arena has no nearby direct freeway access and requires a circuitous route through downtown and residential punctuated with numerous traffic signals.
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Old 04-20-2020, 01:09 PM   #2
DionTheDman
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Is it normal for minor league teams to move around so frequently? It seems like our affiliate is on the move every two or three years to somewhere new.
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Old 04-20-2020, 06:53 PM   #3
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Is it normal for minor league teams to move around so frequently? It seems like our affiliate is on the move every two or three years to somewhere new.
Yes, it's pretty common for teams to switch affiliations and/or relocate their minor league teams every few years.

A few teams have had their minor league team in one city for a long time, but many see a lot of movement. The Bruins have been in Providence since 1992. The Rangers have been in Hartford since the Whalers moved to Carolina.


If you go back to after the lockout in 2005, the Flames are in their 5th AHL city, but those numbers are skewed by being in Omaha and Quad Cities for only 2 years each.

Adirondack was only one season, but that was planned to be a stopgap year from the beginning. The city of Abbotsford no longer wanted to provide the level of compensation that made the team viable when there were no other teams west of Texas, and there was still a year's wait for all the other teams to move to California.

They were in Abbotsford for 5 seasons, and if they remain in Stockton next year, it will be their 6th season. If this new arena deal happens, the Stockton affiliation will likely continue for many years to come.

6 seasons will tie with Salt Lake for the second-longest affiliation the Flames have had. Only the 10 seasons in Saint John was longer.



Looking at a few other teams since 2005:
The Blues are switching affiliates again next season, which will be their 4th since 2005. Also, they didn't have an affiliate for a year in 2017-18.

The Oilers had a split affiliation between Hamilton and Iowa in 2005-06 and no affiliate the following season. Bakersfield is their 3rd different city since 2007.

The Coyotes are in their 4th city since 2005.

The Ducks are in their 5th city since 2005 and had no affiliate for one season.

The Sharks are in their 3rd city since 2005.

Vancouver had a very long partnership with Winnipeg until the Jets moved in. Now, they seem happy in Utica. They had a couple of seasons in Chicago, so they're in their 3rd city since 2005.

The Kings were in Manchester for a very long time until they made the move to California, so they're only in their second city post-lockout.
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Old 04-20-2020, 09:52 PM   #4
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This wouldn't be a move really. more like if the Flames built a rink in Airdrie. Stockton and Manteka actually share a border in a couple spots. If this gives them a better practice facility and algo gives them more stability in Stockton, and doesn't take them away from where their fans are (as happened in Phoenix), then it's a very good thing.
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Old 04-21-2020, 09:47 AM   #5
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I think this news shows there was a dynamic change when Stockton got Sacromento's G league basketball team. The Heat are no longer the premiere/primary tenants for the Stockton arena.

Looks like they want to stay in the area, just a matter of getting a facility that will suit their needs.
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Old 04-21-2020, 01:58 PM   #6
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I'm not familiar with Manteca. Is it as sketchy as Stockton?
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Old 04-23-2020, 11:14 AM   #7
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I'm not familiar with Manteca. Is it as sketchy as Stockton?
The crime statistics for Manteca is much less than Stockton and around average for American cities.

It is a small town of 67000 people and the largest employer is the local school board.

if the Heat where to move there, I think they would be banking on people from Stockton making the drive down.

Manteca is approximately a 20 min drive from Stockton's arena, maybe less when this interchange is built.
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Old 05-05-2020, 07:54 PM   #8
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I'm not familiar with Manteca. Is it as sketchy as Stockton?
Its pretty small from my experience - probably not as sketchy as Stockton though. lol

Stockton is like the forest lawn of the area.. but 100x worse
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