The Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League, unhappy with their arena lease and tax situation in their present location, has initiated discussions which could lead the organization to move their operations to Cedar Key. According to Jacques le Grande Gagne-Poussoir, president of hockey operations for the Lightning, the business environment in the Tampa area “has become untenable and we’re looking to make a change. Cedar Key is an area that interests us very much.” Mayor Heath Davis, longtime aficionado who once played goalie for the Rochester, Minnesota Flying Northmen of the Western Hockey League, is excited at the prospect of professional hockey in Cedar Key.

“We’ve got plenty of snow birds down here for the winter months, plus I think those involved in the clamming business would love the speed and beauty of the sport once they got a taste. Ice hockey is just freakin’ awesome.” Dav s is exploring an area in Kiss-Me-Quick as the site of the new arena, and thinks there’s plenty of parking along SR 24 as well as in the Taylor Construction lot. Vice Mayor Sue Colson, who brought disk golf to the island, thinks pro hockey can succeed here as well. “This is a ‘can do town,’” said the enthusiastic Colson. “If we want hockey, we’ll get hockey. And if the seas keep rising, we’ll just freeze the water and use it for a practice facility.”

As for the name of the new team, Colson proposes a contest to find a new mascot. Some names already bandied about include “The Raging Spoonbills,” “The Screaming Scrub Jays,” and “The Flying Clammers.” Details of the contest will be forthcoming in the Cedar Key News.

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