ECHL in the South . . . Where have the teams gone ? ? ? ?

What has happened to the ECHL teams in the South? After this year, Columbia closes down for a year (they can't get their new arena built)**. Greensboro & Winston-Salem (original ECHL teams) folded shop years ago. No more Greenville Growwwll; the old Pee Dee Pride (who are suppose to move to Myrtle Beach eventually) may never get back off the ground if they can't get their new arena on the Coastal Carolina campus built. Fayetteville for some reason never has moved up to the ECHL (they are a perfect market for a team IMHO; Decent sized market with a still new arena). No teams in AL (remember Birmingham & Mobile) anymore or LA (New Orleans, Lafayette, etc.). Pensacola IcePilots might be done, Jacksonville never got back into the league even after their new arena opened up. Why has the ECHL gone cold in the South? Does the novelty wear out after 5 years or so ? ? ? ?

**for some unexplained reason, the Inferno have never been able to play at the COLONIAL CENTER, which has an ice floor and a similar setup to Bobcats Arena (i.e. off-center ice rink). They play at the old CAROLINA COLISEUM