Murry Gunty's Black Bear Sports Group Acquires 12th Ice Arena
“Many talented hockey players and skaters call the Arena their home ice and we are excited for continued expansion in New Jersey" – Murry Gunty
RANDOLPH, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)
An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear” or the “Company”) has acquired Aspen Ice Arena in Randolph, NJ (the “Arena”). The Arena houses two NHL-size ice sheets, an exercise studio and is home to the New Jersey Freeze Youth Hockey Club, Delbarton School Green Wave, Randolph Rams High School and various other local high school and recreational hockey programs. Black Bear was founded by Murry Gunty in 2015.
“Aspen Ice is a first-class facility and will be one of the premier rinks in our portfolio,” said Murry Gunty, CEO of Black Bear. “Many talented hockey players and skaters call the Arena their home ice and we are excited for continued expansion in New Jersey—one of the top hockey states in the country. Through our network of coaches and junior hockey teams, we offer players in our ice rinks a unique opportunity to advance from youth hockey to junior hockey and into college and beyond.”
Aspen Ice is the third acquisition for Black Bear in New Jersey. Black Bear also owns and operates Ice Land Skating Center in Hamilton, NJ, home of the Mercer Chiefs, and Jersey Shore Ice Arena in Wall, NJ, home of the Jersey Shore Wildcats.
“New Jersey is a hockey state,” said Ryan Scott, Vice President of Black Bear. “We are excited to bring our industry knowledge and hockey network to northern New Jersey. Youth hockey continues to expand in the area and the Arena is a proud partner of the New Jersey Devils’ Learn to Play program.”
About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.
Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean and professionally managed and offer world-class recreational offerings. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear has the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also to turn around under-managed or under-performing facilities. Black Bear currently owns and operates twelve arenas across the United States with a total of 22 sheets of indoor ice, two indoor turf fields, two youth hockey clubs and junior hockey franchises in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League and Eastern Hockey League.