WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) today joined mayors in cities across the United States that host National Hockey League (NHL) teams in calling on the NHL to continue negotiations with NHL players to reach a new collective bargaining agreement to end the lockout.

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On what would've been the opening day of the NHL season, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran said, "Mayors understand this is about more than hockey.  This is about our small business owners: restaurateurs, hotel managers, concession workers and people in our cities that need the NHL to make ends meet.  Local businesses and their employees depend on NHL seasons and cannot survive without the thousands of customers NHL games drive to their districts every autumn and winter.  In this tough economic time when our constituents are already financially stretched, another cancelled season could spell disaster for the average middle-class worker.  We encourage all parties to work together to find a speedy resolution." 

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,295 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors