Atlantic Coast Hockey League - Macon Trax

Macon Trax Unveils Logo

By Phillip Ramati
Telegraph Staff Writer

Though the Macon Trax doesn't have a lease approved by the city yet, the new hockey team continues to chug forward.

As the team unveiled its new logo, the Atlantic Coast Hockey League announced its 60-game schedule for the upcoming 2002-03 season.

It was some confusion over available dates at the Coliseum that delayed the league from releasing the schedule earlier this week.

"It's a long process," said ACHL commissioner Jim Riggs. "We had hoped to do it sooner. But all in all, I think the building managements did a great job. It's a pretty good schedule; it's pretty balanced. Some of the buildings were not planning to have hockey this year, or hadn't had it in a couple of years. It's what makes a difference."

It's another big step for the Trax as it continues to try to make up for its late start. Team owner Dave Adams was in town last week meeting with city officials and local businesses and fans trying to organize for next season. Macon officially kicks off its season on Oct. 17, when it plays host to the Jacksonville Barracudas.

Macon is at home for its first four games of the season, and seven of its first eight. The Trax will play games on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day. It will also play a road game in Savannah against St. Petersburg on Feb. 21. The regular season ends March 19.

The schedule had to be adjusted several times, because Macon didn't officially join the league until early this week and because things didn't work out between the league and the Tallahassee building.

Besides Macon and Jacksonville, the other teams in the league include the Cape Fear Fire Antz, the Knoxville Ice Bears, the Orlando Seals and the St. Petersburg Parrots.

"It looks good," Adams said. "They've been working on it for the last three days, 24 hours a day. Because of our lateness, they had to change a few things. But everything seems to be all right. Now we're just working with the mayor on our contract agreement."

Adams, Cape Canaveral, Fla. businessman, plans to be in town next week to meet with Mayor C. Jack Ellis, city attorney Pope Langstaff and chief administrative officer Melvin Waldrop on Wednesday. The league has given Adams a deadline of Sept. 1 to have everything finalized.

It's still unknown whether the contract between the Trax and the city will be in front of City Council by then. As of Friday, it wasn't listed on next week's agenda. Clarence Thomas, Ellis' spokesman, didn't know when the contract would be presented to Council.

In addition to meeting with the city officials, Adams hopes to set up an office for the team in Macon. Because of construction at the Coliseum, the Trax can't use the old offices of the Macon Whoopee. Adams was looking into having an office at the Chamber of Commerce building.

Because the league has just six teams, the Trax's opponents will be quite familiar throughout the season.

Riggs hopes the league will grow next season. According to Riggs, the league will continue to explore Tallahassee and Birmingham as markets, and expects Savannah to join the league as well. Other cities rumored to be possibilities include Asheville, N.C., Winston-Salem, N.C., Huntsville, Ala., Mobile, Ala., and Biloxi, Miss.

In other hockey news, former Whoopee media relations director and broadcaster Turk Stevens will be the new East Coast morning sports anchor for Fox Sports Radio in Los Angeles.

"It's a huge opportunity to go to the No. 2 market in the country, and to be heard in markets all around the country," Stevens said.

This article was taken from www.macon.com.  All rights reserved.