According to Loudoun Times-Mirror, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is tentatively scheduled to headline the Loudoun County groundbreaking ceremony for the area’s newest indoor hockey rink on Wednesday.
[UPDATE 6:30 PM, 10/31 – FROM LOUNDOUN TIMES-MIRROR]
Editor’s Note: It’s now unclear whether Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin will attend the ION International Training Center groundbreaking in Leesburg Wednesday.
The Times-Mirror on Monday received word that Ovechkin would be attending the ceremony from Bendure Communications, the firm handling public relations for ION.
But after Monday’s article published, Capitals spokesman Sergey Kocharov said Ovechkin would not be attending.
A Bendure Communications spokesman said Tuesday they were told it was about a “95 percent” guarantee Ovechkin would attend, and they have not heard from anyone saying he won’t be in attendance. The Bendure representative conceded he should have said Ovechkin is “tentatively” scheduled to attend.
Put simply: The Capitals say Ovechkin will not attend, while Bendure Communications says he may be there. More here.
The event will reveal final plans for the 100,000-square-foot ION International Training Center, which will open next summer as a feature of the Compass Creek Development. NoVa Caps first reported on the project in 2016.
Rendering: ION
Winter Olympics skating star Michael Weiss will also be at the ceremony tomorrow.
The new facility will be the city’s newest year-round twin sheet hockey arena. They will hold rinks for figure skating and two NHL-sized hockey rinks to attract more skaters.
The arena will also be used for political meetings, graduations, various sporting events, concerts, and entertainment.
Sporting events and tournaments have already been booked for the next year.
Rendering: ION
The NHL-sized rink’s will be encircled by 4,200 seats, ideal for a pro franchise practice facility. But are the Capitals at all interested? So far there has been no direct comment from the team.
“There’s no ice skating rink between Hershey, PA, and Raleigh, NC, with stadium seating,” Developer Mitra Setayesh said. “Adding “stadium seating could allow for the center to host events such as Disney on Ice, as well as conventions, competitions and even the Junior Olympics. In the summer months, as the floor is multifunctional, the center could even host concerts and graduation ceremonies for local high schools,” Setayesh said.
Alex Ovechkin was in Springfield, Virginia in early September to participate in a groundbreaking for the “St. James“, a 450,000 square foot sports facility which will include two ice rinks.
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