HOWELL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) has acquired Howell Ice Arena in Howell, NJ (the “Arena”). The Monmouth County based ice skating rink features two ice sheets, a snack bar and a pro shop. Over 500 local youth and high school hockey players use the Arena as their home ice rink. Black Bear, the largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., was founded by CEO Murry Gunty in 2015. Howell Ice Arena was the ninth ice rink acquisition by Black Bear in New Jersey to date.
“We are excited to add another ice arena in the Jersey Shore region to our portfolio,” said Murry Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear. “We now have the foundation to create one of the strongest Tier II clubs in the state as well as the ability to develop a first class organization that plays AAA level competition that finally serves the needs of our families in that part of New Jersey.”
Black Bear owns and operates the Jersey Shore Arena in Wall, NJ, and operates the Jersey Shore Wildcats youth hockey club, member of the New Jersey Youth Hockey League. Black Bear recently announced the formation of the Atlantic Hockey Federation (“AHF”), a new Tier-II hockey showcase league in the Mid-Atlantic in which the Wildcats will participate.
“With our Jersey Shore Arena three-rink facility just five miles away, we expect to accommodate all of our existing customer’s needs and deliver higher quality programming to the community with the two rinks working together,” said Ryan Scott, Vice President of Black Bear. ”We expect to build on the strong foundation of figure skating and hockey at Howell Ice Arena and bring more tournaments and competitions to the area, including AHF showcases next season.”
About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.
Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean and professionally managed and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear has the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also to turn around under-managed or under-performing facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 25 facilities across the United States with 47 sheets of indoor ice, three indoor turf fields, 15 youth hockey clubs and three Junior “A” hockey franchises in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League and Eastern Hockey League.
