Sauer Gives Reasons for Ending Ambush Lease

Blues president Mark Sauer says he has several reasons for terminating the lease of the St. Louis Ambush at Kiel Center. Sauer says Kiel lost 175-thousand dollars on Ambush games last season. Team owner Abe Hawatmeh agrees that the Kiel lost money, but puts the number at 125-thousand. Other reasons given by Sauer: Dropping the Ambush allows more flexibility in scheduling St. Louis University basketball games. The quality of the ice for Blues games, generally poor, was worse when the turf soccer field was installed and removed. And fan support for the Ambush was dwindling. The team drew only 4,500 per game last year, after averaging over 8,000 a game the previous three seasons. The Ambush is not likely to move to Family Arena in St. Charles, which is booked most dates through the winter with the St. Louis Steamers, St. Louis Swarm, and Missouri River Otters. The Ambush may sit out a year, fold, or be sold.