GOLF COURSE SOLD ... HOCKEY ON HOLD

 Bummer … It’s all but official … that Sycamore Creek Golf Course is being sold to Eagle Construction of Virginia … that will turn the prime land east of Manakin Road in Goochland County into yet more family houses and condominiums … Still unknown is whether Mid-Atlantic will retain the land west of Route 623 which has included holes 3 through 8 since the public course opened in 1992.


……. Plans for the return of ice hockey here have been 

put on hold … even as discussions are ongoing among 

several interested parties … Originally, the Henrico 

Sports and Entertainment Authority hoped to have a 

17,000-seat coliseum built and operational by late 

2025 … with the ECHL (formerly the East Coast 

Hockey League) first in line … with ownership of the 

local franchise by come-here millionaire FRED 

FESTA, former owner of the ECHL Greenville (S.C.) 

Swamp Rabbits … Now, construction is not expected 

to begin until later this year (if then) … thereby 

pushing the earliest hockey can call Richmond home 

there until the 2026-27 season … Also, Festa faces 

competition from several local parties … likewise with 

deep pockets. Previously identified among them were 

owners of baseball’s Richmond Flying Squirrels … 

Now II: there is talk of building a hockey-only facility, 

seating in the more realistic neighborhood of 5,000, 

near the new, $50 million Henrico Sports 

andEntertainment Center that opened late last year … 

butwas not designed with hockey in mind … (If that 

pln is scuttled, then Henrico probably will follow 

through with plans for a smaller, practice rink near the 

17,000-seat coliseum.) … At one point potential 

owners of a hockey franchise here had building a new 

rink off Robious Road at Route 288 in Chesterfield 

County in mind … Previously, both the American 

Hockey League (AAA using baseball terminology) and 

Federal Prospects Hockey League (A) expressed 

interest in putting a team here. The ECHL is AA … At 

this point, nothing is of the table. Stay tuned.


……. Has there ever been a drafted player more 

surprised to hear his name called than BECKETT 

SENNECKE, taken No. 3 overall by NHL Anaheim 

Friday night? Clearly, the right wing didn’t expect it …

 Detroit Red Wings said to be working a deal for 

Rangers’ overpaid ($8 million per) captain/defenseman

 JACOB TROUBA.


Until next time ... 

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