FLINT, MI -- With an aging Perani Arena serving as the background for a city clamoring for better days, ownership behind Flint's new Ontario Hockey League team extended the first olive branch.
In a swiftly called news conference Monday, one that was tentatively scheduled for later in the week, IMS Hockey Corp. unveiled "Flint Firebirds" as the name for the hockey team that will call Flint home beginning in the fall.
A firebird, team officials say, represents freedom, oftentimes the result of a difficult journey, and offers significance to residents of Flint and Genesee County.
"Flint is a community that has been built and sustained on the fierce resilience of its residents, and we see the Firebird as a symbol of that resilience," team president Costa Papista said in a release. "Flint has pulled through a difficult journey, and is now standing on the verge of great potential and promise.
"We see a revival happening in Flint. It's the very reason we chose to be part of this community in the first place."
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The name was made public Monday along with a sleek-looking logo of a firebird with its wings held high and an orange, grey, navy blue and white color scheme. Flynnagain Productions of Mississauga, Ontario, designed the logo and uniform concept.
The jerseys, made by CCM-Reebok, come in two styles: predominantly blue with orange and predominantly white with orange. Both combinations include blue and orange pants.
"We are immensely honored to be a part of Flint and Genesee County," said team owner Rolf Nilsen. "And we desire to build a team that the community can be proud of; a team whose impact will be felt far beyond the ice of Perani Arena."
IMS Hockey purchased Perani Arena for an undisclosed amount in late December and announced in mid-January that it had purchased the Plymouth Whalers from Peter Karmanos.
After the OHL approved of the sale on Feb. 2, team officials launched a naming contest asking the public to submit their ideas for a name and logo. It drew more than 4,000 submissions and 2,000 unique names, and Papista says "Firebirds" was submitted by 38 different people.
Genesee County resident Tom Barden, in attendance at the reveal Monday, was named the winner of the contest.
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Over the last two months, IMS Hockey registered a dozen names with Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. "Flint Generals" and "Flint Phoenix" were quickly ruled out by league officials so not to conflict with teams of the same nickname.
That left 10 names, and "Flint Tropics" quickly emerged as a favorite on the Internet. A tribute to the fictitious ABA team in the 2008 film "Semi-Pro" starring Will Ferrell, the name gained traction on social media early and actually won an MLive poll of the final names.
But many, including Flint Journal editor Bryn Mickle and columnist Andrew Heller, eventually came down against the name, concerned it could make the franchise into a mockery.
"Flint Firebirds" was the last name registered by IMS, on Feb. 25, two days before a second and final deadline issued by the OHL. Flint team officials were granted a one-week extension before that as they continued to weigh options and pursue copyright protection.
The name, with input from the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders, will mark the fifth major hockey franchise to call Flint and Perani Arena home.
The Flint Generals played in the International Hockey League from 1969 to 1985 and the Colonial Hockey League, United Hockey League and IHL from 1993 to 2010. In between, the Flint Spirits played in the IHL from 1985 to 1990 and the Flint Bulldogs the CHL from 1991 to 1993.
The Michigan Warriors, a member of the Tier II junior North American Hockey League, have played at Perani since 2010. They are not expected to return and are currently seeking a buyer.
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Aaron McMann covers sports for MLive.com and The Flint Journal. Contact him: amcmann@mlive.com; on Twitter @AaronMcMann.