Post by Banana Cat on Oct 12, 2012 12:07:34 GMT -5
www.pantagraph.com/sports/professional/football/indoor/edge/blaze-owner-hunnewell-close-to-acquiring-bloomington-edge/article_777ec8e6-13c2-11e2-81c1-001a4bcf887a.html
Blaze owner Hunnewell close to acquiring Bloomington Edge
October 11, 2012
By Joe Deacon | jdeacon@pantagraph.com
BLOOMINGTON — The owner of the Bloomington Blaze hockey team appears on the verge of acquiring U.S. Cellular Coliseum’s other major sports tenant.
Sandra Hunnewell is expected to purchase the Bloomington Edge indoor football team from Twin City businessman Jim Morris on Friday.
A press conference has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, at which time the agreement is expected to be announced.
Blaze president David Holt confirmed a deal is near completion.
“It should be done tomorrow morning,” Holt said Thursday.
Morris also confirmed the pending sale, adding he believes the Edge’s new ownership is “well equipped for success.”
Morris, who also owns the Sonic America’s Drive-In in Normal and five other Bloomington-Normal companies, announced his intentions to sell the Edge and the Central Illinois Drive basketball team in July, adding he planned to fold both franchises if new owners could not be found.
“We’ve evaluated extensively what we might and might not want to do at U.S. Cellular Coliseum,” Morris said when asked about the Drive’s status. “We’ve determined that we want to go a different direction and we wish everyone else good luck.”
John Butler, president of Central Illinois Arena Management, said the Edge still have one year remaining on the current football license agreement with the city-owned arena. Transfer of the agreement to the new owners will require approval from the city council.
“From a building standpoint, there are a lot of advantages I think for the Blaze to also operate the football team. They have a fully dedicated full-time staff and an experienced general manager in David Holt,” said Butler. “He really understands the commitment it will take to operate both minor-league teams. I think the fact the season and schedules complement each other will be a benefit to the organization.”
Morris owned both his teams for just one season. He purchased the Bloomington Extreme from Ed Brady last October, one month after launching the Drive, and rebranded the team to the Edge as part of an agreement with the Heller Stores auto dealership.
Hunnewell, a New Jersey pharmaceutical company owner, and Gary DelBuono started the Blaze as a new franchise in May 2011, replacing the defunct PrairieThunder as the arena’s hockey tenant. She assumed complete ownership of the team from DelBuono in February.
The Blaze begin their second season in the Central Hockey League on Oct. 19. The Edge completed their seventh season in June, compiling a 10-5 record in the Indoor Football League.
October 11, 2012
By Joe Deacon | jdeacon@pantagraph.com
BLOOMINGTON — The owner of the Bloomington Blaze hockey team appears on the verge of acquiring U.S. Cellular Coliseum’s other major sports tenant.
Sandra Hunnewell is expected to purchase the Bloomington Edge indoor football team from Twin City businessman Jim Morris on Friday.
A press conference has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, at which time the agreement is expected to be announced.
Blaze president David Holt confirmed a deal is near completion.
“It should be done tomorrow morning,” Holt said Thursday.
Morris also confirmed the pending sale, adding he believes the Edge’s new ownership is “well equipped for success.”
Morris, who also owns the Sonic America’s Drive-In in Normal and five other Bloomington-Normal companies, announced his intentions to sell the Edge and the Central Illinois Drive basketball team in July, adding he planned to fold both franchises if new owners could not be found.
“We’ve evaluated extensively what we might and might not want to do at U.S. Cellular Coliseum,” Morris said when asked about the Drive’s status. “We’ve determined that we want to go a different direction and we wish everyone else good luck.”
John Butler, president of Central Illinois Arena Management, said the Edge still have one year remaining on the current football license agreement with the city-owned arena. Transfer of the agreement to the new owners will require approval from the city council.
“From a building standpoint, there are a lot of advantages I think for the Blaze to also operate the football team. They have a fully dedicated full-time staff and an experienced general manager in David Holt,” said Butler. “He really understands the commitment it will take to operate both minor-league teams. I think the fact the season and schedules complement each other will be a benefit to the organization.”
Morris owned both his teams for just one season. He purchased the Bloomington Extreme from Ed Brady last October, one month after launching the Drive, and rebranded the team to the Edge as part of an agreement with the Heller Stores auto dealership.
Hunnewell, a New Jersey pharmaceutical company owner, and Gary DelBuono started the Blaze as a new franchise in May 2011, replacing the defunct PrairieThunder as the arena’s hockey tenant. She assumed complete ownership of the team from DelBuono in February.
The Blaze begin their second season in the Central Hockey League on Oct. 19. The Edge completed their seventh season in June, compiling a 10-5 record in the Indoor Football League.