((HT: Sportsnet))
Remember all that talk about having a second team in Toronto for the NHL...???
That idea is getting shelved for the now...
The City Council voted 11-2 Wednesday night against using any public funds to build an NHL-sized arena. That vote pretty much kills the plan with businessman Graham Roustan, the CEO of GTA Sports and Entertainment, to build a 20,000-seat arena.
Roustan would pay for half while the city would have paid for the other half of the C$162.5-million cost... but, then, Roustan said he would put up C$200-million last week, but that idea didn't work either...
The City Council has now decided to study that second proposal further, and there's no idea as to when the Markham Arena idea would be revisited.
Here's Damien Cox with FOSG Elliotte Friedman discussing the issues with the Markham Arena idea before it got voted down with NHL player agent Anton Thun...
The HQ believes that a second franchise in the GTA would be a success- unquestionably...
The deal just has to be the right deal...
Showing posts with label GTA Centre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GTA Centre. Show all posts
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Let's Be Negative For A Minute: Coyotes In Glendale
Let's get the positive part of this out of the way...
Here was the post mortem on the vote to keep the "Arizona" Coyotes in Glendale led by FOSG Bruce Cooper...
((HT: AZCentral.com))
The larger question: The Coyotes are safe in jobing.com arena for another five years and until the point where losses accumulate to US$50-million- which, in reality, could happen in half that time... it has in the past as teams have lost as much as US$30-million in a season... And the idea that Global-Spectrum was brought in as a partner for Renaissance seems to have swayed at least one voter in this whole thing to make it a 4-3 on the positive side for Glendale...
It's a 15-year lease, sure... and if the Renaissance owners and, presumably, the NHL want to be greedy about the whole thing, the owners can keep getting checks from the city of Glendale (which may or may not bounce considering just how much debt they themselves are in) past that five-year mark and get fat off the city for another decade without having to say they're sorry.
Well done, Glendale... even as newly-minted mayor Jerry Weiers voted against the idea- as he well should have... It was admitted by city officials that services may have to be cut this year to make ends meet- including cutting a check to Anthony LeBlanc and his partners. That's things like police, fire, libraries, sanitation... you know, things that make a city function. But it's clear that everything in and around Westgate City Center revolves around an arena that is only used a handful of times in a calendar year. A bad idea usually begat more bad ideas... and this is no different...
That's where Global-Spectrum comes into play... Allegedly... They manage over 100 arenas around the country and own the Philadelphia Flyers- in a building they manage. The Hockey News Ken Campbell raises an interesting theory: But it is interesting to note that last September, Global Spectrum signed on to manage and operate the GTA Centre in Markham, Ont., once it opens. The GTA Centre is a 20,000-seat arena that is in its infancy and would provide a ready-made building if the NHL ever decided to relocate or expand to the largest and most under-serviced hockey market in the world. Is it a stretch to suggest that if the Coyotes fail, Global Spectrum and its owner might want to see them move to an NHL-sized building that it already manages?
So, when time and patience runs out in Glendale- which it will...
Guess who jumps to the front of the line over Seattle and Quebec City...???
And when the league expands to 32 teams- which it will...
Look for those other two markets and wanna-be owners to have to cut big checks to play in the NHL sandbox instead of getting a cheap tenant on a move-in like Global and the Coyotes Canadian owners...
Here was the post mortem on the vote to keep the "Arizona" Coyotes in Glendale led by FOSG Bruce Cooper...
((HT: AZCentral.com))
The larger question: The Coyotes are safe in jobing.com arena for another five years and until the point where losses accumulate to US$50-million- which, in reality, could happen in half that time... it has in the past as teams have lost as much as US$30-million in a season... And the idea that Global-Spectrum was brought in as a partner for Renaissance seems to have swayed at least one voter in this whole thing to make it a 4-3 on the positive side for Glendale...
It's a 15-year lease, sure... and if the Renaissance owners and, presumably, the NHL want to be greedy about the whole thing, the owners can keep getting checks from the city of Glendale (which may or may not bounce considering just how much debt they themselves are in) past that five-year mark and get fat off the city for another decade without having to say they're sorry.
Well done, Glendale... even as newly-minted mayor Jerry Weiers voted against the idea- as he well should have... It was admitted by city officials that services may have to be cut this year to make ends meet- including cutting a check to Anthony LeBlanc and his partners. That's things like police, fire, libraries, sanitation... you know, things that make a city function. But it's clear that everything in and around Westgate City Center revolves around an arena that is only used a handful of times in a calendar year. A bad idea usually begat more bad ideas... and this is no different...
That's where Global-Spectrum comes into play... Allegedly... They manage over 100 arenas around the country and own the Philadelphia Flyers- in a building they manage. The Hockey News Ken Campbell raises an interesting theory: But it is interesting to note that last September, Global Spectrum signed on to manage and operate the GTA Centre in Markham, Ont., once it opens. The GTA Centre is a 20,000-seat arena that is in its infancy and would provide a ready-made building if the NHL ever decided to relocate or expand to the largest and most under-serviced hockey market in the world. Is it a stretch to suggest that if the Coyotes fail, Global Spectrum and its owner might want to see them move to an NHL-sized building that it already manages?
So, when time and patience runs out in Glendale- which it will...
Guess who jumps to the front of the line over Seattle and Quebec City...???
And when the league expands to 32 teams- which it will...
Look for those other two markets and wanna-be owners to have to cut big checks to play in the NHL sandbox instead of getting a cheap tenant on a move-in like Global and the Coyotes Canadian owners...
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
To Build Or Not To Build... The New GTA Centre Moves On... NHL Expands To 32 To Do It...???
((HT: Sportsnet))
The idea is there... to build another arena in the Greater Toronto area...
This time in the suburb of Markham where the former boss of Bauer Hockey is looking to make another opportunity for pro hockey in the Golden Horsehoe...
Last night, in Markham, the city council was having a contentious meeting as to whether or not to proceed with funding, building, and otherwise get things moving to build the thing.
Former NHLPA big-wig Paul Kelly spoke to the group and asked to build it- almost guaranteeing the tenant...
((HT: Adam Desloges))
Kelly made the rounds this morning with anyone willing to listen to his pied-piperness on the subject- including FOSG Jim Lang on the Fan590:
"I just [explained] to the council and to the citizens that you really don’t get many opportunities to at least have a shot at landing an NHL franchise. These windows come, and while they’re there you’ve got to take advantage of them. And frankly, this is Markham’s time. If they ever hope to land a second team in the Greater Toronto Area, this is the best opportunity they will have.”
Kelly's hook depends on the idea of expanding to 32 teams, but at the same time, there are so many franchises in flux that the concept of being a relocation site would be an easy play.
The vote to keep the idea alive passed by a 7-6 margin. That means the C$325-million project moves ahead, with Markham taxpayers on the hook for half the cost of the complex.
CTV News caught up with FOSG Howard Bloom to discuss a second franchise.
CBC's Monica Platek collected a lot of opinions on the idea as the night went through...
The idea is there... to build another arena in the Greater Toronto area...
This time in the suburb of Markham where the former boss of Bauer Hockey is looking to make another opportunity for pro hockey in the Golden Horsehoe...
Last night, in Markham, the city council was having a contentious meeting as to whether or not to proceed with funding, building, and otherwise get things moving to build the thing.
Former NHLPA big-wig Paul Kelly spoke to the group and asked to build it- almost guaranteeing the tenant...
((HT: Adam Desloges))
Kelly made the rounds this morning with anyone willing to listen to his pied-piperness on the subject- including FOSG Jim Lang on the Fan590:
"I just [explained] to the council and to the citizens that you really don’t get many opportunities to at least have a shot at landing an NHL franchise. These windows come, and while they’re there you’ve got to take advantage of them. And frankly, this is Markham’s time. If they ever hope to land a second team in the Greater Toronto Area, this is the best opportunity they will have.”
Kelly's hook depends on the idea of expanding to 32 teams, but at the same time, there are so many franchises in flux that the concept of being a relocation site would be an easy play.
The vote to keep the idea alive passed by a 7-6 margin. That means the C$325-million project moves ahead, with Markham taxpayers on the hook for half the cost of the complex.
CTV News caught up with FOSG Howard Bloom to discuss a second franchise.
CBC's Monica Platek collected a lot of opinions on the idea as the night went through...
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