The following article appeared in this morning's edition of The
Providence Journal:
 
EVERYBODY WON OUT AT THIS YEAR'S FROZEN FOUR
By Doug Chapman, Journal Sports Writer
 
There were three big winners at the 2000 Frozen Four -- the University
of North Dakota, college hockey and the city of Providence.
 
North Dakota captured its seventh NCAA hockey championship -- and its
third in Providence -- by rallying with three third-period goals to beat
Boston College in Saturday's night's final, 4-2.
 
College hockey fans were treated to three high-quality games on the ice
and a full package of hospitality off the ice.
 
But the biggest winner of all may have been the city of Providence.
 
"We wanted this to be the best Frozen Four ever," said John Marinatto,
athletic director of tournament host Providence College.  "The general
consensus in the college hockey community was that the best Frozen Four
ever was the last time it was held in Providence in 1995.  This one was
even better.  Everyone involved put their best foot forward."
 
The NCAA Hockey Committee was so impressed with the job that Providence
did as host that it hasn't ruled out a return, even though the Civic
Center does not meet its new minimum requirement of 15,000 seats for a
Frozen Four venue.  The Civic Center's capacity was 11,484 for the
Frozen Four.
 
"We met with the committee, and even though we don't meet the minimum
seating requirement, they have encouraged us to put in a bid the next
time they are open," said Marinatto.  "Since they made that rule, they
could make an exception.  From a hockey standpoint and the ancillary
support, they won't find a better place to hold the tournament than
here."
 
Next year's Frozen Four will be held in Albany, NY.  College hockey's
final four will be held in Minneapolis, MN in 2002 and Buffalo, NY in
2003.  The 2004 site will be the next one to go out to bid.
 
"This was a true community effort, said Marinatto.  "Everything ran so
smoothly.  The only complaint that got back to me was the long lines for
the men's rooms between periods."
 
All of the events proceeded like clockwork.  On the few occasions that
last-minute adjustments needed to be made, the transition went just as
smoothly.
 
The North Dakota team, along with its school officials and boosters,
remained in Providence for longer than expected after the Fighting Sioux
secured the championship.
 
"The pilot that was supposed to fly their charter back to Fargo took
sick, and a replacement had to be flown in," said Marinatto.  "The
players hadn't eaten since their pre-game meal, and we had a group of
175 people with nowhere to go."
 
A potentially difficult situation was turned into a party.
 
"The Civic Center really came through for them," said Marinatto.  "The
Arena Bistro restaurant set up chairs and tables in the bowels of the
building.  We fed 175 people and provided them with a place to party
until their flight was ready.  I couldn't believe how much food they had
left over, or in storage."
 
It is no wonder that Fighting Sioux head coach Dean Blais says
Providence has been his favorite Frozen Four site.
 
"I don't know if people realize that this is a 12-month effort to host
this kind of event," said Marinatto.  "It is all of the little things
that make it a success; things like welcoming signs for travelers
arriving at T. F. Green Airport and signs on Interstate 95 pointing the
way to the Civic Center.  Bill Ankner, the director of the Rhode Island
Department of Transportation, and transportation committee chairman Dick
Brussard ensured that all of this was done.  The devil is in the
details."
 
Providence College staff members Mark Devine, Tim Connor and Arthur
Parks were also singled out for doing more than their share to make the
event run smoothly.
 
"It took a tremendous amount of cooperation from everyone to make the
Frozen Four such a success," said Marinatto.  "The Civic Center looked
tremendous.  Henry Brocolli and his staff did a great job in getting the
building ready to host a national event."
 
"The organizing committee dealt with three different Warwick mayors and
received complete cooperation from each," Marinatto said.  Providence
Mayor Vincent Cianci made sure there were extra police and maintenance
patrols so that the city would look its best.
 
The Frozen Four's local economic impact was $7.5 million in 1995.
 
"I think when the figures are totalled, the economic impact from this
year's Frozen Four will be double what it was in '95," said Marinatto.
"Merchants in the Providence Place Mall reported that this was their
busiest period since Christmas."
 
The most memorable events from this year's Frozen Four weekend were the
Hobey Baker Award ceremony and Friday evening's Waterfire.
 
"The four schools were invited to watch Waterfire from the 13th floor of
the Citizen's Bank building," said Marinatto.  "The majesty and the
drama that Waterfire created made it special for them and anyone else
that had never seen anything like it before."
 
This Frozen Four was like no other.  Marinatto hopes that the NCAA
hockey committee will remember that the next time Providence puts in a
bid, even if the Civic Center is not quite up to seating-capacity
standards.
 
"Providence is an ideal-sized city to host a Frozen Four, and the Civic
Center is a great building to watch hockey," said Marinatto.  "I think
everyone that experienced this year's event would agree."
 
Bill Corrigan
 
LET'S GO BRUNO!
 
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