8/22/2007 12:01:00 AM
Force officials talk in Gwinnett; no decision on move

By Camie Young
Senior Reporter

LAWRENCEVILLE - While officials from the Georgia Force are still weighing the decision on where to play next season, they reached out to the Gwinnett community Tuesday by attending a session of the Gwinnett Sports Council.

Representatives from the Arena Football team have said they are in talks with both the Arena at Gwinnett Center and Atlanta's Philips Arena.

"There's nothing official at this point," ticket sales director Todd Frederickson told the council. "We know if we do go back to Gwinnett, we need to re-establish ourselves into this community. [Please forgive us. We made a really bad decision.]Hopefully we can develop a relationship."

After playing its first season in Atlanta, the Force became one of the first attractions at the Duluth arena in 2003, but the team returned to Philips in 2005.

Frederickson said Gwinnett's size can sustain a minor-league sports franchise[Wow, Gwinnett really is larger than the city of Atlanta], but he said amenities and other factors are being considered.

Philips Arena is considerably larger than the local venue, but the attendance at games was similar at both locations.

"We could have a sell-out crowd (in Gwinnett) every night and create a high demand for tickets," 56y56 Frederickson said. "Hopefully, before we get back here (at the council), we'll have something to announce as to where we are going."

So the delay is b/c the Force Organization (insert Arthur Blank) have some serious Gwinnett booty to kiss before Gwinnett gives the deal it's blessing. Sounds like they're enjoying the booty kissing all the way to the arena but at the same time it'll eventually get done. This is entirely conjecture on my part with absolutely no basis on anything other than my humble opinion but I bet part of the booty kissing is Gwinnett makes Arthur pony up enough bucks to do one or some combination of the following:
1. Raise the roof on the arena (as was built into the original design as an option) to bring total possible attendance to 14k to 16k. I say this one b/c they are going to build a parking deck for the arena. I'll bet if this expansion happens then there'll be more decks built.
2. Entirely refit concessions for the entire place
3. Better locker rooms for the teams
4. Max out the facility for the media

The "kissing" will be extensive.........stopping just short of an "official" name change, but for this to work this time, for all intent and purpose, it will be Gwinnett's team. Blank will have to buy into that concept, offer numerous mea culpas and give a long term committment with painful financial consequences for failure to perform. He needs them much more than they need him at this point in time. 45v6v


On the other points.........you may see expansion down the road, but the expansion of the convention space(some on top of the new deck) and the hotel are a much higher priority. The concessions are fine.....at least they don't serve frozen pizza, like at the Phil. More imported beers would be a plus. The SEC women's tourney teams, other college teams, visiting hockey teams and the Glads all rave about the team facilities, so don't look for much change there. Press area is lacking some for football but fine for hoops and hockey. Press location can only improve by losing some sideline($$$) seats. The infrastructure for TV, etc. is state of the art. The highlight film content on the big boards are much better than what I saw at the Phil although the screen locations are not the best.

Any more insight on the "other" rumors that were floating around? 45v6v

If Blank is about to make a long term deal, that wouldn't be an option without major financial penalties. :mellow:

Hell tell him to kiss up and swallow. Get it done and over with and let's move on to bigger and better things. fgtb76

I am tired of hear all the folks that are doing the "if they move, I won't go,: thing. I'd like to hit them over the head with a folding chair.

oh, you mean like we did to Iffy three years ago. Well, actually we've been telling him that for every year for the last three years. :poke:

And of course I continued to chide you about how it was a bad move to begin with and they would have to beg forgiveness and come back to where they never should have left. It may be leaning toward an attaboy for me for making the right call on this one....... ;) [['l..]

What ever lets you sleep at night buddy but just for the record I never was FOR the move downtown but I sure am FOR the move to GA.