[Rumour] NHL and Seattle talking about expansion fees (~$225M)

[seattleflamer]

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has told National Hockey League officials the city of Seattle will not renegotiate an agreement for a new arena to accommodate pro hockey.

Murray spokesman Jeff Reading confirms a report by KING 5's Chris Daniels that NHL officials requested the in-person meeting and asked the leaders if they would support changing the Memorandum of Understanding approved last year by the King County and Seattle City Councils.

That agreement with investor Chris Hansen requires Hansen acquire an NBA team before construction can begin on a new arena.

Reading says the mayor is committed to honoring the original agreement, and while he supports the idea of the NHL coming to Seattle, he believes the NBA is needed to make a new arena feasible.

Link: http://mynorthwest.com/11/2522661/Se...eal-for-hockey

[lanny9]

Washington State loves their referendums, maybe they need to hold one in Seattle and King county to see if the people want the mayor to change the original agreement. I think the mayor is off base with his opinion that they need the NBA to make an arena feasible.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by lanny9

Washington State loves their referendums, maybe they need to hold one in Seattle and King county to see if the people want the mayor to change the original agreement. I think the mayor is off base with his opinion that they need the NBA to make an arena feasible.

The NHL would also need to find an investor to replace Hansen as he won't invest in a NHL only arena.

[lanny9]

Has he said that? Even if so there are plenty of multi billionaires living in the state, I know one who has done a bang up job with the Seahawks, wonder if he would be interested?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by lanny9

Has he said that? Even if so there are plenty of multi billionaires living in the state, I know one who has done a bang up job with the Seahawks, wonder if he would be interested?

Yeah, even in this article he says, " Hansen and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who have agreed to partially fund construction of a new arena in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood south of Safeco Field, have said they have no interest in becoming majority owners of an NHL franchise".

He's strictly a NBA fan who would welcome the NHL to defray costs, but otherwise not interested.

Bettman may already have an investor though as I can't see him approaching city council without one.

[lanny9]

That's what I was thinking, Bettman had to have been approached by someone?

All I can say is it would be nice to have another team out West, add in Las Vegas and the league gets just a little more balance, San Antonio, what say you? Houston? Would be nice to get another team in Texas, build a rivalry and really grow the game in the state.

[sureLoss]

http://www.king5.com/sports/Prospect...259467731.html

Los Angeles-based real estate tycoon with ties to Western Washington and some powerful names in sports are leading the latest effort to bring an NHL team to Seattle.

Victor Coleman, the CEO of Hudson Pacific Properties, was part of the NHL delegation that met with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray back on May 6 in Seattle. He was flanked by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. The meeting included Jonathan Glaser, the Managing Member of JMG Capital Management, and Jeff Marks, the Managing Director of Premier Partnerships, which is also based in Los Angeles, and David Zimmerman, who is general counsel for the National Hockey League.

Coleman leads the publicly traded company and is believed to be, along with Glaser, the principals interested in buying an NHL team and bringing it to Seattle. He maintains a low profile, but the 52-year-old boasts a portfolio that includes 26 properties, two movie studios, plus four buildings in Seattle and another in Lynnwood. His company website says Hudson Pacific owns the 83 King Building, 505 First, Merrill Place, and Met Park North in Seattle, along with the Northview Center in Lynnwood. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Marks is the managing director of Premier Partnerships, whose chairman Alan Rothenberg carries some serious weight. Rothenberg is the founder of Major League Soccer and was the President of the U.S. Soccer Federation. He was the Chairman and CEO of the 1994 World Cup, the 1999 Women’s World Cup and served as an National Basketball Association Board of Governors, representing both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, according to his bio on the U.S. Soccer Federation website. It is unclear, however, if Rothenberg was in the meeting with city and NHL officials.

The Coleman-led group is the third known group interested in bringing the NHL to Seattle. However, the physical presence of the NHL’s top leaders, at a meeting in Seattle, likely solidifies their status as front runners. Ray Bartoszek, a minority owner of the New York Yankees, who holds business and personal ties to Seattle, was close to bringing the Phoenix Coyotes to Seattle last year. Don Levin, owner of the minor league Chicago Wolves, has also expressed his interest in owning a team in Western Washington.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5
BREAKING - We've learned the names of the mystery group which wants to bring the #NHL to #Seattle. See it first on KING5 at 6:30.

Victor Coleman.

http://www.king5.com/

[hwy19man]

This link is dated but Chris Daniels does a good job following the potential Seattle NHL franchise. The blog explains the small chance of both Seattle and Portland being in the NHL. http://thechrisdanielsblog.com/post/...-nhl-expansion

A more recent article on the continuing effort for the NHL in Portland, Oregon.
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/....html?page=all

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by lanny9

Has he said that? Even if so there are plenty of multi billionaires living in the state, I know one who has done a bang up job with the Seahawks, wonder if he would be interested?

The problem with that is that person is Paul Allen and he owns a great hockey facility already. Unfortunately, it's in Portland.

[seattleflamer]

The NHL to Seattle is closely linked to the NBA coming first. That took a big hit today when Ballmer looks to be the successful bid for the LA Clippers. And no, he won't be moving the team to Seattle from LA since that would be value destructive. Ballmer is the whale in the Hansen group that is building an arena when they acquire an NBA franchise.

Link: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...529-story.html

Former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer won a frenetic bidding war for ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers, with his $2-billion offer setting a record price for an NBA team, The Times has learned.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by seattleflamer

The NHL to Seattle is closely linked to the NBA coming first. That took a big hit today when Ballmer looks to be the successful bid for the LA Clippers. And no, he won't be moving the team to Seattle from LA since that would be value destructive. Ballmer is the whale in the Hansen group that is building an arena when they acquire an NBA franchise.

Link: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...529-story.html

I'm wondering if as you hint the Hansen group is still viable without Ballmer. If not it could force the city to rethink building an arena for a NBA team and settle for the reality of the NHL. They would at least have an arena for when a NBA team became available.

[Coach]

2 Billion? Not sure thats a sound investment.

[Joborule]

I'm not sure why the city of Seattle seems fixed on having an NBA team first before building an arena. They'll get the NBA back, but it's going to take a while. Why not get the arena done with now if you can bring in an NHL team, and then have ready for service once they get a team? It might even save them money having it built sooner rather than later.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Clay Bennett took the Sonics to OKC, a clear decline in market, and he isn't worth anything close to Balmer. So he's gotta say the right things for now, but the could still ultimately move them. If he gets a ridiculous TV offer though from LA then it'll be pretty difficult to move.

[seattleflamer]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I'm wondering if as you hint the Hansen group is still viable without Ballmer. If not it could force the city to rethink building an arena for a NBA team and settle for the reality of the NHL. They would at least have an arena for when a NBA team became available.

The City Council is preoccupied with the $15 an hour minimum wage debate so amending the arena agreement is not on the radar.

Hansen can move forward w/o Ballmer who was always a minority partner and his investment dollars can be replaced but he certainly was the financial backstop of the group and brought name recognition and credibility. They've already invested over $120 million on spec with land acquisition, a failed Sacramento bid and environmental studies not to mention $290 million of private money committed towards construction.

What is troubling and implicit in Ballmer's purchase is the perception there is little chance of NBA expansion in the short term.

The current agreement for the gov't backed loans towards construction end in 2017 and triggered ONLY by the acquisition of an NBA team so tick tock.

Link: http://www.sonicsarena.com/info/seat...action-details

[sureLoss]

Larry Brooks of the NY Post reports Gretzky maybe looking at a Seattle NHL team

http://nypost.com/2014/07/04/wayne-g...am-in-seattle/

Wayne Gretzky has joined a group of investors hoping to bring a National Hockey League team to Seattle, The Post has learned.

The Gretzky group is one of three looking to bring an NHL franchise to the home of Starbucks, sources said — but each faces an uphill battle in that league Commissioner Gary Bettman has not said the league is ready to expand.

It is not known if the Gretzky group or either of the other two groups are eyeing an expansion team or hope to move an existing team to the Pacific Northwest.
A move to buy a Seattle team would mark at least the second time the 53-year-old Hall of Famer tried to become an NHL owner.

[Fire]

Will Gretzky actually put up his own money into this? It would be a first for Gretzky.

[Stanathan]

The Seattle Gretzkys has a nice ring to it. I'd love to watch the Flames beat the tar out of them for the next decade.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Fire

Will Gretzky actually put up his own money into this? It would be a first for Gretzky.

Of course not. Just ask Magic Johnson how it's done.