BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Aug. 8 -- The International Hockey League announced Thursday the relocation of the Peoria Rivermen franchise to San Antonio, effective immediately. The San Antonio franchise will play its games at Freeman Coliseum, where renovations are planned to increase the capacity for hockey to more than 11,000 seats.
The finalization of the relocation occurred as the Executive Committee of the IHL Board of Governors formally approved the 50 percent sale of the Rivermen to Donald Levin of Chicago. Levin, who also is part-owner and governor of the IHL's Chicago Wolves, will co-own the San Antonio franchise with Bruce Saurs, sole owner of the Peoria franchise since 1989. The San Antonio franchise will be one of 19 teams competing in the IHL during the 1996-97 season which starts in October.
