An Interview With Charlotte Checkers COO Tera Black

Hockey fans in Carolina got some great news February 10^th when it was announced that the Hurricanes’ American Hockey League affiliate was moving to Charlotte. The logic of the move was inescapable; last August, Canes Country's blogmeister Bob took a thoughtful (and prescient) look at the potential synergies in this post. The excitement of what this new arrangement means for the teams and their fans is playing out now in the Checkers’ offices on the 6th floor of a beautiful, historic building at 212 Tryon Street, a block or two away from the Time Warner Cable Arena, where the new and improved Charlotte Checkers will take the ice when the 2010-11 season opens in the fall.

It was my great privilege to sit down with Checkers COO Tera Black and Director of Media and Public Relations Mike Lappan last week at their offices in Charlotte. They (like many fans and followers) are thrilled by what the future holds for hockey in Carolina and are brimming with enthusiasm as they devote this off-season to laying the groundwork for the transition.

Head over to Canes Country, SBN's Carolina Hurricanes blog, for a snapshot of Charlotte hockey history, some events on tap this summer, and a preview of what we can look forward to next season, as the front office gets ready for the Checkers to make their debut in the American Hockey League.