Utica Comets To Host Outdoor Game At Griffiss Park

The Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome will be hosting an outdoor AHL hockey game next year.

Utica Comets President Rob Esche announced today that the Comets will take on the Syracuse Crunch in the 2021 AIS Empire Classic Outdoor Game on February 13^th.

“The Comets staff is dedicated to making the 2021 AIS Empire State Classic the event our area has ever seen,” said Esche. “We plan to put on a truly once-in-a-lifetime, immersive experience for all ages, that our area will embrace and celebrate for years to come.”

The game is part of a larger Winter Festival that will build on the 25^th anniversary of the Griffiss Local Development Corporation.

Utica College will face off against SUNY Oswego in an outdoor game the night before.

“This is an unbelievable opportunity for Utica College as a whole,” said Head Coach Gary Heenan. “The guys dream about playing in an outdoor game and to have it right here in our backyard is just awesome.”

Esche says the exact location of the event is still to be determined as three sites at Griffiss are currently being considered.

Deposits are being accepted now at the Comets Box Office to secure spots for the 2021 AIS Empire State Classic for just $25 per seat.

Assured Information Security (AIS), the game's sponsor, is a cyber and information security firm founded and headquartered in Rome.