The A-Game saga ends in disgrace

Over 24 hours ago, I walked out of A-Game Sportsplex, another GNASH broadcast in the books.

I knew that, eventually, I'd be walking out of the facility for the last time.

I had no idea that last time would be on Wednesday night.

Chaos erupted on Gothic Court early Thursday morning, as people pulled up to A-Game's entrance, only to find it blocked by members of the Franklin Police Department. They were told that the owners had changed the building's locks, and that no one was allowed inside. The facility was closed, a strong-arm tactic by A-Game's owners to get the groups that run the building's volleyball and hockey programs to finally terminate their leases early, so that A-Game's owners can throw the keys to Al. Neyer, the Cincinnati-based real estate firm that began the process of buying the facility last July so they can turn it into office space.

This led to outraged parents who had invested tons of money for their children to play a season on the ice or court, and children crying, wondering if they'd ever get to skate or play hockey/volleyball/basketball with their friends again.

All along, it had been said that after the sale was complete, the respective sports would be allowed to finish their seasons in the spring, then Al. Neyer could begin redevelopment.

So much for promises.

It got ugly the week of Christmas. When Sports Land Group LLC - A-Game's owners - saw talks between them and the volleyball and hockey groups - Alliance and MDG, respectively - of getting an early termination of their leases break down, SLG took action. The week before Christmas, SLG sent an e-mail to A-Game employees, telling them to collect their belongings on Christmas Eve (the facility, as it always was, would be closed on Christmas Day), because the facility would probably be closing for good.

When the two groups got wind of the e-mail, they took matters to court. A restraining order was brought down against A-Game's owners. The order was in effect from the week of December 21 until this past Tuesday, when it was lifted, as a Williamson County judge saw it necessary for A-Game to be able to complete its sale to Al. Neyer. Otherwise, the facility would be at the risk of foreclosure.

The most stunning thing in all of this is the fact that SLG had been losing $72,000 a month on its business venture, How the heck do you lose that much money on a building that's seemingly packed every weekend? I mean, sure, it costs a lot to maintain the ice, but $72,000? What were they doing, gambling away their profit on riverboat cruises?

As a broadcaster, A-Game has been a big part of my life since 2009. Not just with GNASH games, but with weekend youth hockey tournaments. I have many memories of that place, from seeing Ravenwood win the Predators Cup there in 2010, to seeing the Raptors, Centennial, and most recently, Montgomery Bell, skating the GNASH Cup around as regular season champions. I even remember the scene I left behind on Rink 1 on Wednesday night - a bunch of guys playing late-night open hockey.

I can't imagine how a kid who's spent a massive part of his or her whole life in that building must feel. It's all been ripped away from them.

By people who are supposed to be adults.

To quote a song from the long-running Nicktoon, The Fairly OddParents, "Adults ruin everything."

Too bad a song from a silly cartoon series has such a massive amount of truth to it.