Austin Toros Announce Move to Cedar Park Center

[spursincharge]

http://www.nba.com/dleague/austin/toros_move__cedar_park_cente_2010_08_09.html

Austin Toros Announce Move to Cedar Park Center

AUSTIN, TX August 9, 2010 – The Austin Toros and Cedar Park Center today announced the NBA D-League team will bring professional basketball to the state-of-the-art arena for the 2010-11 season. The Toros, the San Antonio Spurs NBA Development League affiliate, will tip-off its 24-game home schedule at the Cedar Park Center in November.

“We are really looking forward to continuing to present NBA caliber competition to Austin Toros fans at the new Cedar Park Center,” said Rick Pych Spurs Sports and Entertainment President of Business Operations. “The move will allow us to improve the fan experience beyond what we have been able to offer in past years. We are excited about the future, but also grateful to the City of Austin and staff at the Austin Convention Center for the great partnership over the last five years that allowed us to bring the NBA Development League to the greater Austin community.”

Cedar Park Center is located at the intersection of New Hope Drive and Toll Road 183A. The multiuse facility has a capacity of 4,672 seats for basketball with ample parking adjacent to the arena, and is also home to the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Texas Stars. The Toros played the arena’s first professional basketball games there last February during the 2009-10 season.

“Cedar Park Center is delighted to welcome the Austin Toros to this region’s premier sports and entertainment venue,” said Rick McLaughlin, General Manager of Cedar Park Center. “We enjoyed working with the Austin Toros’ organization last season when we hosted their two “Showdown at Cedar Park” games against the Reno Bighorns and are extremely pleased that they have chosen Cedar Park Center to be their new home.”

Cedar Park Mayor Bob Lemon added, “Since the Texas Stars started playing in Cedar Park I have renewed my love of ice hockey and became a loyal fan, but basketball has always been my favorite sport. We look forward to being season tickets holders this coming year at Cedar Park Center. Please join us in welcoming the Toros to the great city of Cedar Park.”

Ticket prices at Cedar Park Center will be comparable to those at the Austin Convention Center, starting at just $5. Fans should visit austintoros.com to take advantage of special discount offers packaged into the “Twelve Weeks of Toros”. Each of the twelve weeks will include a unique and different ticket offer for fans to choose from.

“Starting this November with the 2010-11 season, the Toros will showcase NBA stars of the future in a state-of-the-art arena,” said Peter Lubell Toros Chief Operating Officer. “The opportunity to offer our fans a more balanced schedule that includes more weekend games coupled with the convenience and amenities of Cedar Park Center make this a win for everyone.”

The Toros debuted in 2005, playing five seasons at the Austin Convention Center. The San Antonio Spurs purchased and began operating the Toros in June, 2007. Season and group tickets are available now. Call the Toros office today at (512) 236-8333 for more information.

The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league whose teams have direct affiliations to NBA franchises. For the 2009-10 season, the league featured 16 teams – including the debut of the Maine Red Claws and the Springfield Armor, while a new team, the Texas Legends, will join the League for the 2010-11 season. A proven developer of talent, 20 percent of players in the NBA at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season boasted NBA D-League experience, while the league continues to develop coaches, referees, and front-office staff for the NBA and its teams. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA.

Cedar Park Center is home to the AHL's Texas Stars, the primary development affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars and is the new home of the Austin Toros, the NBA D-League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs. Cedar Park Center, located at the intersection of New Hope Drive and Toll Road 183-A in Cedar Park, TX, north of Austin, plays host to a variety of entertainment and other events. A retail site of 17 acres, adjacent to the facility grounds, is planned for mixed-use development, including 91,000 square feet for retail and 91,000 square feet for commercial, all being developed by Hicks Cedar Park, LLC.

[024]

does the dleague actually make any money? or does it just bleed money like the wnba?

[Mark in Austin]

It's clearly a better venue than the Austin convention center - and I'm sure the players will like having a real locker room. Too bad its in Cedar Park.

They should change the name from the Austin Toros to the Cedar Park Sprawl.

[Darkwaters]

I went to a couple of games in the convention center the last time I was in the US (thanks chumpdumper!). It definitely felt like a HS basketball game in many regards. I know it's the D-League and thats to be expected to a degree, but if this is a better location then I'll take it.

[atxrocker]

Williamson County?!? Have fun with all that, i'll take a pass.

[ChumpDumper]

Where's chumpdumper? I wanna hear his take.Ultimately it's an understandable move. The staff was constantly taking surveys asking where fans lived and whether it would be less of an asspain if the Toros played someplace other than downtown. They probably would have moved to the new Concordia University campus if their arena had been at least the same size as the convention center.

The Cedar Park center is a nice, if generic, midsize venue. It's definitely an upgrade, but it's probably a bit too large for the crowds it will attract. The quirky intimacy of the convention center will be totally lost as well, but hopefully they can work with the owners and the Stars to make the schedule much more fan friendly. Last year's was a joke.


Williamson County?!? Have fun with all that, i'll take a pass.Immigrant hipsters need not apply.

[spursincharge]

http://www.nba.com/dleague/austin/schedule/

Schedule is out - 14 out of 24 weekend games

[CubanMustGo]

They announced a deal yesterday where the first 100 to call in could 'name their own price' for season tickets in the family section. It was pretty late in the day, if interested call (512) 236-8333.

There are going to be weekly deals announced every Monday.

I wasn't aware we had a new D-League team out of the metroplex, of course they have to call it the "Texas Legends." Typical Metroplex arrogance.

[Destro]

Downtown games were fun because you could grab a nice dinner then head to the game. There are not many places I would want to eat at in Cedar Park. After the games you were already downtown so you could go straight to the music venues and bars. The down side was entering and leaving the games because of 6th street traffic.

Toros games are something else, the dancers are like strippers, the bartenders have heavy hands, and the staff openly kid around with the fans, i hope they don't lose that with a new venue. Cedar Park is kinda conservative

[guzmangm]

It's clearly a better venue than the Austin convention center - and I'm sure the players will like having a real locker room. Too bad its in Cedar Park.

They should change the name from the Austin Toros to the Cedar Park Sprawl.

How bout the Cedar Park Crawl or Cedar Park Bottlenecks...

[cantthinkofanything]

Where's chumpdumper? I wanna hear his take.

I have no idea about the change in venue. I moved away from San Antonio when I was 6 in 1976. There was a great Italian/seafood restaurant that had their own signature shrimp dish. Whenever I went back, we would go eat there. The restaurant eventually opened another location on the riverwalk. We tried it and it was OK but it didn't seem to be as good as the original. I can't remember the name. Anyway, I miss San Antonio.

[E-RockWill]

I have no idea about the change in venue. I moved away from San Antonio when I was 6 in 1976. There was a great Italian/seafood restaurant that had their own signature shrimp dish. Whenever I went back, we would go eat there. The restaurant eventually opened another location on the riverwalk. We tried it and it was OK but it didn't seem to be as good as the original. I can't remember the name. Anyway, I miss San Antonio.

:lmao

[cantthinkofanything]

I have no idea about the change in venue. I moved away from San Antonio when I was 6 in 1976. There was a great Italian/seafood restaurant that had their own signature shrimp dish. Whenever I went back, we would go eat there. The restaurant eventually opened another location on the riverwalk. We tried it and it was OK but it didn't seem to be as good as the original. I can't remember the name. Anyway, I miss San Antonio.


Sorry, one more post. I just remembered the name. Paesanos.