New Edmonton Arena Construction will begin in March 2014

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

You've gotta think some way to try for an MLS team is in "Flaming C Sports and Entertainment's" future plans.

I believe an MLS team would be something the Flames ownership would like to bring in to supplement their organization. Will need a retractable roof for sure then as the MLS plays in March.

[Table 5]

After getting a taste of the Portland Timbers last summer, I'd be all over having an MLS franchise here. Hell, I'd probably be more willing to buy seasons tickets to that than to the Flames.

[Locke]

I have a solution to Edmonton's 'lacking funds' issue.

As I see it, they only need to come up with $55M more right? And Katz gets all the profits right?

So, get Katz to float the cash and then as soon as the arena is built with an appx 20,000 person capacity, get the NHL to schedule the Stanley Cup champs for the first game and charge $2,750 each for beer.

Presto! Paid for.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Word is they're looking to shake down some out of the outer communities around Edmonton for the rest of the money. Katz, like all other billionaires who don't want to pay for their own arena, can eat ####.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Word is they're looking to shake down some out of the outer communities around Edmonton for the rest of the money. Katz, like all other billionaires who don't want to pay for their own arena, can eat ####.

Boy that guy is such a greasy snake. It seems like he's trying to get out of paying anything for the building. I'm in for some taxpayer assistance but not footing the entire bill when he clearly has resources of his own.

Flames owners may not be good at building an NHL team but they have always been good players in the community and I don't see them pulling these types of shenanigans.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Word is they're looking to shake down some out of the outer communities around Edmonton for the rest of the money. Katz, like all other billionaires who don't want to pay for their own arena, can eat ####.

I don't know who "they" are, but if you're referring to Katz, I have no idea. I'd doubt that would get any traction if it comes from Katz, which I don't think it does.

Maybe you're referring to a Capital Region Board motion yesterday to ask the province for $25 million intended to represent a contribution of sorts from the regional municipalities. It passed, but if it happens it would be provincial money, not a contribution from the regional municipalities.

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Boy that guy is such a greasy snake. It seems like he's trying to get out of paying anything for the building. I'm in for some taxpayer assistance but not footing the entire bill when he clearly has resources of his own.

Flames owners may not be good at building an NHL team but they have always been good players in the community and I don't see them pulling these types of shenanigans.

See above. I don't think this is Katz at all, but could be wrong.

[nik-]

Come on MoneyGuy, it's completely Katz. The guy changed his mind about what the deal was which is what escalated this whole thing. He presented himself as an Edmonton boy team saviour, and he's been about as shady as it gets trying to blackmail that city.

He's a slimeball.

[browna]

Originally Posted by nik-

He presented himself as an Edmonton boy team saviour, and he's been about as shady as it gets trying to blackmail that city.

He's a slimeball.

Meh.

He said in the opening press conference when he bought the team, that as big a fan he was of the team, he was only going to be doing this as long as it was a partnership between him and the city and that a new building was required for him to make the partnership work. Ominous words, but it was clear as day...but those words got lost in all the hulabaloo around the fact that the Oilers were saved by a local guy and could spend to the cap etc etc.

He's just pursuing that partnership he talked about, to get that arena he feels he needs as a businessman to make the project work as he had planned, by whatever means necessary...the fact that the shine has come off him by fans because of this is only because those fans/people didn't hear him/forgot or believed him when he said it when he bought the team.

If he can't get that partnership and that new rink, then I fully expect him to pull out at some point, leaving the Oilers looking for another buyer (or 28 buyers) again.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by nik-

Come on MoneyGuy, it's completely Katz. The guy changed his mind about what the deal was which is what escalated this whole thing. He presented himself as an Edmonton boy team saviour, and he's been about as shady as it gets trying to blackmail that city.

He's a slimeball.

The Capital Region Board voted yesterday to ask the province for the $25 million. Fact!

Maybe you're talking about something else or misunderstood my post.

[Vulcan]

Here's something new happening in the States. Although we don't seem to be bothered by blackouts anymore, gaining some power over the fat cat sports owners and providers will help. I can't wait for a similar bill in Canada.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) today did sports fans a huge solid by including a provision in his new telecom bill that would eliminate the sports blackout rule in stadiums that have received, in part or whole, public financing. Sports Fans Coalition applauds Sen. McCain for standing up for fans and putting an end to this antiquated and unethical practice.
McCain’s bill — the Television Consumer Freedom Act of 2013 — primarily addresses the bundling of cable and satellite programming so that consumers can have “a la carte” programming. The bill also seeks to discourage broadcasters from taking their networks to cable by pulling their licenses if they do so. But most importantly for sports fans, it includes a provision eliminating the Sports Broadcasting Act’s sports blackout rule.

The a la carte programming is what interests me. They have it in Quebec.

http://sportsfans.org/2013/05/huge-m...-public-money/

Governments seem to be less willing to subsidize pro sports in these deficit budget times.

[Locke]

I'm telling you...$3,000 beer. Its the way to go.

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by Locke

I'm telling you...$3,000 beer. Its the way to go.

Eight posts ago it was only $2750! Damn gouging owners raised it another $250! I'll probably have to limit myself to just one per game now.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

Eight posts ago it was only $2750! Damn gouging owners raised it another $250! I'll probably have to limit myself to just one per game now.

You thought they were going to give you change?

[HOOT]

Good to see Senator McCain spending time on such important things like blackouts. It's like they don't have bigger issues to deal with in his state, let alone the country.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Good to see Senator McCain spending time on such important things like blackouts. It's like they don't have bigger issues to deal with in his state, let alone the country.

I can see you now when a cop pulls you over for speeding. "Why aren't you chasing the real criminals?"

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I can see you now when a cop pulls you over for speeding. "Why aren't you chasing the real criminals?"

Naaw. I learned a young age to just shutup, collect my ticket and move on.

Just personally I would hope when I elect someone in the situation the USA is in, they would spend more time fixing issues bigger than what's on TV. Unemployment, mass murderers with easy access to guns, roads and bridges falling apart, education system is a mess, etc. but thank god the Cardinals games aren't blacked out on the cable I can't afford to pay for because I have no job.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by browna

If he can't get that partnership and that new rink, then I fully expect him to pull out at some point, leaving the Oilers looking for another buyer (or 28 buyers) again.

The partnership has never been disputed. The city agreed to put in substantial cash. Katz agreed then renegged to get essentially the entirety of the bill payed for. Then when they said no, Katz made wild and irresponsible threats that were also ridiculous. Then once both parties cooled down, they put another deal in place, it just happens to be missing a bunch of money. The city has been a willing partner the entire time. That is not the problem here.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Naaw. I learned a young age to just shutup, collect my ticket and move on.

Just personally I would hope when I elect someone in the situation the USA is in, they would spend more time fixing issues bigger than what's on TV. Unemployment, mass murderers with easy access to guns, roads and bridges falling apart, education system is a mess, etc. but thank god the Cardinals games aren't blacked out on the cable I can't afford to pay for because I have no job.

Hey, I agree I wouldn't be voting for McCain either and we could say the same about the morality of building an arena when there are other more pressing matters to resolve. What this story reports is the reining in of sports owners and TV providers who are sucking on the public tit.

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by Major Major

The partnership has never been disputed. The city agreed to put in substantial cash. Katz agreed then renegged to get essentially the entirety of the bill payed for. Then when they said no, Katz made wild and irresponsible threats that were also ridiculous. Then once both parties cooled down, they put another deal in place, it just happens to be missing a bunch of money. The city has been a willing partner the entire time. That is not the problem here.

I'd agree that the city of Edmonton has been doing everything it can to get the deal done. The problem appears to be that Katz wants the thing for free. He seems to expect that the city and/or provinical government will put up virtually all of the funds to build the arena, and he gets to collect all the profits. Pretty sweet deal if you can get it I suppose.

If I'm not mistaken, the only money Katz is actually putting up is offset by the advertising deal that the City of Edmonton has committed to inside the new facility, right? And wasn't their a "management fee" or something that they were going to pay to Katz? Anything else can likely be offset by the naming rights - so basically Katz doesn't put any money in, and gets all the concessions, parking and other advertising monies, not to mention the tickets, luxery boxes, etc.

Edmonton citizens are morons if the agree to that deal.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Hey, I agree I wouldn't be voting for McCain either and we could say the same about the morality of building an arena when there are other more pressing matters to resolve. What this story reports is the reining in of sports owners and TV providers who are sucking on the public tit.

But my understanding of the blackout situation is it is a league mandate not a team mandate. That could be different for each league but I'm sure that's how the NHL works. So what makes McCain believe he can control a league (or business) in this sense when they let so many other businesses run free with tax payer money? I'm not saying public money should be used for any private building but at this point this should be about #9,673 on McCain and the Senates list of things to do to help the American people.

And I'm someone who doesn't like the blackout rules, mainly because I had to explain them so many times for so many years, but I digress.