Sharp discord at Quebec City arena hearings
Quebecor CEO spoke to NHL in 2009
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sport...832/story.html
Quebecor Media Inc. CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau first contacted the National Hockey League about the return of professional hockey to Quebec City in November 2009.
Testifying at National Assembly hearings on Bill 204 to ensure there will be no legal challenge of Quebecor's deal to manage the city's future arena, Péladeau said he got in touch with the league knowing Régis Labeaume had just been re-elected the city's mayor with a mandate to bring back the NHL's Nordiques.
Péladeau said the NHL told him "several times" a condition for obtaining a franchise was a new arena. He added that if Winnipeg got back its NHL team, it was because everyone in the community was working together.
Without the adoption of Bill 204, before the assembly adjourns on June 10 for the summer, he said, there would be uncertainty about Quebecor's bid for a team, which could scuttle the project.
"It would be a huge collective failure," Péladeau said.
Bédard said Seattle, Houston and Las Vegas also want NHL teams and that the failure to adopt Bill 204 would cast doubt over Péladeau's bid, hurting Quebec City's chances.