The Federal Hockey League is expected to announce soon that a team will be playing at The Brewster Ice Arena this fall.

The Danbury Whalers, who could not reach an agreement with the Danbury Ice Arena in April, still exists but is inactive.  Brewster Ice Arena owner Steve Santini says the owner of the unnamed team is from Chicago and has indicated that Danbury Whalers CEO and Managing Partner Herm Sorcher will serve as the general manager of the new Brewster team.

A fourth rink was added to The Brewster Ice Arena two years ago.  28 youth hockey teams play at the facility.  Santini says there won't be any displacement of current programs.  He says this will be a nice fit for the community and existing customers.  He hopes this will attract new people to Brewster, saying it will be a great thing for the town and the facility.

The main arena was built in 1998 and seats 850 people.  That will be the occupancy for the first season.  Depending on how that goes, Santini says he will go to the town for approvals to increase that capacity.

Eagle Ice Sports, which owns the Danbury Ice Arena, sent the Whalers owners a letter about not renewing their second five-year term of a lease signed five years ago.  Among the complaints listed in the letter was the team paying invoices for rent and other expenses late.  The arena also cited the team allowing customers to bring in outside food, drinks and alcoholic beverages.

Despite this announcement, rumors continue that a local businessman is attempting to put a new hockey team into the Danbury Ice Arena this fall.