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Tri-City Storm
Arena Name: FirsTier Events Center |
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| FirsTier Events Center |
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| What's the Arena Like? |
| The FEC looks a lot like a giant shed. There is nothing wrong with that either. It's perfectly sized for the Storm. The FirsTier Events Center is one of the darker arenas in the league, which makes it a challenge if you're a picture taker. The FEC features two video screens that are only a couple years old. It can have an excellent atmosphere if everything goes right. You can walk all the way around the concourse, but along the sides it tends to get a little more crowded, as it's a little narrower along there. Outside of the bleacher seats, there really isn't a terrible seat in the place. The FirsTier Events Center features bowl seating that goes all the way around. They have some suites. They also have bleachers at the top of nearly each section, but I'd advise against sitting there, as there are big poles that get in your way. The FEC offers much of the usual stuff at concession stands. They used to sell Runzas at the game, but I do not know if they still do. I want to say they have Little Caesar's pizza for sale at the games as well. As far as the merchandise goes, the Storm has a small area, but offer quite a few options. My first visit (then named the Kearney Events Center) they sold many different game pucks for each team in the league, which I liked very much. They also have a stand for player buttons, so you can buy a button if you have a favorite player on the Storm. There aren't a whole lot of negatives about the FirsTier Events Center, but the one thing that sticks out to me is the lack of bathrooms. |
Future Developments |
| There are no plans to replace or renovate the FirsTier Events Center. |
| What Is It Like For Away Fans? |
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For opposing fans, it's a nice, friendly arena. From my experiences, there have been none bad, and lots of friendly people. There was one incident I remember quite well, though. A group of drunk fans sitting behind the visiting team's bench thought it'd be funny to have one guy throw his straw hat over the glass and onto the bench. The backup goalie for the game joked around and wore the hat on top of his helmet for a minute or two. The goalie then tossed the hat back over, and the gentleman was being escorted out. On his way up the steps, he decided he was going to try and get away. The scene reminded me of an episode of COPS. The man was tackled by 3 or 4 people and zip tied. It was more of a funny event than anything. Intimidation Factor: LOW |
How To Get There |
| From I80: Take Exit 272/NE-44 towards Kearney. Merge onto NE-44 south toward Ft. Kearney. Make a right into the entrance of the FirsTier Events Center Parking is on site, and from what I've been told, is free this year. Parking used to cost a few bucks in previous years. Ticket prices have gone up a bit to compensate for the free parking. |
| Admission Prices |
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Premier Seating: $16 Standard Seating: $14 Bleacher Seating: $13 |
| Inside FirsTier Events Center |
 
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| Franchise History |
| The Storm started up hockey in Kearney beginning in 2000. Their franchise was moved to Kearney from the Twin Cities, where they were called the Vulcans. The franchise, which stems back to the St. Paul Vulcans, has one just 1 Clark Cup championship, coming way back in 1983-1984. Since the team has been known as the Storm, there have been no Clark Cups, but they did win the Anderson Cup in 2003-2004. The 03-04 season has easily been the Storm's best to date. They posted a 43-12-5 record and ended up losing to Waterloo in the Clark Cup Finals. |
| Local Rivals |
| Tri-City is the furthest West team in the league, so there aren't many options for a rival. Lincoln is the closest team and the Storm have tried to spark a rivalry, but it's a growing process at this point. |
| Place to Eat Near the FirsTier Events Center |
| When exiting the Interstate, go north on NE-44. You will come across many different places, including, but not limited to, Old Chicago (I think), Runza, Taco John's, and Burger King. |
Feedback |
| If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at JaskulaR@aol.com and I'll update the guide. |
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Copyright © Rob Jaskula
2007-08. |