NEIGHBORING ARENAS PROSPER WITH COLLABORATION “C” stands for Cooperation, not Competition!

by Kevin McCormack

— there is rarely agreement on the issues facing our nation and the world, much less the solutions. And compromise does not appear to be an option. We move further apart politically and ideologically every day. Perhaps though, there is a little bit of hope in Northern New Jersey where two privately owned ice

P

Floyd Hall Arena and Ice Vault have been able to work together, cooperate and prosper, because both have the same goals: to grow the sports of ice hockey and skating, and to have the best hockey and skating programs in the area.

Floyd Hall Arena staff

ick up the newspaper or watch the news today and you’ll find a divided country. No matter what your affiliation — Democrat or Republican, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor

arenas, a mere seven miles apart, are proving that not only can two competitors work together, they can cooperate, grow hockey and ice skating and prosper while doing so. In spring 1998, Floyd Hall Arena opened on the Montclair

State University campus in Little Falls, N.J. Born out of a unique public/private partnership, Floyd Hall Arena and Yogi Berra Stadium were built through the foresight of businessman Floyd Hall and through his generous donation to Montclair State University. Floyd Hall Arena grew over its first few years into a premier hockey and skating facility teaching thousands of people how to skate and play hockey, serving as the home ice for up to eight high schools and providing ice for many area travel programs. Between 2002-06, 10 new sheets of ice were built within 15

miles of Floyd Hall Arena. Most of the ice sheets were at new, privately owned facilities, and apparently many owners thought, “If you build it, they will come.” Te fact was, however, that many of the arenas did nothing except divide up a fairly small pie of business and take from existing facilities. Te supply far outweighed the demand. Several of these arenas have closed their doors, changed ownership or have not prospered.

6

ISI ISI EDG WI ED

EDGE WINTE

TER 20

ER 2016