First Arena

First Arena
Entertainment First
Former names Coach USA Center (2000–2004)
Location 155 North Main Street
Elmira, NY 14901
Owner Elm Arena LLC[1]
Operator Elm Arena LLC[1]
Capacity 3,784 (ice hockey)[2]
Surface Multi-surface
Construction
Broke ground November 24, 1999[3]
Built 1999-2000
Opened November 11, 2000
Construction cost $16 million[4]
($22 million in 2016 dollars[5])
Architect BBB Architects Ltd.
Services engineer The Mitchell Partnership, Inc.[6]
General contractor Welliver McGuire[7]
Tenants
Elmira Jackals (UHL/ECHL) (2000–present)

The First Arena is a 3,784-seat multi-purpose facility that features two ice surfaces, a full-service restaurant and bar, a food service center for the recreational rink, video game arcade, 31 luxury suites, party/group outing facilities, and meeting/community rooms among other amenities. located in downtown Elmira, New York. The arena opened in 2000 as the Coach USA Center which changed names to the First Arena in 2004. It is home to the Elmira Jackals ice hockey team of the ECHL. It is located on the corner of W. Gray Street and N. Main Street.

The arena's naming rights are held by First Transit.

Sports

The First Arena has hosted many different sporting events since its opening in November 2000. First Arena is mostly known for the Elmira Jackals who compete in the ECHL and formerly the United Hockey League. First Arena has also hosted many other sporting events such as basketball, X-treme Ice Racing, and pro wrestling from WWE and TNA Wrestling

Entertainment

The arena is used for more than just sporting events, with musical acts, family productions, and many other large entertainment performances such as concerts and circuses.

The following is a partial list of notable concerts and other entertainment events that have taken place at First Arena:

Oct. 24, 2009 - Lamb of God, GWAR & Job for a Cowboy

January 16, 2009 - Bill Engvall
January 2-4, 2009 - Disney on Ice
December 13, 2008 - Vince Gill & Amy Grant Christmas
Apr. 18th 2008 Larry The Cable Guy
Mar. 8th 2008 Larry the Cable Guy
Jan., 2008 - Labatt All-Star Challenge
Dec., 2007 - Kenny Rogers Concert
Oct., 2006 - Dierks Bentley along with Miranda Lambert
March, 2006 - NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament
Jan., 2006 - Dora The Explorer

Dec., 2005 - Fall Brawl Tour: Staind, P.O.D., Taproot & Flyleaf

Apr. 8, 2004 - Godsmack, Ill Nino & Doprbox
Apr. 2004 - 2003-2004 UHL FINALS ELMIRA JACKALS VS MUSKEGON FURY
Nov. 9, 2002 - Bob Dylan
Apr. 2002 - UHL FINALS ELMIRA JACKALS VS MUSKEGON FURY
Dec. 18, 2001 - Kenny Rogers Christmas Show

Foreclosure Proceedings

The official move toward foreclosure against First Arena began after 4:30 p.m. January 17, 2012 the deadline for Elmira Downtown Arena to pay $123,849 in overdue taxes.

Elmira Downtown Arena LLC, which is supposed to pay taxes and utility bills, is owned by Michigan businessman Mostafa Afr, who also owns the Elmira Jackals hockey team, the arena's primary tenant

The owner of First Arena in Elmira plans to apply to repurchase the arena from Chemung County after a judge signs a foreclosure order and a redemption period begins.

This is not the first time that Elmira Downtown Arena has defaulted on its taxes. It entered into an installment agreement to pay taxes on Octorbe 31, 2007, and defaulted March 31, 2008. The default was paid off on Jan. 20, 2009, the last day possible. Elmira Downtown Arena entered into another installment agreement on January 14, 2011, and defaulted March 31, 2011.[8]

February 21, 2012 After not paying taxes for three years and being hit with a foreclosure order by Chemung County last week, Elmira Downtown Arena LLC owner, Mostafa Afr, has finally written a check to pay off all of the back taxes and fees he was responsible for. Afr owed $136,234.

The arena is owned by Southern Tier Economic Development, STED, but Elmira Downtown Arena LLC is the arena's operator. STED's lawyer, Steven Agan, says Afr's check will be delivered to Chemung County on either Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

If the check had not been written and the debt had not been paid, the county would gain ownership of the arena.[9]

March 2, 2012 The check has been delivered to the County, but the County Legislature still must vote to accept the payment. This vote is currently scheduled for March 12, 2012. Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Arena was fired yesterday via an email from Dr. Afr.[10]

March 6, 2012 The Chemung County Executive issued a scathing rebuke of the Afr family and recommended that the Legislature hold off their vote until June 30, 2012. During that time, he recommended hiring an outside consultant to conduct an investigation of the Arena's operations and finances.[11]

March 12, 2012 The Chemung County Legislature voted unanimously to table the vote until June 30, 2012 and to begin the investigation.[12]

March 22, 2012 The operator of First Arena filed two lawsuits. One against two former employees and the other against Chemung County, the County Executive, County Treasurer and Southern Tier Economic Development. "The truth will come out. Fact of the matter is the money was here to pay the taxes. And the fact is Robbie Nichols told the Afrs it was paid," said Jim Parks, Afr's Attorney.[13][14]

April 17, 2012 The two lawsuits were heard in Chemung County Supreme Court. No immediate decision was reached.[15]

April 25, 2012 The two lawsuits were dismissed. "The fact that the county has never in the past denied repurchase by a former owner after a tax foreclosure is of no consequence in this matter, since they are undoubtedly afforded the right to accept or reject, by majority vote, a private party repurchase agreement," Judge O'Shea wrote in her decision.[16]

May 30, 2012 The County has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Elmira Downtown Arena (EDA) and Southern Tier Economic Development (STED) to allow EDA to continue operating the First Arena for the 2012-2013 Elmira Jackals hockey season. The Legislature ratified the agreement on July 9, 2012.[17]

July 24, 2012 The County announced that First Arena will be sold to local businessman Tom Freeman, thus ending all pending litigation and placing the Arena onto the local tax rolls. Freeman will negotiate with the Afr family to keep the Jackals playing at First Arena.[18]

Timeline for First Arena

1998

1999

2000

2003

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2016

References

  1. 1 2 3 Finger, Ray (February 6, 2013). "Arena Deal Draws Cheers in Elmira". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
  2. ECHL Team Directory
  3. Quinn, Kelley (November 24, 1999). "Arean Project Will Kick Into High Gear". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  4. Kosnac, Erin (January 18, 2004). "Afr Seeks Bankruptcy Protection". The Times Herald (Port Huron). Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  5. Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  6. The Mitchell Partnership, Inc. - First Arena
  7. Welliver McGuire - Projects
  8. Finger, Ray (January 30, 2012). "Owner Planning to Rebuy Arena". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  9. "First Arena Could Avoid Foreclosure". WETM. February 20, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  10. Finger, Ray (February 29, 2012). "First Arena Future Still Unsettled". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  11. Finger, Ray (March 5, 2012). "Chemung County Delays First Arena Decision". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  12. Finger, Ray (March 12, 2012). "Chemung County Legislature Tables Repurchase Offer for First Arena". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  13. "First Arena Operators Sue Former General Manager". WETM. March 22, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  14. Finger, Ray (March 23, 2012). "First Arena Operators File Lawsuits Against Chemung County Former Employees". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  15. Whong, Jason (April 17, 2012). "Court Hears First Arena Suits". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  16. Whong, Jason (April 25, 2012). "County Wins Court Fight Over First Arena". Star-Gazette (Elmira). Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  17. "Santulli Announces Interim Agreement for Future of First Arena". Chemung County. May 30, 2012. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  18. "Agreement Reached for Sale of First Arena". Chemung County. July 24, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  19. "Chemung County IDA Considering Buying First Arena". WENY News. January 28, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2016.

External links

Coordinates: 42°05′18″N 76°48′31″W / 42.08835°N 76.808482°W / 42.08835; -76.808482

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