For most Lehigh Valley Phantoms fans, a connection to the professional ice hockey team means cheering from the stands in a team jersey or dancing along with MeLVin, the mascot known for his zany yet lovable antics. 
For Kerry Kulp, the connection runs deeper.
Co-founder of the enterprise wireless and cybersecurity company Velaspan, Kulp aided in the design and installation of a system with more than 150 Wi-Fi access points at the PPL Center in Allentown so other Phans can make fast connections for free without a password. This allows the 8,500+ attending the games to post selfies, tag friends, and share their Phandom in real time.
Kulp values the opportunity to contribute to a community asset like the PPL Center, a catalyst for the billion-dollar redevelopment of downtown Allentown. For Kulp, the PPL Center brings together two of his passions: hockey and the Lehigh Valley.
Kulp is a lover and player of hockey—you can catch him on the ice with one of his teams, the Charlestown Chiefs, 2025 Geezer League champs—so becoming a season ticket holder was a no-brainer. “My wife and I have been season ticket holders since [the Phantoms] announced they were coming to Allentown,” Kulp said.
He is also a Lehigh Valley native who is deeply committed to Allentown’s revitalization. Kulp has high praise for the Phantoms' move to the city: “It brought over a billion dollars of investment into the region, largely anchored by the arena.”
The PPL Center is a centerpiece of the downtown’s redevelopment which includes 1.3 million square feet of office space, 1,500 apartments, two hotels, the new Da Vinci Science Center and the recently opened Archer Music Hall. Seeing the impact of the arena inspired his own company’s move into downtown Allentown. In 2015, Velaspan moved its corporate office to the Three City Center building, less than a block away from the PPL Center.
PPL Center’s popularity underscores the role that sports, the arts, and other live entertainment play in the Lehigh Valley’s economic strategy. Over the last two decades, the number of jobs in that sector has grown by 138%, or 2.5 times the nation’s growth rate. The sector creates a quality of life and place that attracts people and their talents, which in turn attracts companies.
There is a lot to love about the Lehigh Valley Phantoms—their high-energy game presentation, playful mascot, family friendly atmosphere, community-driven mission—but for Kulp love of the Phantoms is tied to love of the Lehigh Valley. And he hopes all who live here get the chance to experience it.
“This arena is an asset. We should cherish it, support it, and make sure it thrives,” Kulp said. “It’s something truly special for our region, and every game is a chance to experience it.”
(Top photo provided by Kerry Kulp. Bottom photo by Rick Kintzel)