Shell Shockers buy indoor center
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
NEW ORLEANS, LA -- The New Orleans Shell Shockers announced the purchase of Riverside Indoor Soccer Arena. The multi-million dollar venue will be the new official training site for the team and the permanent home for the club’s administration staff. The building will be remodeled and all Shell Shockers day-to-day business will be run from offices in the renovated Harahan warehouse.
 Shell Shockers Head Coach Kenny Farrell said today, “I am absolutely delighted we beat some serious and determined competition to secure this state-of-the-art complex. It is a tremendous boost to soccer lovers both young and old in the region.”
Riverside is the premier indoor soccer arena in the State and the only one of its kind for 500 miles. It sprawls for 33,000 square foot and cost more than $2 million dollars when it was built just over two years ago.
Founder Colin Rocke will stay on as part owner and said today, “This agreement with the Shell Shockers is the perfect marriage between the local leading lights in indoor and outdoor soccer.
“Like everyone else in the area Katrina gave us a severe beating and I feared we would be forced to close. But it was important we battled back to life and this deal has secured our future. There are more than 20 million indoor soccer players across the nation and it would have been a terrible blow to New Orleans if we could no longer offer our loyal members a place to play.”
Riverside’s huge metal doors, built to withstand 175 miles per hour winds, were ripped from their hinges by the hurricane and tossed almost 50 feet away. Although the center did not flood it was turned into a wind tunnel and many sections battered and damaged.
But Shell Shockers President Michael Balluff explained, “We have some big plans and intend to improve the facilities and concessions we can offer both to the players and the parents dropping off their children.
“We aim to build on the phenomenal work Colin has done training kids and organizing youth camps, and it gives us the ability to develop Southern Louisiana soccer on all levels and in all areas.”
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