HUNTSVILLE – The Von Braun Center has undergone significant changes since opening in 1975 but there’s been one constant for the past 20 hockey seasons – the Huntsville Havoc as a tenant.
Friday night, after posting two road wins to open the 2023-24 schedule, the Havoc return to the Rocket City for their home opener. The 7 p.m. faceoff with the Pensacola Ice Flyers will usher in two decades of the club playing in what is now Propst Arena.
“Twenty years of Havoc hockey has been a testament to the power of community and the spirit of Huntsville,” said Keith Jeffries, who co-owns the team with his wife Becky. “The team’s success, both on and off the ice, reflects the dedication and energy of this city. We owe it all to our faithful season ticket holders, devoted fanbase, and hardworking staff.
“Becky and I are deeply grateful to have had the privilege of sustaining a successful sports organization here.”
Huntsville began the season on a high note for first-year coach Stuart Stefan as the team gave him his first two career victories with wins over the Birmingham Bulls and the Evansville Thunderbolts.
Now, the Havoc (2-0) will take on the Ice Flyers (1-0) on a busy pre-Halloween weekend.
“Having the Havoc as a partner of the VBC and being their home rink is fantastic,”said Steve Maples, VBC executive director. “Huntsville has a strong hockey base and fans never fail to show up in support of our team year-after-year which shows in their attendance numbers.
“Every afternoon of a home game, you can feel the excitement within the building growing as the lights on Propst Arena turn red and fans begin lining up outside ready for the doors to open – those nights are truly some of the best of the year. This season, we’re excited to showcase Propst Arena’s new sound system that was installed just in time for the home opener.”
With a seating capacity for hockey games of 6,050, the Havoc earned Southern Professional Hockey League best-attendance numbers last season and broke their single-season SPHL attendance record for the fourth time.
According to a VBC news release, Havoc games produced an estimated economic impact of more than $14.7 million last season.
“Huntsville sports fans have been infatuated with hockey for decades, and their love of the game led to our distinction as hockey capital of the South,” Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said. “We can’t wait for another exciting season at the VBC.”
Since 2010, more than $23.8 million has been invested into upgrading and renovating the VBC Propst Arena which was originally built in 1975 as the Von Braun Civic Center Arena.
Upgrades include:
- 2010: New seating installed, and the lobby and concourse areas expanded (to include modern concessions, bars, additional restrooms and the addition of a cook-to-order café with outdoor balcony seating)
- 2019: Full color-tuning LED lighting system installed within the arena bowl
2019: Static signage around balcony upgraded to digital ribbon-boards - 2021: Expansion and renovation of the arena’s backstage (this award-winning project was the first major renovation to the arena backstage since it was originally built and resulted in six dressing rooms, two private star lounges, four spacious locker rooms, a catering and media room, office space, commercial-grade laundry room, and more)
- 2022: Renovation and upgrades to the arena’s exterior (included a new roof, new paint and a new full color-tuning LED lighting fixture along the outside and inside of the lobby, as well as around the circular exterior of the building). Installation of large digital boards in arena lobby. Purchasing walk-through metal detectors
- 2023: Installation of upgraded sound system
- 2024: Two new digital scoreboard/video boards will be installed
For more information about the Von Braun Center and Huntsville Havoc, visit www.vonbrauncenter.com.
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