UConn plans to play in Hartford for the next several years, until a 5,000-seat arena can be built on the school's campus in Storrs, about 30 miles away.
The downtown arena, which hosts some Huskies basketball games and was once home to the Whalers, underwent a $35 million renovation this summer. The building seats 15,000, but UConn was turning fans away at the door. The school has the arena configured for about 6,000 fans, with giant curtains blocking access to much of the upper bowl in an attempt to create a more intimate atmosphere.
"I don't think it fills the void of the Whalers, but this is definitely a plus for us," said 27-year-old Sloan Sandler of Bloomfield, who wore a Whalers jersey to her first UConn game. "We're going to try and come as often as possible."
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who graduated from Boston College, attended the game with his family. He said he will push for UConn to continue to play the bulk of its Hockey East games in Hartford, even after the on-campus arena is built.
"I think tonight is a great demonstration of why -- the ability to draw more people here than are going to be drawn for hockey out there," he said.
Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/latestnews...mies-bc-1-0-hockey-east-stunner#ixzz3IKUMUfSm
The downtown arena, which hosts some Huskies basketball games and was once home to the Whalers, underwent a $35 million renovation this summer. The building seats 15,000, but UConn was turning fans away at the door. The school has the arena configured for about 6,000 fans, with giant curtains blocking access to much of the upper bowl in an attempt to create a more intimate atmosphere.
"I don't think it fills the void of the Whalers, but this is definitely a plus for us," said 27-year-old Sloan Sandler of Bloomfield, who wore a Whalers jersey to her first UConn game. "We're going to try and come as often as possible."
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who graduated from Boston College, attended the game with his family. He said he will push for UConn to continue to play the bulk of its Hockey East games in Hartford, even after the on-campus arena is built.
"I think tonight is a great demonstration of why -- the ability to draw more people here than are going to be drawn for hockey out there," he said.
Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/latestnews...mies-bc-1-0-hockey-east-stunner#ixzz3IKUMUfSm
