The Delaware Thunder Professional Hockey Club announced it will not operate during the 2023-2024 season.
Instead, the club will focus on the Dover Civic Arena Project.
“We had looked at a possible temporary move, but decided to remain focused on the plans for a new facility in the great state of Delaware, and in particular, the City of Dover,” Delaware Thunder CEO Charles F Pens Sr. said. “We are excited to build on the amazing fan base, corporate support, and energy we have here in Delaware. The City of Dover and the mayor have been so welcoming, and so out of respect for this, we want to put all our efforts into this project.”
The Thunder lost their arena earlier this year when the Delaware State Fair did not renew the club’s lease. The fair cited the small seating capacity and Thunder games reducing public skating times at their arena.
The Thunder has built a small but loyal fan base that took the State Fair to task for their decision. A petition drive protesting the decision gained nearly 4,600 signatures.
A civic arena for Dover has been discussed for decades, but no project has yet emerged. More recently, Delaware State University has been mentioned as a site, and now another group has been pushing for the center.
