Oct. 15—DANVILLE — After a statement from the Vermilion County Bobcats on Wednesday alleging unsafe conditions at the David S. Palmer Arena, the Arena board responded on Thursday.
The Bobcats filed a lawsuit claiming failure to meet terms of the lease agreement by the Arena's operator, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Exposition Auditorium and Office Building Authority.
The lawsuit against the Arena operator, which was filed in March and amended in August, claimed persistent problems with the ice kept it from being ready for skating. It also claimed that arena management failed to train staff members to operate a Zamboni machine which was purchased last year. Similar issues moved the first home game of last season from October to November and has caused problems with practices and other events the Bobcats host.
According to the Arena board, it was "genuinely surprised" by the Bobcats' statement this week because of meetings between the interim General Manager Teri Gaffney and the Bobcats front office management.
Regarding the alleged unsafe ice, the board stated that other than the cancellation of the first game in October 2021, the team played all of its home games and none were canceled by the Southern Professional Hockey League because of dangerous ice conditions.
The release also stated the Arena and the Bobcats each invited one consultant to inspect the ice in October 2021 after the delayed home opener, and said prior to every game and every period, SPHL referees skated the ice looking for defects or safety concerns.
For the Zamboni issue, the release stated that on Sept. 20 and 21, a representative of the U.S. Ice Rink Association was on site, training Arena staff on ice maintenance and using the Zamboni. Also on Oct. 4, Olympia, the manufacturer of the Zamboni, had a representative trainer in Danville for more than six hours, providing training to more than six employees of the Arena regarding the operation and use of the new Zamboni.
Additionally, the board approved the purchase of a new ice covering system to ensure the continued protection of the ice during non-hockey events.
"Our Board will continue to evaluate and improve the Arena in a financially responsible way that will ensure the longevity of the Arena for generations to come," said Dean Shore, interim chair and finance committee head, in the release.
The board also said it was aware of three instances prior to May 2022 of issues of drainage in the locker rooms.
After being made aware, the Arena contacted the City of Danville, which jetted out the lines to free up debris. After discovering there was an issue in drainage approximately five feet under the shower drain, the Arena contacted a local company to inspect and repair the issue. The Arena said the issue was remediated on May 24, 2022.
According to the board, Newton's Cleaning and Restoration cleaned and sanitized the locker rooms after each incident. They were also on site Wednesday to clean and sanitize the locker rooms ahead of the start of the season.
The board said on the release that the Bobcats were made aware that pre-packaged concessions, popcorn and beverages, as well as alcohol, would still be available for every game.
The release also stated a new concessions manager has been hired as of Wednesday and the Arena expects to provide full concession service for the upcoming season.
The board said its members and Bobcats staff met as recently as Oct. 5 to discuss preparations for the season.
The board "continues to want to look forward to a productive season for not only the Vermilion County Bobcats but also for our Vermilion County community events," according to the release.
The board said it will continue to strive to uphold its mission to provide indoor fun for everyone, as well as its vision to be a safe and family-friendly community center.
The season is scheduled to begin Oct. 21 at the Arena, where the Bobcats will face the Birmingham Bulls.
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