NHL hopes alive again?

The Spec's Emma Reilly reports:

'Hamilton is entertaining a proposal that has the potential to simultaneously solidify the location of a Pan Am stadium and revive Hamilton's dream of an NHL team.

Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz, with advice from entertainment giant AEG, is making a pitch for control of Copps Coliseum and the future Pan Am stadium in order to potentially house professional sports teams.

Katz is also floating the possibility of an entertainment precinct around the west harbour and either the redevelopment of Copps Coliseum or a new NHL-calibre arena.

Yesterday, city council heard an outline of the proposal and directed city staff to carry on negotiations with Katz's company, Katz Entertainment Holdings Corporation.

Council will make a decision about whether to sign a memorandum of understanding by Aug. 30. Details of the memorandum are confidential.

If the deal goes ahead, it positions the city to host an NHL team should the league allow a hockey team to come to Hamilton.

The deal would also have a dramatic impact on the economy of the downtown core and waterfront precinct.'

What do you think of this idea?

Comments

[Bryan]

Hamilton will have to wait in line winnipeg and Quebec city deserve a team first if they are going to bring back another team here. Sorry Hamilton this NHL stuff is a pipe dream for awhile enjoy the Bulldogs and support them! Value the team you have now!!. If you want to make a statement to the NHL for the next 5 years try and sellout the hockey you have right now 2-5000 fans won't cut it a night.

[GIVE ME LIBERTY]

Agreed, facing those facts is the very first step to having this city become a booming city. We need to show people it's a steady ship that guarantees quality of life for it's residents and businesses, not straddles them with debt and asks the incompetent provincial government for a hand-out. We need to practice conservatism here and look forward to the long-term, not get rich quick schemes which only result in unintended debt and consequences.

[Outraged Citizen]

Right on give me liberty. This mayor needs to get his head out of the clouds and his hands out of the tax payers pockets and put aside all these little fantasies of his. Hamilton wil NEVER:

-Be revived
-Get and NHL team
-Be a booming city like it was when the steel industry was strong

We have to face the facts. The truth hurts, but the truth also keeps your head out of the clouds. So the question is...whos gunna tell the mayor the truth about his fantasies?..

[GIVE ME LIBERTY]

Cleveland, Ohio has a better chance of getting a hockey team than Hamilton, Ontario. This seems to be one of those revolving issues thespec throws back on the burner if it's a slow day in the news room. Maybe tomorrow we can comment on some other things that will never happen (light rail, downtown "revival", royal connaught sale, etc...)

[Realistic]

NHL has never wanted to come to Hamilton, pre bettman included. Why 1) Leafs and sabres owners don't want added competition. It would kill the sabres who already hang on the edge of bankruptcy since most of its fans come from this area. 2) Bulldogs only draw 3-5 thousand fans tops (OHL teams get more). Hamilton proves it does not care for any hockey, only leaf hockey. They fear any other team would falter. The Bull dogs win and still no one goes. Why would they think fans would go to a losing NHL team in Hamilton. Oh and bars don't stay open for 3000 fans, they might for 25000.

[Dave]

Neither Buffalo or Toronto are standing in the way of Hamilton having a team, it is the front office of the NHL and them alone!

The 50 mile bs rule doesn't apply to the rangers,devils,islanders and flyers but it is being used as an excuse not to put a team where people want it

A billionairre can't buy into it when he's from canada why, because the head office says so.

Once people realize the ONLY thing stopping hockey in canada is Gary Betteman will people truly understand we are not getting a team here, not until the front office is gone and moved from New York back to Toronto and have nothing but Canadians running the league will you see anything this side of the border.

The league won't let Edmonton relocate to Hamilton, they will want them in Seattle or Las Vegas before they get approved to go anywhere else, i bet the Oilers would get denied Winnipeg as well.

On the bright side the Nordiques will be back in the league within 5 years...yay for them :/

[-Hammer-]

Honestly, I truthfully hope it does happen. It would be a great thing to see, and I think an insider in the NHL whispering our way to a team is more likely to eventually land us one in 4 or 5 years. However, it isn't the Leafs you have to worry about vetoing it, it's Buffalo. If you lived in the Niagara region and had a choice between a Canadian team in Hamilton, or having to deal with rude boarder guards to get to Buffalo, which one are you picking?

[GIVE ME LIBERTY]

Agreed. Steel boom is over. I don't want to always be so negative about this place so I'll save it for once. One thing is for sure, this place has VERY little to offer me and many others my age (20-30 years old).

[Gene Simmons]

No, Outraged Citizen. I have no plans of being a hooker, LOL!

[Outraged Citizen]

Gene Simmons you are so right on. This city is dying, The mayor can talk all he wants about how the city is beautifying and getting to be the best in Ontario. He has to face the facts that the city is becoming a ghost town for anyone who wants to enjoy themselves (unless you want a hooker, theres plenty of that around downtown or if you plan to be a hooker, there are 10 dusty stores that can hook you up). I am a recent graduate and I can tell you there is nothing here for me, I will be gone soon as many in my graudating class plan to do. The steel boom is over, it was great while it lasted but now we have to face the facts. The city is dead.

[Gene Simmons]

Have you been downtown lately, Joanne? Take a look at who's down there. Do you see a lot of business people, professionals and office workers? No because people don't want to linger downtown. They may be buying lunch but they're gone after hours and on weekends. Do you see any stores all that worth going into?? 10 dusty variety stores and 2 with hooker boots and plastic lingerie.

Go to an event at Copps or Hamilton Place...after you're finished and want to go and have a drink or a coffee or a snack somewhere...but everything's closed. So nobody will be getting out any wallets then.

[Peter Michael]

Hockey is a thing of the past and we should give our heads a shake?

Mary better just get back to tending to her lamb before her citizenship is revoked.

[Joanne]

Gene Simmons, it's obvious how this will impact the economy - job creation, attraction of interest and entertainment. People who work in the core are also opening their wallets in the core - for lunches and shoppings. For attendees of events - they will be opening their wallets for meals, souvenirs, transportation. Surely this will all have a far greater positive impact that the endless low income housing projects!

[Joanne]

I think this is the best chance yet at bringing hockey to Hamilton - by an NHL insider. Hockey aside, an entertainment precinct with the heavy weight of AEG behind it would be awesome. Now, can council reel it in without botching it up? I doubt it.

[t8]

Your kidding right.Mary if your not kidding I think you should lose your Canadian status and be thrown the hell out.

[Mary McDonald]

hockey is just a thing of the past. People give your head a god dam shake. It's a fighting game and not a sport. Get it the hell out of CANADA!

[terry p]

as long as the toronto maple leafs continue to be the top revenue earning team in the nhl, hamilton will never have its own team.

[Gene Simmons]

"The deal would also have a dramatic impact on the economy of the downtown core ..." Oh?? How??

[Manny]

It won't happen the mighty Yankees down south won't let it happen!!!

[neely]

I dont see how you think this cite should have a team when they dont even suport the one they do have the bulldogs are more fun and a lot cheaper to go and see. I for one will never go to an nhl team game here in this so called cite....

[t8]

I think calling the "GREAT ONE" a weasle is a little harsh Dave.Hockey is fine in Canada as long as the dollar is close to par.The salary cap also seems to work well in the NHL.Just ease up on Wayne.

[steve sheen]

Well i would think that any decision from any one to maybe assume management of any facility must mean a market for something,so all be it the negative remarks about hamilton not having an NHL team in hamilton,you just never know.

[Dave]

Until Gary Betteman and his band of Canada hating billionaire buddies are gone Hamilton will never have hockey.

He is the worst thing to ever happen to the league and until his reign of ignorance is over there will be no hockey team north of the border(Qeuebec not withstanding) any time soon.

The instant the Jets went south and "Weazle Wayne" bought into them i knew it was over for Canada with the current front office. Wayne should be ashamed of himself for even thinking of being involved in pheonix!

Everyone seems to think Hamilton has no rights in the NHL when in fact they we're a part of the league back in the day and should be fighting tooth and nail to show that they still belong in the league and the BS 50 mile rule can get shoved in someones rear closet where it belongs.

I wish Mr Katz all the best on his monumental uphill battle with Gary "butthead" Betteman down south!

[outtamyway]

I too think it's unlikely to result in an NHL franchise for Hamilton, although should the economy in the States continue to be difficult, there will be a number of candidates looking for a new home in which they stand a chance of profitability. The league wants the revenue that would be generated by expansion and compensation to the Sabres, who would be the big losers if Hamilton entered the league. The Leafs would also lose a great deal of incremental revenue - just think of all the money that Hamilton fans will be spending on merchandise for the new team instead of Leafs gear.

The best scenario would see Hamilton's team join the Western conference, to bring some of the teams like Detroit and Chicago into Southern Ontario more often.

[nate borges]

I think it would be great for Hamilton. Too bad it wont happen. The Toronto maple leafs and bateman wont let it happen. The leafs would have to win somthing for a change. Right now they dont have to win anything and make alot of money off a loosing team. Maybe the sorry sacks of leaf fans may have to switch teams. That scares leafs ownership. Leafs are the most valuable team in the NHL and they do that loosing. A hamilton team would change that for them.