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ECHL would like to return to Dayton

Commissioner likes area because it’s close to Toledo and Cincinnati markets.

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By Debbie Juniewicz, Contributing Writer 12:40 AM Saturday, June 27, 2009

A chapter of the Dayton Bombers story is over but, according to ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna, the book isn’t necessarily closed.

“Unfortunately, Dayton turned in its membership, but that means it’s an open market as it relates to the ECHL,” McKenna said. “And from a fan’s perspective, at some point in the future, given the right circumstances, we’d certainly like to be back in the market.”

As a membership league, the ECHL retains the rights to the Bombers name and logo. As an open market, Dayton could be considered for an expansion team in the future.

Ironically, the Bombers have twice been an ECHL expansion team. The first time was in 1991 when Bud Gingher and Arnie Johnson started the team and, again in 2002 when Tim Reilly took over the team from the league after Jean Gagnon had been forced to return its membership.

The Dayton area has tradition and geography on its side.

With 18 seasons on the ice, the Bombers had the second-longest tenure in the ECHL. Only North Division rival Johnstown has a longer ECHL history, as the Chiefs will play in their 22nd season this fall.

Dayton’s geographic proximity to other ECHL clubs makes it a desirable market for the league.

With Toledo returning to the league after a two-year hiatus to build a new downtown arena, and a heated rivalry with Cincinnati, the  I-75 corridor would continue to be a key hockey battleground.

“And Kalamazoo is not that far up the road either,” McKenna said.

The Kalamazoo Wings, after playing the last two seasons in the International Hockey League, were added to the North Division as an expansion team in early June.

But, for all its pluses,  McKenna echoed the sentiments of those in the Miami Valley who support the building of a new hockey facility.

“Much like in Toledo, I think that would be an asset,” he said.

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