READING, Pa – SMG, who currently own 50 percent of the Reading Royals hockey team (ECHL), announced that the Berks County Convention Center Authority has committed to the purchase the other 50 percent of the Royals from AEG. The sale, pending league approval in early June, is slated to be completed by June 30, 2011.
“The Berks County Convention Center Authority recognizes the importance of a long and healthy relationship with the Reading Royals,” noted P. Michael Ehlerman, Authority Chairman. “When the opportunity became available to purchase partial ownership, it made a lot of sense to further our commitment to the Reading Royals and the Greater Reading community. I look forward to the increased involvement with the Royals as we enter the next chapter with the Sovereign Center under the management of SMG.” “The Authority leadership over the past decade has been the catalyst for success of the Sovereign Center and I look forward to the same success as we combine our staffs to create a sales, marketing and management entity for the future of our joint operations,” said Wes Westley, SMG President and CEO. “This is a great day for the Reading Royals organization and our fans with this new commitment by the Berks County Convention Center Authority,” said Royals General Manager, Mark Wallace. “Without the Authority there wouldn’t be a Sovereign Center or Reading Royals, and now that the Authority is part of the ownership, it solidifies the Royals presence and future in our community”. “It is a tremendous way to begin a new decade in the Royals and Sovereign Center histories…working as one business together.” The Royals will kick-off their eleventh season in the ECHL this October. The organization, which has enjoyed twenty-nine sellouts at the Sovereign Center in Reading over the past ten seasons, will welcome the team’s two-millionth fan through the turnstiles during the 2011-12 season. This past year the Royals, who have qualified for the ECHL playoffs in six of the last eight seasons, established a new team record with 44 wins in capturing the Atlantic Division Title. The Royals are affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League for the past three seasons. The team has had 18 players advance from the Royals to the National Hockey League, including goaltender Jonathan Quick, who started his pro career with Reading and is currently with the Los Angeles Kings and was a member of the 2010 US Olympic Team and Rich Peverley who is currently playing for Boston in the Eastern Conference finals. Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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