Edmonton's proposed new arena

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Oh boy...

Oilers owner Daryl Katz said he will not meet with councillors in public to explain why they need millions of dollars more in public funding for the rink, and called on Mayor Stephen Mandel to show leadership.

"We have gone backwards," said Katz in a letter delivered late Tuesday to city council and the media.

"We and the city can't even agree on basic assumptions relating to the financial aspects of operating a new arena.

"Perhaps with more time and political leadership this deal can still be saved. But as it stands we remain far apart both on substance and process.

"Mayor Mandel, this is an opportunity for Edmonton to be bold and forward-looking, and it warrants your support and leadership."

Oilers refuse to meet with city for crucial arena debate

 

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From the same linked article:

Katz has said he's a passionate Edmontonian who wants to keep the NHL team in the Alberta capital, but needs more money to compete in what he terms a "small market."

He's a passionate Edmontonian, but he lives and spends the bulk of his time in Vancouver

 

[puckhead]

A passionate Edmontonian who is using the city's hockey team hostage to extort money from council.

 

[mattola]

i sense another apology letter sheesh

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Is this guy for real? Everytime he opens his mouth he makes a major mistake. If I lived in Edmonton I'd hope my city council would tell him to go to hell.

 

[puckhead]

@FriedgeHNIC

Edmonton City council votes to immediately cease negotiations on a new arena with Oilers owner Daryl Katz.

 

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@FriedgeHNIC

Edmonton City council votes to immediately cease negotiations on a new arena with Oilers owner Daryl Katz.

In other words, Katz...

 

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The update falls a day after Daryl Katz sent a letter to Mayor Stephen Mandel – which was distributed to media outlets – publicly turning down an invitation for the Katz Group to bring their concerns over the downtown arena to councillors, and the people of Edmonton.

The letter said the owner of the Oilers was disappointed with recent communications with city officials on the project, and said a framework agreement dating back to October, 2011 needed to be changed, because costs were higher than expected.

Katz’s letter went on to say there are fifteen outstanding issues with the ongoing negotiations on the arena –and a proposal from the company would not be made until those issues are resolved.

“I think the public is very disappointed, and the public felt that we had a deal, and so did we,” Councillor Kim Krushell said. “Out of the blue, as we all know, the Katz Group came in and changed that deal.

“The feeling is, he’s never going to stop negotiating.”

 

[mattola]

Edmonton councillors vote to walk away from arena project

bluff called. be very very careful on your next words Katz. this is not Phoenix.

 

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Edmonton councillors vote to walk away from arena project

bluff called. be very very careful on your next words Katz. this is not Phoenix.

It makes you wonder what will happen next - Does Katz put the team up for sale? (Edmonton Investors Group part deux). Does the city of Edmonton try to somehow build the arena themselves (can't really see that happening). I don't think there's any chance Bettman allows Katz to move the Oilers, but it would be a great way for Seattle to get introduced to NHL hockey (put an expansion team in Edmonton)

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

It makes you wonder what will happen next - Does Katz put the team up for sale? (Edmonton Investors Group part deux). Does the city of Edmonton try to somehow build the arena themselves (can't really see that happening). I don't think there's any chance Bettman allows Katz to move the Oilers, but it would be a great way for Seattle to get introduced to NHL hockey (put an expansion team in Edmonton)

Is this assessment based on Bettman's past history of working hard to keep teams in Canada?

Oh...

 

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Is this assessment based on Bettman's past history of working hard to keep teams in Canada?

Oh...

- I can't dispute any of that, although the Oilers are a revenue generating team for the league and Seattle is still unknown. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a team in the Emerald City.

/What a kick in the junk it would be to Oilers fans to watch this team accumulate a bevy of young players only to see them move out of town.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

- I can't dispute any of that, although the Oilers are a revenue generating team for the league and Seattle is still unknown. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a team in the Emerald City.

/What a kick in the junk it would be to Oilers fans to watch this team accumulate a bevy of young players only to see them move out of town.

Yeah, there's a lot of different factors here compared to Quebec or Winnipeg. Most notably profitability and that Edmonton has a much stronger legacy than either of those.

But I still couldn't let an opportunity like that pass by!

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I would be very surprised if the League allowed the Oilers to move. Heck, Bettman has made it clear the Islanders aren't leaving their market & they lose money.

Oilers fans shouldn't be punished because the owner of their team is being an asshole. I don't see expansion happening when their are apparently 6 teams for sale, including the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

 

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Katz in more hot water (this time provincially)

Oilers owner Daryl Katz under fire for generous donations to Alberta Tories | Daily Brew - Yahoo! News Canada

 

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Score this round for Edmonton city council...

City councillors voted to resume talks with Oilers owner Daryl Katz after Katz officials announced to them they are withdrawing demands for an extra $210 million in subsidies from taxpayers.

Edmonton city council votes to re-open talks on new arena

 

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Edmonton councillors to vote on revised arena deal

 

[mattola]

Edmonton councillors to vote on revised arena deal

this was after Bettman met with the two sides. these are the types of things the commissioner should always be involved in I believe.

 

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this was after Bettman met with the two sides. these are the types of things the commissioner should always be involved in I believe.

Gary must have brought in his hired goons...

 

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EDMONTON - Edmonton’s downtown arena deal is about to be put on ice, but rightly so.

City taxpayers have already done plenty to push ahead the proposed $480-million downtown arena. It’s time for those who will benefit most from the new arena – especially out-of-town Oilers fans and concert goers, and Oilers owner Daryl Katz – to find the missing $55 million to finalize the deal.

...the doughnut reno is out. And the downtown arena deal will almost certainly get shelved at Wednesday’s council meeting as well, but that’s just as it should be when those who benefit most from the arena aren’t yet paying their fair share.

Staples: Katz must step up to save arena deal