Arena Football Comes Back to the Quad Cities
It’s been 8 years since the Quad-City Steamwheelers played a game at the iWireless Center. The arena football franchise called the Quad-Cities home for nearly 10 years. During that time the team won a pair of championships and made the playoffs seven times. Since the team went away, there have been many people wishing it would come back. And now it seems the wish will come true.
Officials at the iWireless Center confirmed an agreement has been reached to bring an indoor football franchise back to the Moline arena starting next spring.
The team will be called the Quad-City Steamwheelers, carrying the same name as the team that played in arena football from 2000 through 2009. It will play in a league called Champions Indoor Football, or CIF.
A news conference has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to provide additional details.
According to the Quad-City Times, Scott Mullen, executive director of the iWireless Center, admitted the idea of bringing indoor football back to the area has been suggested and investigated many times in the eight years since the old Steamwheelers met their demise.
Mullen was waiting for an ownership group to have a proven track record, financial stability and a commitment to remain in the area for awhile. Mullen will introduce the Dallas based group tomorrow and says he has a five-year deal with the team who will start next spring.