Players and captains tell Brentwood Public Works committee sale to Hockey North America ended local league without notice

Multiple long-time participants in the Brentwood Hockey League told the Brentwood Public Works Committee on Aug. 29 that the rink sold league ice time to a private company, leaving the league without an opportunity to retain its schedule.

"We weren't given an opportunity to speak or to say, hey, we'll buy the ice time," said Joel Cruz, a Brentwood Hockey League participant who identified himself as a Manchester, Missouri resident and a league member for nearly 20 years. Cruz said the BHL has a multi-decade presence in Brentwood and that losing it would harm local businesses that benefit when players and spectators visit restaurants and gas stations.

Patrick Roy, who said he has participated in the Brentwood League for roughly 25 years and serves as a team captain, told the committee he and other captains were told by rink staff and via email from Brad Barbot that reports the league was ending were "not true," only to receive a notice the next morning that the league was no longer operating in Brentwood. Roy said he learned Brad had been in contact with HNA as early as May.

"I was just kind of confused as to why any of that would have ever taken place," Roy said, describing captains who were led to expect the fall session would proceed and fundraising and team planning that had already begun.

Josh Dayton, a former Brentwood resident and 12-year league player, told the committee the sale transferred control to a Virginia-based company and recounted what he said were dramatic cost and scheduling changes. "It's going from about a $140 to about $600 a session with that new league," Dayton said, adding that teams could be reassigned to different rinks and nights, creating conflicts for players with family and work commitments and eliminating the advanced Thursday division that some players rely on for higher-level competition.

Committee members asked staff questions about the change and the cost and were told by the chair that the committee is conducting a fact-finding mission and that some legal matters would be handled in closed session. "We hear your concerns, and we're talking about it," the chair said.

The public commenters urged the city to consider options such as allowing the BHL to operate or to negotiate terms to keep local play in Brentwood; they also emphasized the league's ties to local businesses. Committee members directed staff to gather more information, consult legal counsel, and continue fact-finding rather than making an immediate policy decision.

No formal action or vote on the rink contract or ice-time assignment was recorded during the public meeting. The committee moved into closed session later in the agenda for further legal discussion.