| 09 September 2010
So Tuesday, I ran this piece about some upgrades that were being done to Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City for the Red Wings Training Camp and 13th annual prospect tournament. Want to see a couple fairly low quality pics of what they look like?
Well thanks to the Traverse City Record-Eagle, that is possible now...
The mezzanine above the ice surface adds about 180 seats to the rink's capacity.
I can only imagine that it's Darren Helm streaking accross the camera...putting it out of focus.
Also being added to the arena is a day care center, hospitality area, trainer's room and locker areas in the fitness center. All this was paid for by the Red Wings' golf outing and dinner.
The upgrades are right up Ken Holland's alley:
"You try to do things first class," Holland said. "In a world when there's free agency at 27, when there's a cap, you've got to convince people to take a little less to stay. And when you draft players and develop them, this is the first glimpse of the organization — Traverse City and this facility. It's the first opportunity to tug at the heartstrings of the players. Any time people are happy where they're at, they're prepared to sacrifice a little bit. That's really what we started (here) in 1997 and this (expansion) takes this facility, the Prospects Tournament and our training camp to another level."
First class is Ken Holland's middle name.
