If you’ve been inside Lucas County Arena, you’ll probably agree when I say that it is amazing!

If you haven’t been inside the new home of the Walleye, I highly recommend you give it a looksee.

Seriously, the place is state-of-the-art.  The decor adds so much.  And the structures built outside?  Let’s hope the Walleye can put on a good show.

Judging from this past weekend, they certainly can.  But honestly, this venue is so nice that it almost doesn’t matter if the team wins or loses – as long as the entertainment value’s there.  For example, six fights in a period will satisfy the non-hockey enthusiast or the Toledo youth, I’m sure.  I’m saying this in a complimentary way, by the way.

But really, I gather a sense of hope in the Toledo public.  During game-opening night, numerous people were walking around the arena, just waiting for the place to open up.  They were all super eager to check out the new digs, and the new team as well.

Let’s face it, Toledo: this city is in need of buildings like Lucas County Arena.  Combined with Fifth Third Field, it should revitalize downtown businesses, encourage people to come downtown, create more jobs, and do what it has done already – give the city a pick-me-up.

Sports is a way people can escape from the daily grind.  It offers much more than just going to the mall or going to the movies, and it creates a precursor to maybe a little more Toledo nightlife.  We’ll see if that part improves downtown.

Considering how much the city’s economy is riding on this, seriously, the next time anybody tries to downplay the importance of local sports, just think back to the Toledo Walleye’s opening weekend, the opening weekend of Lucas County Arena, and how that improved the city’s spirits, among other things, and try to say that local sports is not important.

The proof is in the pudding – local sports IS important to the city of Toledo.