((HT: The Star/McGran))A new group has emerged with a plan to put a second National Hockey League team in the Greater Toronto Area.
This group - which claims to have $1 billion in financing and would donate a portion of the team's profits to charity - will announce details of its vision for an NHL expansion franchise tomorrow in Toronto.
The trio speaking at that event include Herbert Carnegie, 89, an Order of Canada recipient and described in a biography on the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame Web site as "one of the best ever players to never play pro-league hockey." ((Carnegie is pictured, thanks Toronto Star file))
This group - which claims to have $1 billion in financing and would donate a portion of the team's profits to charity - will announce details of its vision for an NHL expansion franchise tomorrow in Toronto.
The trio speaking at that event include Herbert Carnegie, 89, an Order of Canada recipient and described in a biography on the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame Web site as "one of the best ever players to never play pro-league hockey." ((Carnegie is pictured, thanks Toronto Star file))
The three will unveil how the team will honour "Canadian heroes while supporting cancer research, national scholarships and children's charities." Appearing with Carnegie tomorrow will be Paul Pelligrini of the Sussex Strategy Government Relations, an aide to former Toronto mayor and Liberal cabinet minister Art Eggleton; and Andrew Lopez of Toronto Legacy Group.
None would be owners and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said today he has not talked to the group.
"It will take two to three years at minimum to build an arena," Lopez said in an interview. "The earliest we would look at an expansion franchise is 2012."
Tomorrow, the group will talk about its financing, donations, an economic impact review and also unveil the name of a team, arena, jersey, site plan and architect renderings.
The biography of Carnegie says the son of Jamaican immigrants to Canada starred in Quebec senior hockey leagues in the 1940s and '50s where he was MVP for three consecutive years.
He went on to establish the Future Aces Hockey School for kids aged 12-14. The hockey school led to the Future Aces Foundation which provides 25 annual bursaries to young people, enabling them to pursue post-secondary education.
He went on to establish the Future Aces Hockey School for kids aged 12-14. The hockey school led to the Future Aces Foundation which provides 25 annual bursaries to young people, enabling them to pursue post-secondary education.
In 2003, he was named a Member, Order of Canada and in 2005 North York Centennial Arena was renamed the Herbert H. Carnegie Centennial Centre in honour of his community activities.
It was not immediately clear whether this group had any links to a group fronted by former Toronto Maple Leaf Kevin Maguire, who recently met with the NHL to discuss his group's plans in placing a team in Vaughan.
It was not immediately clear whether this group had any links to a group fronted by former Toronto Maple Leaf Kevin Maguire, who recently met with the NHL to discuss his group's plans in placing a team in Vaughan.
Billionaire Jim Balsillie is pursuing the Phoenix Coyotes in a U.S. bankruptcy court, hoping to move them to Hamilton.
No comments:
Post a Comment