The Nanaimo Clippers Junior A Hockey Club is pleased to announce a one-year lease extension of their rink lease with the City of Nanaimo for Frank Crane Arena.
Wes Mussio, the Nanaimo Clippers owner remarked; “The length of the extension is not what we had hoped for as we put forward a proposal for a five-year term with multiple personal investments into the arena to show our commitment and desire to keep junior A hockey in the City of Nanaimo. There was some speculation of the team leaving the city and with a long term contract, it would be clear to every person that we plan to invest into the community. Indeed, the sponsors and fans have shown a tremendous amount of support and proof of longevity of the franchise in Nanaimo was our goal.
Mr. Mussio went on to comment ; “Unfortunately, and you can’t blame anyone, negotiations with the City of Nanaimo staff where at a time that COVID-19 hit and we all felt it was better just to solidify the existing deal and look for a long-term deal down the line. Our end goal is to get a multi-year deal with the City but for now, due to COVID-19, we both found a one-year extension was in the best interest of both parties.”
Mussio, who bought the Clippers back in November of 2017, has made multiple investments into the club’s facility such as improving the dressing room, beer gardens, VIP areas and the office. Mr. Mussio added; “Our goal with this team is to make the City of Nanaimo residents proud of it, be proud to call the Clippers their team! Significant upcoming milestone is the 50th anniversary of the hockey team next season.”
The Nanaimo Clippers are planning to kick off its Training Camp on September 8th, 2020 with an exhibition schedule to be released in the coming weeks.
