on may 29, 2011, kevn-tv in rapid city, south dakota reported that colorado was to move to the echl in time for the 2011–12 season. the following day, the team announced that they would have a press conference on may 31 at the budweiser events center and that local media were urged to attend and fans urged to listen to the press conference online or on a local radio station. at the press conference, head coach, general manager and president chris stewart announced that the team had been accepted as an expansion franchise in the echl for the 2011–12 season.