Sports center is for all sports

To the editor:

This letter is in regard to the utilization of the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center. Alaska Fighting Championship held its fifth event at the sports center on Oct. 1.

The event was a huge success with more than 2,500 guests in attendance. More than 1,000 people came from Anchorage to see this event, which in turn brings revenue to our city. The economic impact to our city for any large event hosted at the sports center is huge.

The ease of use and the friendly staff at the sports complex made for a memorable night. We began setting up on the ice rink around 9 that morning. We were cleaned up and packed up by 1 a.m., after the event was complete. This includes myself, and 12 of my guys, who worked late stacking chairs, breaking down the cage and picking up trash located on the floor to make sure that the ice was ready for the morning.

Without the help of the employees of the sports complex, this event would have not been possible due to the quick move in and move out that was necessary to accommodate ice time on Sunday morning. I also understand that the bleachers were not clean, and this is not acceptable. I think we can resolve this situation by reducing some of the employment requirement the city places on hiring and get a few more bodies at the sports center when multiple events are happening at the same time.

We understand that there has been some frustration stated with the use of the sports complex and that the ice rink should be used strictly for hockey during the hockey season. I have to strongly disagree with that statement and recommend this does not happen. AFC has hosted 89 events in the past seven years. Of those, 84 events have been hosted at the George Sullivan Sports Arena, which also has ice. AFC and the Sullivan Arena have found a healthy relationship and have met all deadlines to get the ice back in place for hockey to resume. I feel this relationship can also be obtained between AFC and or any other large-scale event and the city of Wasilla. The sports center is our community’s center for all things sports.

AFC understands that mixed martial arts is not for everyone, but the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center was designed for just that — sports! If the sports center was intended on being a hockey rink only, then the name of the center should be the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Ice Arena.

Sarah M. Johnston

Managing Promoter

Three Freaks LLC,

dba Alaska Fighting Championship