MACON, Ga – In less than a year, one of the centerpieces of the new Enmarket Arena will take the ice as the city of Savannah throws its hat into the professional ice hockey ring.
As of Wednesday afternoon, that team, which will join the ECHL, now has a name. The Savannah Ghost Pirates.
The Savannah Ghost Pirates have officially set sail. ? ⛵
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Get on board ➡️ https://t.co/cqlbOzGXSm pic.twitter.com/rJptxQl7da— Savannah Ghost Pirates (@SavGhostPirates) October 27, 2021
The moniker meshes together two foundations of the history of Savannah – its location along Georgia’s coastal empire as well as its legend of haunted history, known through popular culture in avenues such as the book and movie, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Just this week, a story by Yelp.com listed two Savannah sites as the most haunted in America.
“We are proud to capture the spirit and culture of this incredible city with the name of your team,” said Andy Kaufmann, CEO of Roo Hockey, LLC, a division of Zawyer Sports, which owns the Ghost Pirates as well as the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen.
The Ghost Pirates will call the Enmarket Arena home, a 9,500-plus seat facility, the largest municipal project in the history of the city of Savannah, according to Mayor Van Johnson.
Thank you Savannah for welcoming the Ghost Pirates into the community today ?☠️ let the haunt begin! pic.twitter.com/WaggcuNowP
— Savannah Ghost Pirates (@SavGhostPirates) October 28, 2021
Hockey won’t be foreign to fans in Savannah and the counties surrounding Chatham County. Since 1999, the Savannah Civic Center has hosted the Savannah College Hockey Classic, a four-team event consisting of club hockey teams from schools such as Georgia and Georgia Tech.
“Savannah will now be known for hockey,” Johnson said.
But with the Ghost Pirates, a higher level of play will be arriving. Enthusiasm also appears to be high, too, as team officials noted during Wednesday’s announcement that 1,500 deposits for season tickets have already been placed.
“As you know, when you plant things in savannah soil, it always comes up good,” Johnson said.
