Bills co-Owners Terry and Kim Pegula were introduced as the owners of an expansion NLL franchise in Rochester on Thursday, and the move will bring "enhancements to Blue Cross Arena, made possible by $18 million from the city, state and the Pegulas," according to Jack Goods of the BUFFALO NEWS. A new Jumbotron is coming to Blue Cross Arena, as well as an "expansion of the arena on the Exchange Street side, which includes a new locker room, offices and more concession space." The facility is also "getting a new roof and improved restrooms and lighting and audio/visual systems." Pegula Sports & Entertainment "will provide" $1.5M for the scoreboard. The new franchise is "set to launch" for the '19-20 NLL season and "will inherit the Rochester Knighthawks' name and history from the current team, which the league announced earlier Thursday will relocate to Halifax at the end of this season." The Pegulas become the "only ownership group to control multiple franchises in the NLL" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/14). In Rochester, Leo Roth notes PS&E "took over management" of Blue Cross Arena on Aug. 1 and is "negotiating a long-term contract." The NLL has a policy "prohibiting multiple ownership of teams in the league and also from franchises being placed within a 73.1-mile distance arena-to-arena," but the league’s BOG "waived those rules this time" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 9/14).
