Albert Lea Thunder Director of Marketing and Game Day Operations Paul Contreras reiterated that the Thunder are not going anywhere.

The team’s owners Barry Soskin and Jim Perkins have been relieved of their duties by the North American Hockey League, Contreras said.

Contreras, who has worked with Soskin on and off since 2002, wanted to clear the air and also said he will carry out any fulfillments he was not able to carry out under the ownership.

One of those fulfillments included a pocket schedule, which sponsors paid for advertising. Contreras said Perkins never gave him the money to have the schedules printed.

“In the last few weeks there’s been some promises made by the ownership through me that have not been fulfilled,” Contreras said. “I want to fulfill those now that I believe that I have some stability behind me now with the league to make sure that those things are going to get done.”

The Thunder owners have several outstanding debts around Albert Lea. Contreras said the Thunder owners are responsible for any outstanding debts.

“Barry has stated he is responsible and will be responsible for his debts and that he is intending to get those cleaned up because he doesn’t want to burn any bridges with anybody,” Contreras said.

Soskin has walked out on debts in other places he has owned teams, but Contreras said the NAHL has mandated Soskin to clear his debts.

Contreras worked closely with Perkins, who was Contreras’ immediate boss. Contreras said the two didn’t see eye-to-eye on the marketing direction of the team.

“I fought tooth and nail with Jim on a daily basis on what direction to take the marketing,” Contreras said.

Contreras said there’s a lot of work to be done to turn things around in the community after the owners strained relations with the business community.

“It’s a shame that Albert Lea had to have been embarrassed by two owners who probably shouldn’t have been in this in the beginning,” Contreras said.