Semi-pro hockey coming to Wytheville, Va.

Charles Owens, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
Updated ·3 min read

Nov. 8—WYTHEVILLE, Va. — Professional hockey will soon be coming to Wythe County.

The Wythe County Board of Supervisors announced plans Monday to host semi-pro teams, including a local Virginia team, at the 5,330-seat, 90,000-square foot Appalachian Exposition (Apex) Center, a facility that is located midway between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell along Interstate 81.

The board said it would lease the APEX center over a 10-year period to Apex Drive Holdings, LLC (ADH). The renewable 10-year lease will bring semi-professional hockey, and other indoor sporting events, along with concerts and related activities to the Apex center.

Apex Drive Holdings, LLC is a new partnership of experienced hockey executives, event promoters and sports and entertainment investors, according to a press release from the county. The group expects to field a team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League, a growing 12-year-old league stretching from northern New York to Biloxi, Miss., in the south, and from Danbury, Conn., in the east to Port Huron, Mich. in the west.

"Southwest Virginia is a coveted new hockey market, and our group is pleased to bring this energy to Wythe County and the region," Apex Drive Holdings President Barry Soskin said in a statement. "Wythe's at the intersection of two interstates, and thousands of daily visitors from Ohio, Michigan and Ontario can join regional sports fans for fun in Wythe County. We're going to put a product on the ice that draws thousands of people to our events."

Chris Bryniarski, vice-president of ADH, said the APEX location provides fast access for fans in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

A new yet-to-be-named Wythe County team will be the Federal Prospects Hockey League's first Virginia team beginning with the 2023-2024 season, joining Winston-Salem's Carolina Thunderbirds as the two most central teams in the league. They will be separated by a distance of only 83 miles, according to the press release.

"We will engage the community to get ideas for a team name, and pick a concept that represents Wythe County, Va., greater Appalachia and the Blue Ridge Mountains," Soskin said of the new Virginia team. "This team will have a powerful identity to represent the people who make this region so great."

The Federal Prospects Hockey League currently plays a 60-game season between October and April. The county says the Apex Center will host at least 30 home hockey games a year.

Federal Prospects Hockey League players are semi-professional prospects who also work with local employers to supplement their income. The league plays a mix of international and American hockey players looking to advance their sports careers.

Officials applauded Monday's announcement.

"Wythe County is excited to have experienced promoters bring professional sports, concerts and major events to our region," Wythe County Administrator Stephen D. Bear said. "This long-term lease gives ADH the opportunity to create economic activity by bringing tens of thousands of people each year to Wythe County for hockey, other sports and major concerts and events."

"These players will add to the employment pool supporting businesses that have been looking so hard for staff," Board of Supervisors Vice-Chair Ryan Lawson added. "This will diversify our workforce, literally bringing the world to Wythe County to work and play."

"Wytheville Convention & Visitors Bureau looks forward to working with ADH to market our region to visitors as a destination for sports, major concerts and expos," CVB director Rosa Lee Jude said.

"Recent economic development successes like Blue Star and Klockner Pentaplast were bolstered by our community's great offerings and amenities," Joint Industrial Development Authority director David Manley added. "Our exceptional quality of life will be enhanced by welcoming semi-pro hockey and other entertainment events to Wythe County, further fueling our upward momentum."

The county will hold a public hearing on the proposed lease agreement Wednesday at 6 p.m.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com.