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Relocation. Relocation. Relocation.

Regarding the Leaf's fanbase and the siphoning off by wicked grandmothers - that's already happening in droves. Look around and see the Crosby/Ovie/Stamkos etc sweaters and what Leaf sweater? Maybe Sundin? The truth is that the Leafs have squandered a whole generation of fans with their absolute ineptitude. The Leafs have peaked in fans. They may make a ton of dough with the condo's and non-hockey garbage but as a team, they've peaked long ago.
 
I am very much in favour of another NHL team in Toronto area. Increased competition is the only way how to excercise the pressure on the TML ownership structure/team management to produce a winning team.
 
Markham city council approves new arena project by a narrow vote...

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/49705-Financial-framework-for-20000seat-Markham-arena-passes-city-council-vote-76.html

 
Hey if Markham somehow gets an NHL team i'd try to get season tickets depending on the price.  At least I would get to see NHL hockey without paying an arm and a leg.
 
Joe S. said:
good because it's a ridiculous idea.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Even if it weren't a bad investment for cities in general to do so now where there really don't seem to be any teams in jeopardy and no concrete expansion plans it just seems like flushing money down a toilet.
 
Crucial upcoming vote next week to decide (financial) fate of proposed Markham arena...

...the City of Markham closes in on a crucial vote on whether or not to accept the financial framework Tuesday night...

?What I can promise the City of Markham and the residents of Markham is that nobody will work harder than me at attracting hockey at every level possible,? said Graeme Roustan, chairman and CEO of GTA Sports and Entertainment."

...the timing of this vote...is being held one week before the league?s board of governors meets for its annual meetings. And with the building already having partnerships with companies owned by Jeremy Jacobs and Ed Snider, you can bet the vote will be brought up during the New Business portion of the meeting.

There are already whispers that the league would like to expand to 32 teams...Seattle is a lock, which leaves either suburban Toronto or Quebec City...if the league adds two teams, one of eastern team...will have to play out of the Western Conference in order to balance both conferences at 16 teams each. That would also give Rogers more Canadian teams playing in western time zones, which is something it reportedly wants.

The financial framework:
...the City of Markham will borrow $162.5 million and...Roustan?s group will put up the other $162.5 million.

Of that $162.5 million, $32.5 million (plus interest) will be paid to the city in the form of lease payments on the building amounting to $2.6 million a year for 20 years. The other $130 million (plus interest), will be collected from developers in the city, $80 million of which (plus interest) has been committed in just the past three weeks. The lease with the GTA Centre is for 49 years.

...no taxpayer money is supposed to be used, unless for some reason the city cannot make up the $50 million or if the economy goes south and results in the developers not building new projects and leaving town. Is it an ironclad, no-possibility guarantee? No, but it?s about as close as anyone can hope to get. So far $80 million has been guaranteed by the 12 developers in the area who will make up 80 percent of the further growth.

To read the entire article, click here:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/make-no-mistake-proposed-markham-arena-is-for-an-nhl-team/

 
Proposed financial framework suffers setback in vote...

City council in Markham, Ont., voted 11-2 Wednesday night against using any public funds to build an NHL-sized arena.

The vote effectively kills a proposed financial framework with businessman Graham Roustan, the CEO of GTA Sports and Entertainment.

The proposed plan was to have Roustan's company put up half of the cost, $162.5 million, for a 20,000 set arena while the city would cover the other half.

Last week, Roustan put forth another plan in which he would increase his share of the cost to about $200 million.

Council decided to study that proposal further.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/54650-Markham-Ont-council-votes-against-using-public-funds-for-proposed-arena.html
 
hockeyfan1 said:
Proposed financial framework suffers setback in vote...

City council in Markham, Ont., voted 11-2 Wednesday night against using any public funds to build an NHL-sized arena.

The vote effectively kills a proposed financial framework with businessman Graham Roustan, the CEO of GTA Sports and Entertainment.

The proposed plan was to have Roustan's company put up half of the cost, $162.5 million, for a 20,000 set arena while the city would cover the other half.

Last week, Roustan put forth another plan in which he would increase his share of the cost to about $200 million.

Council decided to study that proposal further.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/54650-Markham-Ont-council-votes-against-using-public-funds-for-proposed-arena.html
Click to expand...

I'm thinking people there are having second thoughts now that the NHL is relatively healthy. The romantic notion of 'build it, and they will come' is getting a dose of reality now.  I'm guessing people involved are citing what happened with Copps Coliseum with more frequency.
 
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