Latest news with #Hawks'
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Blackhawks show off Fifth Third Arena expansion construction — and the future home of the Chicago Steel
The Chicago Blackhawks gave a sneak peek of the Fifth Third Arena expansion to the media Tuesday — still a skeletal collection of steel beams, HVAC systems and construction dust — but they dropped some meatier news during the tour: The Chicago Steel are coming. The United States Hockey League team will play a final season this fall at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, their home since 2015, before moving their offices and home ice into the expanded, fancier digs at Fifth Third, the Hawks' training facility. While Hawks players will continue to use the same two rinks they've used for practices and training camps since Fifth Third's opening in 2017, the Steel will host games at one of the two new rinks — the one they're calling Championship Arena. It can seat 1,500 and host up to 2,000 in the same building as lounges, a fan patio with a skyline view, a restaurant named after late team chairman Rocky Wirtz and a 100th anniversary museum called Centennial Hall, which will also house the new Blackhawks Hall of Fame announced last month. The privately funded expansion, which began in May 2024 and is scheduled to open in January 2026, initially was projected to cost $65 million, but a source told the Tribune it will likely land 'significantly higher.' The upgrades are part of a bigger play for the Hawks, who hope to attract more NHL, national and international events, such as the NHL combine, USA Hockey and high-profile prospect tournaments. Fifth Third is already scheduled to host next summer's Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. 'We really want this expansion to be the epicenter of Midwest hockey,' said Chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz. Chicago Blackhawks unveil plans for a new Hall of Fame as part of their centennial seasonIt also augments the 1901 Project, the Hawks' and Bulls' 15-year, $7 billion United Center campus development plan that will feature new residences, hotels and an entertainment district. 'I think you'll see more of that connection' to Hawks games, Wirtz said. 'Once we build up the plaza for the 1901 Project, just that experience from going from this building to the United Center through the Malcolm X (College) corridor into a beautiful plaza with restaurants and bars and all that kind of stuff, it's just going to be a much nicer, seamless experience.' On a more grassroots level, the Hawks want the Fifth Third Arena to be a gathering place, whether people are there for hockey or not. Malcolm X students can study and West Side groups can hold meetings in its 250,000 square feet of community space, tourists can pop in for coffee, fans can attend watch parties and hockey parents can watch their kids on the ice from a fireplace-heated lounge overlooking Rink 3. 'We spent a lot of time talking to hockey parents, and I am a hockey parent, so I know how frustrating it is when you can't find a charger or a plug, there's nothing to eat or drink, and you have no place to sit down, and you're freezing cold the whole time,' said Hawks president of business operations Jaime Faulkner. 'So we've thought about all these things to be thoughtful of this.' The two-story, 135,000-square-foot expansion, designed by Generator Studio, will double the size of the facility and is expected to bring up to 1.5 million people through its doors annually, according to team estimates. Tuesday's tour culminated with a walkthrough of the Championship Arena footprint. Ironically, the sand floor made the space look more like an indoor desert than somewhere ice will someday be. 'The sand floor we just put down, but we're about a month away from installing the ice floor in Rink 3 and the championship rink here,' said Ryan Snider, the team's executive vice president of affiliates. 'That's all coming fast and furious now.'
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga High Court sentences former by-law enforcement officer
A former City of Mbombela by-law enforcement officer, Abednego Desmond Mbuyane (39), was sentenced to 12 years in jail for housebreaking and the murder of his wife's boyfriend, Thamsanqa Sbusiso Nkosi. Mbuyane was sentenced in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court today. According to the National Prosecuting Authority's regional spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the conviction relates to an incident that occurred at Kwanyoni Lodge near Mbombela on April 15, 2023. 'The accused became suspicious of his wife's whereabouts after multiple unanswered phone calls. He tracked the vehicle she was driving using a GPS tracking device, which led him to the lodge. Upon arrival, he identified the room where the vehicle was parked. After knocking and not receiving a response, he forcibly entered the room by kicking the door open. Inside, he found his wife and Nkosi naked in bed,' she said. ALSO READ: Four people shot, three dead in Bushbuckridge Nyuswa said an altercation ensued, prompting the wife and Nkosi to flee the room. The accused pursued them and shot Nkosi in the head and shoulder, before fleeing the scene. He later handed himself over to the police. The case docket was handed to the Hawks' Nelspruit-based Serious Organized Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation. 'During court proceedings, the Mbuyane pleaded guilty to murder and housebreaking. However, the State rejected the plea because the murder was premeditated. The matter proceeded to trial. State advocate Senzo Zindela led compelling testimony from the accused's wife and an eyewitness, both of whom corroborated the events leading up to the murder. In mitigation, the accused claimed he had no intention to kill and had merely sought to confront his wife,' said Nyuswa. ALSO READ: UPDATE: Man accused of shooting girlfriend dead denied bail in Masoyi Periodical Court She also said after evaluating all the evidence presented, the court convicted Mbuyane on both charges. During Mbuyane's sentencing, the court considered that the accused had been in custody since his arrest. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for housebreaking and 12 years' imprisonment for murder. The sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 12 years. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
West Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Hawthorn captain James Sicily to miss multiple weeks in huge injury blow
Hawthorn captain James Sicily will miss the Hawks' next two season-defining matches after a flare-up of an abdominal/hip injury. Sicily has been managing the pain in recent weeks, however further discomfort and subsequent scans on Monday revealed the concern had worsened. He will sit out Thursday night's clash against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium and the Round 14 trip to Launceston to face Adelaide. 7NEWS understands the Hawks were planning on resting the skipper for the date with the Crows ahead of the Round 15 bye in order to give him a full fortnight's rest. However, that plan has been brought forward a week after he felt pain following the loss to Collingwood last Friday night. He recorded six disposals for the match — his lowest count in a full game since 2016. Sicily confirmed to 7NEWS before Hawthorn's round 10 loss to Gold Coast in Darwin that he had been managing an ongoing groin issue but that he was never in doubt to miss what was a five-day break. In the weeks following, coach Sam Mitchell had also been strongly defensive of his captain after a recent dip in form. It's understood Sicily's strength markers had increased in recent weeks before his latest hiccup. Sicily was reduced to an onlooker for Tuesday's physical main session at Waverley Park. Mitchell is due to be the headline guest on Tuesday night's episode of The Agenda Setters on 7plus and 7Mate.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Key Hawk to miss multiple weeks in huge injury blow
Hawthorn captain James Sicily will miss the Hawks' next two season-defining matches after a flare-up of an abdominal/hip injury. Sicily has been managing the pain in recent weeks, however further discomfort and subsequent scans on Monday revealed the concern had worsened. He will sit out Thursday night's clash against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium and the Round 14 trip to Launceston to face Adelaide. 7NEWS understands the Hawks were planning on resting the skipper for the date with the Crows ahead of the Round 15 bye in order to give him a full fortnight's rest. However, that plan has been brought forward a week after he felt pain following the loss to Collingwood last Friday night. He recorded six disposals for the match — his lowest count in a full game since 2016. Sicily confirmed to 7NEWS before Hawthorn's round 10 loss to Gold Coast in Darwin that he had been managing an ongoing groin issue but that he was never in doubt to miss what was a five-day break. In the weeks following, coach Sam Mitchell had also been strongly defensive of his captain after a recent dip in form. It's understood Sicily's strength markers had increased in recent weeks before his latest hiccup. Sicily was reduced to an onlooker for Tuesday's physical main session at Waverley Park. Mitchell is due to be the headline guest on Tuesday night's episode of The Agenda Setters on 7plus and 7Mate.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Hawthorn captain James Sicily to miss multiple weeks in huge injury blow
Hawthorn captain James Sicily will miss the Hawks' next two season-defining matches after a flare-up of an abdominal/hip injury. Sicily has been managing the pain in recent weeks, however further discomfort and subsequent scans on Monday revealed the concern had worsened. He will sit out Thursday night's clash against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium and the Round 14 trip to Launceston to face Adelaide. 7NEWS understands the Hawks were planning on resting the skipper for the date with the Crows ahead of the Round 15 bye in order to give him a full fortnight's rest. However, that plan has been brought forward a week after he felt pain following the loss to Collingwood last Friday night. He recorded six disposals for the match — his lowest count in a full game since 2016. Sicily confirmed to 7NEWS before Hawthorn's round 10 loss to Gold Coast in Darwin that he had been managing an ongoing groin issue but that he was never in doubt to miss what was a five-day break. In the weeks following, coach Sam Mitchell had also been strongly defensive of his captain after a recent dip in form. It's understood Sicily's strength markers had increased in recent weeks before his latest hiccup. Sicily was reduced to an onlooker for Tuesday's physical main session at Waverley Park. Mitchell is due to be the headline guest on Tuesday night's episode of The Agenda Setters on 7plus and 7Mate.
