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Charlotte Checkers chief operating officer Tera Black said reports of the hockey team considering a move to Matthews is "completely speculative," and the team plans to remain at Time Warner Cable Arena for the near future.
The Checkers, a minor-league team in the ECHL, was mentioned in casual conversations about a potential arena being built in the Matthews Sportsplex, a 125-acre sports complex proposed for the area near the U.S. 74/Interstate 485 interchange.
The Checkers have second choice of dates at Time Warner Cable Arena, behind the NBA Bobcats, the primary tenant and operator of the arena.
This season, the Checkers are limited to four Saturday home games, normally the days that draw the largest crowds.
Still, Black said, the team didn't approach the city, county or any private developers about moving.
"We're willing to take on the challenges of playing here," she said. "We feel like it's a fantastic facility, and don't want to go anywhere. Time Warner is our home. Right now, any talk of moving is completely speculative. We're not even considering it in the near future."
Checkers owner Michael Kahn said Friday that he plans to keep the team uptown. "There is nothing to this story, it's very presumptuous and speculative," said Kahn, who has owned the team since 2006. "I have no interest in leaving uptown Charlotte."
The Checkers have a year-to-year lease. Their practice facility, the Extreme Ice Center, is in Indian Trail.
Original plans for the Matthews sports complex call for several soccer fields, including a 2,700-seat stadium that would serve as home for the Charlotte Eagles professional soccer team. Restaurants and additional sports facilities would be located there.
Moving the Checkers wouldn't happen soon.
Development of the Sportsplex, originally scheduled for early this year, has been delayed by the slow economy. The land mentioned for a possible arena is privately owned, and no one has mentioned how it would be financed.
The Checkers will play their home opener at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Last season, they were sixth among 23 ECHL teams in attendance, averaging 5,311 fans at 36 home games. The league average was 4,258.
