Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 3, 1993 TAG: 9303030045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
REVO, HUNTSVILLE NEAR DEAL
Roanoke Valley Rampage owner Larry Revo is close to completing a deal to move the East Coast Hockey League franchise to Huntsville, Ala., a league source said Tuesday.The source, who would speak only if not identified, said the deal could be completed "in the next seven to 10 days."
Revo was out of town Tuesday and unavailable for comment.
On Sunday at the Vinton LancerLot, Revo confirmed he is in the middle of "healthy negotiations" with officials from Huntsville's Von Brunn Civic Center.
Ron Evans, manager of the 6,600-seat arena and Huntsville's point man in the negotiations, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The source said Von Brunn officials have sweetened terms listed in their original proposal offered to Revo. The rental fee has been reduced from $3,800 to $2,850 per game. The new package also includes free office space, free practice time and a rental rebate clause that would become effective if the team draws 96,000 or more spectators next season.
Revo, who bought the Roanoke Valley franchise from Vinton's Henry Brabham last summer, has been trying to relocate the club for some time. The Rampage is averaging an ECHL-low 1,510 spectators per game at the 3,216-seat LancerLot.
Revo's first relocation choice was Syracuse, N.Y., but the deal was nixed this month when Onondaga County Auditorium officials decided they didn't want to gamble on bringing in a losing club from a league foreign to most in upstate New York.
Huntsville, a longtime college hockey hotbed, has drawn big crowds for several ECHL exhibition games and fits in well with the league's geographical structure.
Revo also talked with Roanoke Civic Center officials about moving the club to the 8,363-seat arena. Led by Roanoke City councilman Delvis "Mac" McCadden, the Roanoke Civic Center Commission actively pursued keeping the club in the Roanoke Valley, sending Revo a proposal in January.
However, Revo said the civic center's proposal "was not even close" to others being offered, and the negotiations waned.
Revo gave the civic center a Feb. 28 deadline to cut a deal, but Roanoke Civic Center Commission chairman Vern Danielsen said Monday that the group hasn't heard from Revo.
If he reaches an agreement with Huntsville, the only hurdle left would be final authorization from the ECHL's board of governors in a May meeting.
This month, ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly said he thought Huntsville would be a good addition to the league and that he couldn't see any reason the other ECHL owners would vote against a franchise moving there.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***