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August 29, 2018

Milford Ice Pavilion changes hands

By Natalie Missakian

A Maryland company with a mission of turning around underperforming ice rinks has purchased the Milford Ice Pavilion from its longtime owners.

Black Bear Sports Group of Chevy Chase, Md., took over the 1,000-seat skating rink Aug. 20 from well-known Connecticut hockey coach Marty Roos, Black Bear Vice President Ryan Scott said Wednesday in a phone interview. Roos had co-owned the rink with the late John Lasher.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Built in 1975, the pavilion is home to three high school hockey teams and the Southern Connecticut Stars Youth Hockey Association. The Sacred Heart University hockey team also practices there.

“We’re thrilled to expand our operations into the strong hockey and skating communities of southern Connecticut,” Black Bear CEO Murry Gunty said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing the strong partnerships in place with the local users.”

Milford is one of 10 ice rinks recently acquired by Black Bear, most of them in the Chicago area and the Northeast. Paul Shimko has been named the rink’s new general manager, Scott said.

Founded in 2015, Black Bear's goal is to save older rinks by investing capital to bring facilities up to modern standards and “provide great programming for its hockey and figure skating communities,” according to the company’s website.

The company said it focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs.

Scott said recent purchases range from rinks that “need a lot of love” to those in “pretty good shape.” The Milford rink falls into the latter category, so no major changes are planned, he said.

Scott said the pavilion will continue to be used by the Stars. It will also remain the home rink for hockey teams from Notre Dame High School in Fairfield and Staples High School in Westport, as well as for the Milford Indians, which encompasses Foran, Jonathan Law and Platt Tech high schools in Milford.

 

Reach Natalie Missakian at news@newhavenbiz.com

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