Whether Papista’s proposed 5,500-seat, recreation/multipurpose structure, connected to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, would have ensured a rosy future for minor-league hockey in Dayton isn’t known, but I’m thinking it couldn’t have hurt.
Many cities far less glamorous than Dayton — Battle Creek, Mich., for example — have figured out how to attach arenas to downtown hotels.
I thought about this Thursday when owners of the Dayton Gems of the Central Hockey League held a news conference with three games left in the season to say the team probably will be going out of business unless new investors are located.
Of course, the Gems have been seeking fresh financial blood for several years and have come up dry, so the situation would seem somewhat bleak.
A popular theory is that hockey simply has run its course in Dayton, that the fan base has dwindled to a degree once unimaginable. But here’s another theory: Maybe Hara Arena, that intimate old barn north of town, isn’t the greatest incubator for the sport.
It’s a shame because the Gems, unlike the Bombers at certain points of their run from 1991 to 2009, seem to be in tune with their fans, often treating them to special promotions. OK, so “Steve Bartman Night” had to be scaled back, but the idea— dress up like Bartman, the Cubs fan who interfered with a foul ball in the 2003 World Series, and gain free admission — caused a national buzz.
I know it’s a tough sell, but I hope new investors emerge if that’s what it takes to keep hockey in Dayton.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2408 or smcclelland @DaytonDailyNews.com
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