Quote:
Originally Posted by JiriHrdina
Are folks OK losing the Flames over the building issue? That is - if the owners don't think they can get a good deal here and choose to go elsewhere where they can get public support - are folks OK with that?
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It was quoted in the thread earlier how one of the flames' owners just recently bought something to the tune of 8.5 billion dollars in assets from Shell. These are people gambling hard on Calgary's economy even in tough times, knowing full well that more disposable income means more of it will inevitably get directed back into the sports/entertainment network they also own. How does it benefit them severing the keystone of that whole network by moving it?
Where will they even move to? They can't go anywhere east, Seattle will likely be an expansion or Phoenix relocation candidate (if they can even get their own arena issues sorted out) , Vegas is claimed, Phoenix is salted earth if the coyotes move, KC and Houston aren't interested, Portland is setting their price tag too cheap. There's no option that realistically makes up for the long term investment they've already put in relying explicitly upon CALGARY as a market. They're bluffing with nothing to really enforce it.