Allentown hopes Flyers fever infects the Valley and attracts new fans for the minor league Phantoms

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski admits that until recently, he's never paid much attention to Simon Gagne's slap shot or Danny Briere's stick handling.

But as the Flyers make their surprising run through the Stanley Cup finals, there is perhaps no bigger hockey fan in the Lehigh Valley than Pawlowski -- and not because he's acquired an appreciation for the power play.

Pawlowski is planning what is expected to be an $80 million hockey arena on Allentown's riverfront and for him, Flyers mania means more season ticket sales, more people in his downtown and more excitement for a Flyers minor league affiliate team he hopes will drop the puck in Allentown for the 2012-13 season.

''Look at the way people are rushing out to buy Flyers jerseys and caps,'' Pawlowski said. ''It raises the excitement for hockey at a time when we're working to bring it here. It shows that the Phantoms will thrive here. It's awesome. The timing couldn't be better.''

The Pittsburgh-based Brooks Group, owners of the Flyers-affiliated Phantoms, are hoping a Stanley Cup hangover lasts a long time.

''It's Flyers mania and it's awesome,'' said Rob Brooks, whose team is playing in Glens Falls, N.Y. until the Allentown arena can be built.

Brooks Group has been looking for a new location for the team since its old home, the Spectrum in Philadelphia, was marked for demolition. They've chosen Allentown, and while the city's effort to prepare the Lehigh riverfront for the arena has gone slowly, a 130-acre special state taxing district has been created to fund the arena. The city and team owner say they hope to have the arena open in October 2012.

Pawlowski knows a little something about how success with the pro team can boost excitement for the minor league affiliate. Coca-Cola Park, home of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, opened in east Allentown in 2008. The Phillies promptly went to the World Series two consecutive years, winning in 2008. Today, IronPigs fans have made Coca-Cola Park the highest attendance stadium in the 14-team International League, selling more than 8,700 tickets per game for a stadium that has about 8,000 seats.

Some of that excitement has come from the fact that a healthy diet of Phillies stars, including All-Star lead-off man Shane Victorino, closer Brad Lidge and starting pitcher J.A. Happ have had stints with the Triple A team and are now household names.

Phantoms fans can expect a strong connection with the Flyers.

''Three-quarters of the Flyers lineup played for the Phantoms,'' Brooks said. ''That's pretty exciting. We can't wait to get to Allentown.''

But first things first and that means if they're going to cause a face-painting, jersey-buying craze here, Pawlowski and Brooks have to get the arena built. Pawlowski said officials from the city, the Brooks Group, developers and the Allentown Economic Development Corp. are negotiating a complicated deal that will spell out what obligations each party has. Making matters more difficult is that the taxing district -- which will pay for much of the $80 million arena by diverting all state tax money generated in the district for the next 30 years into paying off the arena debt -- has never been used before in Pennsylvania.

''This is a very complex deal. We're blazing a new trail here,'' Pawlowski said. ''It's not as easy as we thought so it's taking longer, but it's getting done. We're almost there.''

Pawlowski said he hopes to break ground for the new stadium this fall. But Sen. Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, who authored the taxing district law, said it could happen as late as next spring and the 18-month project still would be finished by fall of 2012.

Assuming Allentown accomplishes that feat, will what the Flyers are doing now put people in the Phantoms arena, and ultimately downtown?

Definitely, says Mike Reitbauer, 21 of Allentown. As he perused a rack of Flyers jerseys at Schuylkill Valley Sports in the South Mall, he admitted he's totally caught up in Flyers mania.

''I watched the last game against Montreal at Starters [Pub, Bethlehem] and the place was electric. The place was going crazy,'' said Reitbauer. ''I want that energy in my hometown. I can't wait to buy tickets.''

Joce Kaligis, of Whitehall, is a native of the Netherlands who admits he's really a St. Louis Blues fan but still can't take his eyes off the Flyers playoff run.

''I'm completely glued to this series. I just love ice hockey in general,'' said Kaligis, at a trading cards show at Merchants Square Mall. ''I've driven to Philadelphia to see games and I've been to Hershey, but it's just not convenient to do very often. I would be a huge Phantoms fan.''

Brooks gets all that. His family is part owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, rivals of the Flyers, but he knows what a Stanley Cup could do for his effort to bring hockey to Allentown.

''I have one thing to say,'' Brooks said. ''Go Flyers.''

FROM THE MORNING CALL