{"id":16292,"date":"2015-02-13T12:37:48","date_gmt":"2015-02-13T17:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2015\/02\/hockey-part-of-dna-of-glens-falls-has-strong-far-reaching-economic-benefits.html"},"modified":"2015-02-13T12:37:48","modified_gmt":"2015-02-13T17:37:48","slug":"hockey-part-of-dna-of-glens-falls-has-strong-far-reaching-economic-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2015\/02\/hockey-part-of-dna-of-glens-falls-has-strong-far-reaching-economic-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"Hockey, ‘Part Of DNA’ Of Glens Falls, Has Strong, Far-Reaching, Economic Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Fans enjoy a recent hockey game at the Glens Falls Civic Center.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
BY BARBARA PINCKNEY<\/p>\n
One Saturday night in mid-January, Dan \nBurke and his wife decided to have dinner \nin downtown Glens Falls before heading over \nto the civic center to watch the Adirondack \nFlames play hockey.<\/p>\n
“We were running late, and we went into \nfour restaurants before we could find a seat,” \nsaid Burke, president of the Adirondack \nCivic Center Coalition, which operates the \narena.<\/p>\n
Packed restaurants on game nights are \njust one example of the way in which hockey \nbenefits the Glens Falls region. Retailers, \nhotels, rental properties, charitable organizations \nand other entities also are affected. \nOne study, conducted a few years ago, put \nthe financial impact of hockey at about $6 \nmillion a year. \n“I would say it is probably an $8 [million] \nto $10 million economic factor now,” said \nEd Bartholomew, president of the Warren \nCounty Economic Development Corp. \n“Maybe higher.”<\/p>\n
But the impact of hockey is not just \nfinancial. Glens Falls has been a “hockey \ntown” for more than three decades, since the \nAdirondack Red Wings were formed in the \n1979. Having a professional team is a source \nof civic pride, and adds to the quality of life. \n“It is part of the DNA of the city,” said \nBrian Petrovek, president of the Adirondack \nFlames.<\/p>\n