i believe conditions of the sale prevent him from taking the team out of nashville. by the way my good friend darcy plays for you guys.
hordichuk(sp)...does a radio show.........very complicated on moving team .......since we derailed I'll post an article ....my family is a corp. sponsor from day 1.........would be sad and bad if relocated..........derail finis......off to the eye doc.
Friday, 06/01/07
Buyer hedges bet on Preds' home
Reactivating rights to Ontario arena offers a backup
By JOHN GLENNON-TENNESSEAN.COM
Staff Writer
The future of the Predators still rests in Nashville's hands, but the prospective owner of the National Hockey League franchise has given himself a contingency plan.
Jim Balsillie and Hamilton, Ontario, have reactivated an agreement that would give the Canadian billionaire exclusive rights to bring an NHL team to Hamilton's Copps Coliseum.
Balsillie's attorney and a Hamilton city councilman downplayed the development.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, while declining to discuss specifics of the Hamilton situation, said the possibility of relocation was a non-issue provided the Predators maintain their arena lease in Nashville.
Balsillie has yet to comment publicly about his plans for the Predators or his agreement with Hamilton.
"No businessman puts all his eggs in one basket,'' said Terry Whitehead, a Hamilton city councilman. "A prudent businessman looks at all his options and markets. This way, if something goes south in one market, he's got alternatives to look at.''
Said Toronto attorney Richard Rodier, a close associate of Balsillie: "It is simply a contingency plan in the unlikely event that the Predators' arena lease terminates prior to its normal course expiration.''
Balsillie signed a letter of intent to purchase the Predators from Craig Leipold for $220 million last week, but the deal won't be finalized until it's approved by the NHL's board of governors. There's no set date for that to take place.
Purcell, Bettman talk
The Predators are under lease to remain in Nashville for at least the 2007-08 season, but if the team activates an attendance clause in its contract by June 19, it could open the doors for a move for 2008-09.
However, if the Predators average 14,000 fans in average paid attendance next season, or if Metro makes up the difference if the average is less than 14,000, the team would stay here.
"My belief is that as long as the lease is in effect, there's no reason for anyone to be focused on the relocation of this club,'' Bettman said. "Obviously, if the lease is not in effect, whoever owns the club will probably want to explore his options, whatever they may be. That's nothing we're focused on right now, because we don't at this point see any reason to focus on something that may not happen.''
Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell spoke with Bettman on Thursday and the commissioner "reaffirmed what he has already said publicly" about Balsillie's plans, Purcell spokeswoman Molly Sudderth said. The mayor has not spoken with Balsillie.
Hamilton has been interested in procuring an NHL team for years. But even if the Predators' lease were to be broken after the upcoming season and Balsillie were to choose to move the team, there would be challenges in putting it in Hamilton.
Copps Coliseum, home to the American Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs, would require millions of dollars worth of upgrades to meet NHL standards.
Also, Hamilton lies within the 50-mile territorial range of two NHL teams — the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs — meaning that Hamilton would have to reach some kind of financial settlement that would satisfy both teams.
"We've been in this position many times before,'' Whitehead said. "From the city's perspective, you've got someone representing a businessman looking for an opportunity with the city of Hamilton.
"We'd like to be involved in the fray, but are we overly optimistic? Certainly not.''
Uncertainty remains
Other cities that would probably be discussed if Balsillie were to choose to relocate the Predators are Winnipeg, Manitoba; Quebec City; Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario; Houston and Kansas City.
Bettman hopes the situation never gets that far.
"The lease is completely in control of the people in the city of Nashville,'' Bettman said. "And I'm not talking just about fans, but the business community and all the various factors. If the attendance mark gets met, this whole thing is a non-issue.''
The Predators averaged more than 13,800 in paid attendance last season, not far from the goal of 14,000 that the team is trying to reach this season, but Thursday's developments added to the uncertainty felt by fans in Nashville.
"It seemed that Bettman was told by Balsillie that he had no intent to move," Predators season ticket holder Brian Hogue said. "So to see (Balsillie) reach out to Hamilton through a lawyer certainly leads to speculation that there's something going on behind the scenes that we don't know about.'
NASHVILLE VS. HAMILTON
METRO POPULATION
Nashville: 1.455 million
Hamilton: 716,000
CLAIM TO FAME
Nashville: Country music capital of the world
Hamilton: Steel, health care, film & TV industry
ARENAS
Nashville: Sommet Center (opened in 1996, seats 17,113 for hockey)
Hamilton: Copps Coliseum (opened in 1985, seats 17,500 for hockey)
OTHER MAJOR PRO SPORTS TEAMS
Nashville: Tennessee Titans (NFL)
Hamilton: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL)
TOP EMPLOYERS
Nashville: Vanderbilt University
Hamilton: Hamilton Health Sciences
WEATHER
Nashville: Top average high 89 (July)
lowest average low 28 (January)
Hamilton: Top average high 79 (July)
lowest average low 14 (Jan.–Feb.).
SOURCES: Nashvilleareainfo.com, Nashville.gov, Nashville Predators, Hamilton.ca., Copps Coliseum
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