“Date a Condor Night” on November 17 promises to be a hot promotion for the Bakersfield Condors, a minor league hockey team in a town that is gaining statewide notice as the “surprise star of the Central Valley” for its sharp economic recovery.

The Los Angeles Times ascribes Bakersfield’s new-found success to “a price-fueled energy bonanza, low corporate operating costs and an advantageous location. . . . Signs of growth are obvious.”

The hockey team has not been as fortunate. The Condors finished last in the Western Conference of the East Coast Hockey League in 2011-12, way behind the next worst team, the Stockton Thunder, to whom it had dedicated its December 27 promotion—“Our City Isn’t Bankrupt Night.”

The title of the special evening was renamed Tuesday after bad publicity and, perhaps, some bad timing led the Condors to rechristen the event as “Boomtown Bakersfield,” although the team is still giving away a fake million-dollar bill and a bogus Rolls Royce.

Stockton declared bankruptcy earlier this year and has been slow developing a sense of humor about it. “Bankruptcy is a sensitive topic around here,” wrote Bob Highfill, sports editor for Stockton’s The Record. “Thousands have lost their jobs and retirements in this community. It's no laughing matter.”

The change of heart also comes a day after Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was seen on video explaining his theory of the “taker class”―those 47% of Americans who are President Barack Obama supporters that “pay no income tax,” “are dependent upon government” and “believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it.”

“My job is not to worry about those people,” Romney said. “I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

The Bakersfield team owner, Jonathan Fleisig, called the original bankruptcy promotion good clean fun. And during his 15 years of ownership, his team has had its fair share of fun. Six years ago the Condors handed out free toilet paper with their opponent’s logo on it for “Wipe out the Falcons Night.” Two years ago, they put the Thunder logo on toilet plungers for the paying customers.

Condors team president Matt Riley thought that was “way more offensive” than the bankruptcy theme.

Stockton is paying lawyers about $5 million this year while fighting to preserve what assets it can after a filing for bankruptcy June 28. Stockton could not close a $26 million budget hole and anticipated even larger deficits down the road.

Creditors and insurers are demanding that services be cut and public employee pensions be slashed―in a vigorous debate over legitimate obligations to both workers and bondholders that will likely play itself out in the courts and the Legislature―as Stockton residents suffer the consequences.

–Ken Broder

To Learn More:

Condors Announce Boomtown Bakersfield Night Dec. 27th (Bakersfield Condors website)

Bakersfield Hockey Team Mocks Stockton Bankruptcy (by Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times)

Only Thing Bankrupt Is Owner’s Idea of Comedy (by Bob Highfill, The Record)

Bakersfield Hockey Team Makes Light of Stockton's Bankruptcy (by Dan Walters, Sacramento Bee)

Condor Promotion Irks Stockton Residents (by Lois Henry, The Bakersfield Californian)

City Seeks More Cash for Lawyers (by Scott Smith, The Record)

Moody’s Joins the War of Words Aimed at Struggling California Cities (by Ken Broder, AllGov)