NHL in El Paso! Rhinos seek fan vote to host professional game
EL PASO, Texas - You might not associate a sport played on ice with the Sun City, but don’t tell the NHL!
The city El Paso is one of four finalists for Kraft Hockeyville, a national competition where one lucky community gets to host an NHL game, and earns a $150,000 upgrade to their arena. The winner is based off fan vote, so the El Paso Rhinos need your help!
Voting begins this Saturday at 5 a.m. and runs until Sunday (Aug. 30) at 9 a.m. To vote, go to krafthockeyville.com.
Hockey in the desert might sound like a bizarre match, but the hockey potential in El Paso is through the roof! Not only for the Rhinos, but for the whole city.
"The arena is used. When we're open, it's used from 5am til midnight every single day," says Rhinos Head Coach Cory Herman.
"So theres a lot of other things than just the rhinos but its a unique place to have hockey. But really it's unbelievable."
In addition to hosting an NHL, the winning city gets a $150,000 upgrade to their arena.
And speaking of roofs, the arena upgrade would be a big boost for the El Paso Events Center.
“The roof is kinda the one thing that really we’d need help with," says Herman of a potential renovation.
"We're trying to cool the ground and the heating up of the roof, it's not properly insulated, not properly sealed,” adds Herman of the challenge of playing in the desert.
Voting is unlimited on Saturday, so sit at your computer all day and crank away!
