DOVER, Del.- The Delaware Thunder hockey team has been dealt a major blow after the State Fairgrounds chose not to renew the team's lease at their home rink in Harrington. Now, the Thunder is on a mission to find a new place to play.
The team has big plans for Schutte Park in Dover, and city officials have expressed interest in leasing out eight acres of land within the park to the team.
However, the Thunder must now figure out how to pay for the project.
Team President and CEO, Charles Pens, tells us he has started an 'exploratory group' to kickstart plans for what could be known as the Dover Civic Arena.
"We are going to meet bi-weekly with professionals that we are going to handpick that are accountants, bankers, tradespeople, financiers, community leaders, things like that to get this moving forward," Pens said.
The arena would be located off Wyoming Mill Road and would likely cost more than 8 million dollars. Pens hopes the exploratory group will help figure out where to find that kind of money.
Dover Parks and Rec Director Robin Eaton sees the plan as a win-win.
"I see it as a positive for the City of Dover for the ability to keep the hockey team here in the state and a partnership that will allow us to create programming and bring people here to the city. The central location that we are, we can host a lot of things," Eaton said.
Eaton also mentioned that the city may be able to help finance the project with low interest bonds.
Die-hard Thunder fans say they'd travel far and wide to see their team.
"We would probably travel to Wilmington if we had to but yeah, hopefully Dover," said one fan before a game on April 8.
Pens plans to continue working with Dover's Planning Department to turn the renderings into a reality.
Although, plans to build a new arena would take at least two years. In the meantime, the team may have to go dormant or leave the state of Delaware.
Pens said he is confident the Thunder will be back in Kent County sometime in the future.