On November 7, 2022, it was announced that the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center was to host to an expansionFederal Prospects Hockey League team to start in the 2023–24 season and owned by APEX Drive Holdings LLC, which is led by Barry Soskin. On July 27, 2023, the team announced its name, the Blue Ridge Bobcats. Vojtech Zemlicka was named inaugural head coach during the pressconference. In December 2023, former President GM of the Carolina Thunderbirds and former VP of Operations of the Binghamton Black Bears, Jimmy Milliken joined the Bobcats as Executive Vice President of Operations. The 2024 season kicked off a new seating alignment where they removed the temporary seating and added new permanent bleachers.