If the games are packed it will look better than seeing a basically empty NHL arena like it was in 2011. It would be how everyone said Fargo was a hit the first year they hosted when all the AHL/ECHL arenas in the other sites looked empty. I think this was a dumb choice for a regional site but the selection committee went with it instead of saying how about a different arena in St. Louis or go with Fargo, Loveland, Green Bay, KC or Milwaukee (I have no idea who also bid but these are just options).
One big problem with the West and Midwest is no one but 9 to 10 teams bid with Minnesota and North Dakota being the main 2 (I don’t consider Allentown a Midwest regional).