Balsillie Unveils Copps Renovation Plan

((HT: The Star/McGran))

Jim Balsillie today released details of a plan to have one of the world's leading architecture firms renovate Hamilton's Copps Coliseum ((pictured, thanks TheSpec)).

The NHL has indicated that Copps is not up to league standards and Balsillie is moving to counter that point.

The BlackBerry billionaire would foot the bill for initial upgrades, estimated at about $30 million, to get the arena ready for a team. But when it comes to a long term overhaul of the city-owned facility, which could cost upwards of $150 million, he'd ask Hamilton to seek government assistance to cover the balance.

Among the features are an atrium-style entrance lobby, a range of luxury boxes, new lounges and restaurants, food and bar amenities and capacity for more than 18,000 spectators.

The Balsillie group says the design fully addresses requirements the NHL has previously communicated for Copps Coliseum.The design is by one of the world's leading sports facility architectural firms, BBB Architects and its subsidiary group, Stadium Consultants International, which is also currently working on renovations at Madison Square Garden (home of the New York Rangers) and Nassau County Coliseum (home of the New York Islanders).

"This would be a jaw-dropper of an attraction for Hamilton," said the City's mayor, Fred Eisenberger in a press release from the group. "What I've seen would make the new Copps Coliseum a magnet for sports fans and concert-goers across Ontario and North America. It would be a tremendous new asset for our city, and a major part of the revitalization of downtown Hamilton."

Meanwhile, the NHL is expected to respond today to calls for an emergency hearing on its timetable for franchise relocation and documents related to Balsillie's previous attempt to buy NHL teams.

With time of the essence, the lawyers for Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes are seeking a hearing by June 3 if the NHL doesn't turn over the documents to give them time to prepare for the June 9 on the issue of relocation.

Moyes' wants find out how the NHL handled previous transfers of the Quebec Nordiques to Colorado, Hartford Whalers to Carolina and Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix.

"This information is relevant and pertinent to the issues to be briefed on June 5," said Tim Danninger, one of Moyes' lawyers, in an email to the league.

The NHL has said it's too late to move the Coyotes to Hamilton in time for next season, but the Moyes lawyers are hoping to build a case – using the NHL's own documents – to prove to judge Redfield Baum that it's never too late.

In an email including in last night's court filings, NHL lawyer Alan Meda called Danninger's request irrelevant: "the issue before the court is whether the Coyotes and/or Mr. Balsillie have the unfettered right to relocate the team to any city without the consent of the NHL (and not) previous efforts of Mr. Balsillie to acquire an NHL team, previous relocation decisions."

Balsillie has said he wants the team in his possession – with the right to move it to Hamilton – by the end of June or he'd withdraw his $212.5 million (U.S.) offer.

For those of you who want to see all of the new, pretty, shiny Copps Coliseum images- go here...

The Hamilton Spectator version of events is in black here...

Balsillie Fires Back At NHL Over "Sham" Comment

((HT: GlobeSports/CP))

Jim Balsillie has fired back at the NHL and its claim that his attempt to buy the Phoenix Coyotes is a "sham."

The Canadian billionaire says whatever the league's legal arguments are over who actually controls the team right now — as far as he's concerned, the Coyotes remain bankrupt.

"Who owns or controls the team is a distinction without a difference," Balsillie said in a statement Thursday. "The team itself is still bankrupt, voluntarily or not. The owner of the team has a fiduciary obligation towards the creditors."

On Wednesday night, the NHL filed motions in an Arizona bankruptcy court claiming that Balsillie's attempt to purchase the Coyotes out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and move the team to southern Ontario is a "sham."

The NHL claims that Coyotes majority owner Jerry Moyes gave up the right to place the team into bankruptcy when he received financing from the league last year. The league also contends that Moyes has no right to complete a sale conditional on a move to Southern Ontario because that territory belongs to the league.

"Any bid for the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes solely for relocation to Ontario is a sham and should be rejected by this court," the league said in a motion.

Among the other claims the NHL makes in court documents are that Moyes has not complied with all of the rules and procedures he agreed to when he purchased the Coyotes and that there isn't enough time for the franchise to be moved before next season.

The parties will be in a Phoenix courtroom for a bankruptcy hearing next Tuesday.

Balsillie, the co-CEO of Research in Motion, has offered US$212.5 million to purchase the Coyotes. On Thursday, he said that his offer — which is conditional on moving the team to souther Ontario — goes the furthest in "satisfying creditors' claims."

He has twice tried and failed to buy an NHL team (Pittsburgh and Nashville) and move it to southern Ontario. Balsillie reiterated Thursday why he remains motivated to try again.

"At the end of the day, this is about the passion Canadians feel for the game of hockey and a chance to provide those fans with the opportunity to support a seventh NHL team," said Balsillie.

"That's what this is all about, great hockey fans in a great hockey market."

Coverage from CHCH-TV in Hamilton is in black...

Natalie Marconi and Al Sweeney are in the field for this round...

GlobeSports Coverage continues with Eric Duhatschek and Jeff Blair

Balsillie First At Copps Til October

((HT: Hamilton Spectator))

Hamilton council has unanimously agreed to give BlackBerry boss Jim Balsillie exclusive rights to Copps Coliseum ((pictured, thanks The Spec)) until October.

If Balsillie secures an NHL team by then, he is promising to enter into a 20-year lease with the city, with options to extend it a further three times, each for four more years, totalling 32 years.

If a team is secured, Balsillie is also promising to put $5 million into Copps by fall 2010, which he believes is enough to get the arena in operating shape for an NHL team.

A more detailed agreement between the businessman and the city remains confidential, including what penalty Balsillie would pay if he broke the lease agreement.

David Shoalts with the Globe and Mail continues:

"A source familiar with the agreement said Balsillie's representatives have indicated they plan to have the team in place by October for the start of the 2009-10NHL season.

The source said the only potentially major obstacle in sight was the insistence by some committee members that Balsillie make a formal commitment to keeping the Coyotes in Hamilton if he manages to buy them out of bankruptcy. But a public statement by Balsillie soothed any fears he would use Copps as a temporary home for the Coyotes and then build a new arena elsewhere in Southern Ontario.

"Hamilton has always been and remains now my first choice for locating a potential seventh NHL franchise in Canada. I am not considering any other site locations at this time," Balsillie said in the statement. "We look forward to Hamilton City Council passing a motion [Wednesday night] at its council meeting to approve an option for a 20-year lease at Copps Coliseum. It would mark the beginning of a strong and lasting partnership with the City to bring the NHL to Hamilton."

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said the lease agreement will not be made public because it contains confidential technical, commercial and labour-relations information.

But sources said the agreement will be similar to the one Balsillie signed with the city when he tried and failed to buy the Nashville Predators and move them to Hamilton in 2007. That deal would gave Balsillie's company all of the revenue from the three city-owned facilities while he would be responsible for paying for upgrades plus the operations costs.

Balsillie has already said he intends to spend $150-million in improvements on Copps. In a lawsuit filed against the NHL by the Phoenix Coyotes, the team says Balsillie has pledged to make "substantial improvements in the Copps Coliseum, which will include luxury suites and other amenities that will make this arena among the best of those hosting NHL home games." The BlackBerry tycoon is prepared to pay $30-million himself and plans to approach the federal and provincial governments for the rest.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said on Wednesday the provincial government is willing to listen to any request for public money for the arena renovations.

Under the previous agreement between Balsillie, the city was expected to realize a net benefit of $2-million annually. This would have been achieved by eliminating the current annual subsidy of $3-million it pays to Hamilton Entertainment and Conventions Facilities Inc. (HECFI) to manage the facilities.

The next step in the fight by the co-CEO of Research In Motion to get the Coyotes will take place in a Phoenix courtroom next Tuesday. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has to decide who actually controls the Coyotes - the NHL or team owner Jerry Moyes -before Moyes' petition to put the team into bankruptcy and sell it to Balsillie for $212.5-million (U.S.) can proceed.

The lease also grants Balsillie exclusive rights to operate an NHL team at Copps. That means any plans Vancouver developer Tom Gaglardi may have had to put together a group to buy the Atlanta Thrashers and move them to Hamilton are finished.

In the meantime, the Coyotes are not getting much love from their former owner and the site in Glendale, Ariz., where their arena is located. Westgate City Center, an entertainment and shopping complex owned by Steve Ellman, who was rescued and then pushed out of the Coyotes ownership by Moyes, refused to play host to a Save The Coyotes rally scheduled for Saturday. The organizers were forced to reschedule the rally at another site in Glendale.

Nicole Trainor, a spokeswoman for Westgate and Ellman, did not respond to a request for comment."

Balsillie Will Seek Public Funds For Copps Renovation

((HT: The Spec/Macintyre))

Jim Balsillie will seek public funds to renovate Copps Coliseum if he scores an NHL team for Hamilton.

The BlackBerry billionaire would foot the bill for initial upgrades, estimated at about $30 million, to get the arena ready for a team.

But when it comes to a long-term overhaul of the city-owned facility, which could cost upwards of $150 million, Balsillie would ask Hamilton to “work with the two upper tiers of government to seek infrastructure funding,” said his spokesperson Bill Walker.

The request marks the first time Balsillie has publicly stated he’s looking for government financing. It was previously thought he would bankroll the entire renovation to bring the arena up to NHL standards.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said he doesn’t think the request is “out of line” and would likely be positively received.

“I do know there is interest from other levels of government to look at this,” he said, noting the government has helped other cities fund pro sports facilities.

No money will come from the city, added Eisenberger.

A spokesperson for Premier Dalton McGuinty noted he has been “enthusiastic in his support of a southern Ontario hockey team.”

“We’ve worked well with the City of Hamilton and would look at any infrastructure request that comes forward,” said Karman Wong, adding the province can’t speculate on the outcome until it sees a proposal.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also spoken in favour of another Canadian NHL team, saying he believes there’s enough support in southern Ontario.

A spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Minister John Baird said the government is currently reviewing Hamilton’s infrastructure requests for this year. If their priorities change, “the city must let us know,” said Chris Day.

City council is expected to consider a lease deal with Balsillie at its Wednesday night meeting. The co-CEO of Research In Motion wants to lock up rights to Copps as he continues to fight the NHL for control of the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes in court.

Eisenberger said the city is seeking firm funding commitments from Balsillie that were lacking in previous agreements.

“We are going to make it sweeter than it was,” he said. “We are asking for more assurances than we had last time.”

Eisenberger declined to identify the dollar figure the city wants on paper. He explained the city’s last agreement with Balsillie in 2007 called for significant investment at Copps but didn’t state a number.

Council had verbal assurances from Balsillie that he would foot the bill for renovations in the range of $100 million to $150 million, said Eisenberger.

While councillors and the community presumed the money would come from Balsillie's pockets, it was never made clear, he added.

“It could have been a collection of resources.”

According to sources, Balsillie was also seeking government funding when he tried to relocate the Nashville Predators to Hamilton in 2007.

Walker declined to address his client’s dialogue with governments, saying he doesn’t comment on “private discussions.”

The amount Balsillie is willing to commit to the larger renovation will depend on his discussions with the city and upper levels of government, Walker said.

Balsillie has not considered what he would do if he didn’t receive government funding to help upgrade Copps, said Walker.

Balsillie needs to get the lease deal and hockey team first, he noted. “That’s probably too far down that assumption path for us to go.”

He added he is not aware of Balsillie looking to build an arena in another community.

“He’s committed to Hamilton,” Walker said, noting the initial renovation is still a significant investment in a facility that will remain city-owned.

“Hamilton has always been, and remains now, Mr. Balsillie’s first choice for a locating a potential seventh NHL franchise in Canada.”

City officials have stated fast upgrades to Copps could make it ready for the season this fall.

In the long term, the facility’s roof could be lifted to add more seating and corporate boxes.

Gagliardi and The Coyotes

((HT: National Post via Howard Bloom))

Apparently, it has been confirmed that some members of the Hamilton, Ontario city council prefer the idea of a bid fronted by Vancouver-based businessman Tom Gagliardi in bringing a franchise- Coyotes or otherwise- to Copps Coliseum.

Gagliardi has been in contact with the NHL offices in New York City over the past few days.

Gagliardi, a prominent hotel industry executive, was involved in the attempted purchase of the Vancouver Canucks from John McCaw in 2004 and 2005, but was booted from the ownership partnership by current owner Francesco Aquilini.

SBN and Howard Bloom have confirmed independently to OSG Sports that Gagliardi has the money to put a bid together for the Coyotes and move them to Hamilton as well as the Balsillie group.