News

Manchester Phoenix Rink Project

Monday, 29th November 2004
We have been working extremely hard behind the scenes to secure a new rink for next season, and the future to come. This has included us turning the Phoenix from just being an Elite League hockey team, to becoming a Club with an interest in development of local players, and securing the future of Ice Sports in Manchester. We are in a unique and privileged position to be able to achieve something quite special for generations to come. This does not come quickly or easily - conversations with councils, developers and planners typically involve periods of years rather than months. We have however, managed to achieve a position where everyone supports our aim - a community oriented rink, available for public skating and ice sports. Turning this into reality is the next step. So where are we now?
  • We have a number of councils who want an Ice Rink
  • We have funding in place for a rink
  • All parties involved understand that we must be playing for next season and can work with these timescales
  • We are on schedule for a return to the Elite League for next season
    • The Elite League are aware of this
    • Our British based players are aware of this
  • We are in conversation with planners and the building providers about specifications

But - we have not yet decided on a definitive location. There are a number of possible locations available to us, both in the long and the short-term. We have to be certain to make the right decision, not just for Manchester Phoenix, but also in the interests of Ice Sports in the region. We intend to make an announcement about our semi-permanent facility (including the location) very early in the New Year!

We are only too aware of the interest out there amongst our loyal fans and others who want to use ice for recreational purposes and we trust that this interim statement goes some way to answering some of the questions as to exactly where the project stands.