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Originally Posted by troutman
The hearsay I get from folks that sometimes visit the owners’s box is that the Flames will not move, an arena deal will get done, and what we are seeing is public posturing.
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And then there's this which seems far more believable to me:
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...ns-for-calgary
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Nevertheless, a reliable hockey source from Central Canada, who has asked to remain anonymous, says Seattle was never really in the running as an option for the Calgary Flames. Rather, the world’s “richest restaurateur,” Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta, is trying to import the Flames to Houston, where his NBA team, the Rockets, play and where much of his real-estate empire and restaurants thrive.
Fertitta, who is also the owner of the Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels, which includes online gaming, has made it clear he wants to see pucks in nets, not just basketballs, and judging from this man’s bio, it appears that he tends to get what he wants.
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Also:
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After the Seattle deal was announced, Nenshi rubbed salt in the Flames’ wounds again.
“I’m interested in the Seattle news because, of course, that’s over $600 million of private funding,” he told reporters in a scrum. “In fact, it’s the first time I’ve seen an arena deal that has the private funder actually paying for the road and infrastructure improvements as well as making a donation to charity just cause,” said Nenshi. “So, it certainly shows there’s a larger universe of options in getting this kind of infrastructure built perhaps than what we’ve been exposed to.”
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And the above is what Nenshi is completely oblivious to. If the CSEC had an incoming NBA team with a 24 billion dollar league TV deal.... they'd probably pony up the dough as well, because now you can turn a profit and pay for an arena with the combined revenue. They do not, and will not ever have an option for a second major tenant. How do people not get this?
These small market Canadian teams only have one choice for a major sports franchise, the NHL. And unless your Toronto or Montreal, public funds is a reality. Our cities need the NHL, waaaaaaaay more than the NHL needs our piss-ant little markets. Florida or Carolina moves.... meh, life goes on for everyone around.
The Flames, Jets, Oilers or Sens move, it's a disaster for the fans. It's all we got, and the long term intangible cost to the City is oodles more than a $500 million dollar building to both fans and non-fans.