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CRVA: Checkers to move home games to Bojangles Coliseum

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority said the Charlotte Checkers will be moving back to their old home at Bojangles Coliseum in October 2015.

The team plays at Time Warner Cable Arena.

At City Council’s meeting Monday night, the CRVA will request that an additional $4 million in hospitality tax be used to outfit the coliseum for hockey, including the ice and branding for the team.

That’s in addition to $12 million already being used to upgrade the arena, which will include new seats and a new scoreboard.

The Checkers moved to the uptown arena after it opened in 2005.

It has 40 home games a year.

The move back to Bojangles frees up those dates for other events at Time Warner Cable Arena, but it also provides a strong draw for Bojangles Coliseum as the city tries to turn it into an amateur sports complex.

The city has been working on a deal with Goodsports to build a hotel and sportsplex at the coliseum.

The move could be a way to sweeten the deal for Goodsports and ensure a stronger draw for the complex if that deal happens.

Channel 9 reporter Jim Bradley is digging more into the decision and will have more at 6 p.m.

Checkers history:

The Checkers are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.

The franchise was originally the Capital District Islanders from 1990–1993. It then became the Albany River Rats from 1993–2010, until the River Rats were sold to MAK Hockey, LLC, led by Michael Kahn.

The new ownership relocated the team to Charlotte for the 2010–11 season, renaming the franchise the "Charlotte Checkers" and relinquished the ECHL franchise to the league.

The Checkers' first home game was played on Oct. 15, 2010, in front of 12,512 spectators which set an attendance record for a hockey game in Charlotte.

Past Coverage:

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