City Council clears the way for proposed AHL team

The Oklahoma City Council approved several items Tuesday related to the new franchise, including an agreement between the franchise and SMG, the company that runs the Cox Convention Center. The city also agreed to pay for about $4 million worth of improvements to the Cox Center.

The AHL is a minor league affiliated with the National Hockey League. It is the equivalent of Triple-A baseball, meaning the players are one step away from playing in the NHL. The franchise will be owned by Prodigal Hockey, a local group run by Bob Funk Jr.

“The contract is contingent upon Prodigal Hockey approving its agreement with an NHL franchise,” assistant city attorney Wiley Williams said. “They have to do that by the end of the year. We have every reason to believe they will do that.”