Wrecking ball for Reunion Arena

For those of you who continue to block the 1999 Stanley Cup finals from your memory bank, here's a sliver of good news: Dallas' Reunion Arena, site of Jason Woolley's Game One overtime goal and the Sabres' tough losses in Games Two and Five, will start down demolition road in the spring.

Here's the story from the Dallas Morning News about the public auction being planned to allow fans to get some souvenirs. The arena was mothballed last month even though the Stars and Mavericks moved into American Airlines Center in 2001.

Reunion had been used for minor pro sports like soccer as well as concerts and other exhibitions since. Aside from the '99 Cup final, Reunion has one other major Buffalo connection: It was the site of Canisius' 72-43 loss to Utah in the first round of the 1996 NCAA Tournament, the only NCAA game the Griffs have played in the last 51 years.

---Mike Harrington

Comments

[Bill H.]

I'm a born and raised native Buffalonian, but I had the opportunity to start my career at Reunion as an intern in '99 (5 days after the Cup Finals). 6 months later became full-time and moved with the management team into AAC in '01. Currently work for the Stars. Two completely different buildings, and while AAC has all the bells and whistles, I'll always remember my days at Reunion. I worked not only Stars, Mavs & Sidekicks games, but countless concerts and family shows. A simple building, but a great venue for sports and entertainment that is still in pretty good condition (only 27 years old, major renovation in '93 for the Stars, and well-maintained).

Unfortunately, the site is more valuable to the city now for another use rather than continuing to lose money due to the no-compete clause with AAC. Very sad, but at least it won't sit there and rot like The Aud has. Dallas is a progressive city that knows how to get things done and will make good use of the land soon enough. Funny enough, they do it without a "Citizens for a Better Dallas" group. What a crock.

By the way, the City of Dallas will auction off Reunion's seats and other items, if anyone is interested in getting something from the '99 Finals. Why the "braintrust" in Buffalo didn't put something similar together for The Aud is a major baffle in a long line of them.

That said, GO BILLS!

Bill H.
Dallas, TX

[Matt]

What's an even worse thought is that Reunion Arena closed five years after Memorial Auditorium, and will likely be demolished sooner. Classic example for local civic leadership.

[Tim]

Hey, I know the guy that wrote that. He coached a soccer team I played for. He's a good writer, unlike this Mike Harrington guy...

J/K Mike.

[Dave]

Good. Now all they have to do is make sure that Brett Hull is inside of the place when it collapses.