GREENVILLE , S.C. – The BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina will be welcoming ECHL hockey back in October. The last time hockey fans in this part of the south saw a game at the arena was back in the 2005-2006 season, when the Greenville Grrrowl played its final season. After last ditch efforts to keep the team going came up short, the franchise had no choice but to fold. Now after four years, Greenville welcomes the former Johnstown Chiefs organization to the city. “The BI-LO Center and the Arena Board wanted the ECHL back and have been very welcoming,” said Operations Vice-President Matt Loughran. Greenville wasn’t the only city in the running when decision was made to move the team. In addition to Greenville, San Diego was also in the running. “After researching both cities, we knew Greenville was it,” said Loughran. “In fact, Neil (Smith) will be making his residence in this area.” Since making the move following the end of the 2009-2010 season, the franchise has gotten off to a good start and has received a fair amount of support from the community. As of May 31, 2010, the team leads the ECHL in new season ticket sales, which means people are buying tickets. In addition to that, the team received approximately 5,000 entries in the “Name the Team” Contest, which concluded on May 28th. “We are looking at several names that have been submitted; the winner will receive season tickets for life,” said Loughran. The team plans to unveil the team name, logo, and colors on June 25, 2010 at the Main Street Friday event, at the Hyatt Fountain, in Greenville’s downtown. As the team heads toward opening night, hopes for a great first year in Greenville are high for the franchise. With Greenville starting up, the South Carolina Stingrays, and the possible return of the Columbia Inferno, ECHL hockey in the state of South Carolina should be exciting in 2010-2011. Contact the author at ryan.kouvolo@prohockeynews.com
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