The Colorado Avalanche professional hockey team has extended its
lease for another year with Centennial’s Family Sports Center,
which hosts training camp and regular practices.
The Avalanche signed a five-year contract with South Suburban
Parks and Recreation during the 2005-06 season to use the facility,
with an annual option to renew for five additional years. The team
notified the Family Sports Center of its decision to pick up the
first of the one-year extensions earlier this month, South Suburban
Parks and Recreation Executive Director Dave Lorenz said. The
deadline for the team to decide was June 1.
Hosting Avalanche practices brings thousands of fans to the
facility each year.
“There’s a lot of pride and a lot of publicity that comes out of
that,” Lorenz said.
In addition to a pair of regulation-size ice rinks, the team
enjoys administrative offices, locker rooms, a players’ lounge, a
steam room, a training and medical area, a weight room, equipment
storage space and a video room. The Avalanche pays $120,000 a year
for access to these amenities.
“We consider Family Sports Center our home, and we really like
the partnership that we’re enjoying with these people,” said team
spokesman Jean Martineau.
The Avalanche practices during the regular season on most
non-game days when the team is in Denver. Most sessions begin at
10:30 or 11:00 a.m. and are free and open for the public. Players
usually report for training camp, which fans can also attend at no
cost, in September.
“The place gets packed with people who come out just to watch
the Avalanche,” Lorenz said.
The Family Sports Center is at 6901 S. Peoria Street in
Centennial. The facility is home to several youth and adult hockey
leagues, catering to more than 1,200 amateur players. It also
boasts golf facilities, a laser tag arena, video games, a climbing
wall, a snack bar and the new movement-based eXerGame Zone.
The Colorado Avalanche wrapped up its 2010-11 season April 10
with a 4-3 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oilers. The team
finished with a 30-44-8 record and missed the playoffs.
