Danbury Ice Arena

Last updated
Danbury Ice Arena
Danbury Arena Logo.png
Danbury Ice Arena (53564620451).jpg
(2024)
Danbury Ice Arena
LocationOne Independence Way
Danbury, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°23′42″N73°27′01″W / 41.3951°N 73.4503°W / 41.3951; -73.4503 (Danbury Ice Arena)
Public transit Aiga railtransportation 25.svg MTA NYC logo.svg Danbury
Aiga bus trans.svg HARTransit: 2, 7
OwnerDiamond Properties
Capacity 3,000 (Boxing/MMA)
2,340 (Concerts)
2,000 (Hockey w/500 SRO) [1]
Construction
Opened1999
Renovated2004
Tenants
Danbury Trashers (UHL) (2004–2006)
New England Stars (NEHL) (2006–2007)
Danbury Mad Hatters (EPHL) (2008–2009)
Danbury Whalers (FHL) (2010–2015)
Danbury Titans (FHL) (2015–2017)
Connecticut Whale (PHF) (2019–2022)
Danbury Colonials/Jr Hat Tricks (NA3HL) (2019–2024)
Danbury Hat Tricks (FPHL) (2019–present)
Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL) (2020–present)
Spice City FC (MASL2) (2024–present)
Website
www.danburyice.com

The Danbury Ice Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Danbury, Connecticut, that can seat about 3,000. [2] [3] It was built in 1999 with renovation and expansion in 2004.

The Danbury Arena was the home of the Danbury Trashers of the United Hockey League from 2004 to 2006, and the New England Stars of the North Eastern Hockey League in 2006–07. In 2008, the Danbury Mad Hatters of the Eastern Professional Hockey League signed a lease with the arena [4] and played one season before the league folded.

On December 27, 2009, the newly formed Federal Hockey League (FHL) announced that the Danbury Arena would be home to the Danbury Whalers. [5] On April 3, 2015, the Danbury Ice Arena did not want to renew their contract with the Danbury Whalers and gave them a notice to evict by April 17, leaving the last remaining team from the inaugural FHL season homeless. [6] After initially announcing the Stateline Whalers to begin playing in nearby Brewster, New York, the Whalers organization was dissolved and a new group started the Danbury Titans in the FHL to play the 2015–16 season. The Titans also ceased operations in 2017.

In 2019, the Hall family, [7] who had owned the arena for 18 years, sold the arena to Diamond Properties. [8] The new management, with Herm Sorcher from the previous FHL organizations acting as managing director, brought in three new tenants for the 2019–20 season: the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation, the Danbury Colonials of the junior North American 3 Hockey League, and another FHL (since rebranded as Federal Prospects Hockey League) team in the Danbury Hat Tricks. [9]

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References

  1. ↑ Danbury Arena - Quick Facts
  2. ↑ "Brian Koonz: Danbury Arena owners should give Division I college hockey a try". CT Post. April 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Danbury Arena - Home of the Danbury Whalers". Roaming the Rinks. October 18, 2014. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  4. ↑ "The Danbury team will play 25 home games at Danbury Arena as part of the 2008-09 Eastern Professional Hockey League regular season which begins Saturday, November 1, 2008." as seen on 2008-06-15 at "Mad Hatters Hockey > Home". Archived from the original on 2008-03-29. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  5. ↑ Federal Hockey League Announces first team, Danbury Whalers, http://danburywhalers.com/news2.php?lang=1&team_id=138884
  6. ↑ "Arena ends agreement in evicting Danbury Whalers". The News-Times. April 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Danbury ripe for baseball, says team owner". The News-Times. October 27, 2004.
  8. ↑ "Danbury Ice Arena under new ownership as of midnight; Reportedly eyeing possible FHL return". Bus League Hockey. March 15, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Danbury Arena the New Home of the Connecticut Whale". OurSports Central. July 8, 2019.
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