Statement from Howard Baldwin, Jr. Regarding Hartford Hockey

HARTFORD, December 2, 2011:  Since returning to Connecticut in 2010, we here at Whalers Sports & Entertainment have worked tirelessly, and accomplished much, in our goal of returning Hartford to preeminence as a hockey market. We put on a Whaler Fan Fest two summers ago that delighted 5,000 Whaler enthusiasts, with a celebration of the great Whaler tradition.  We took over the operations of the market’s AHL franchise and re-branded it with a new identity, leading to a significant increase in the franchise’s revenues.  We expended tremendous amounts of capital and resources in a landmark outdoor hockey festival, which culminated in the first professional outdoor hockey game in Connecticut, the Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl this past February.  And just last month, we outlined and articulated a vision for renovating the XL Center and re-energizing it as a catalyst for downtown activity and atmosphere. We will continue to leave no stone unturned in our quest to prove to the h...