Post by JETStender on Sept 19, 2009 17:38:31 GMT -5
CBC Sports ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AgrwtvZKO3tQxYmTUF4RAacJfwM6?slug=cbc-sports_hockey_sp_hockey_coyotes_balsillie-2000324210&prov=cbc&type=lgns
Jim Balsillie sweetened the pot again, but the City of Glendale still isn’t biting.
Even faced with a mostly empty arena.
Balsillie, the co-CEO of Research In Motion Ltd., reportedly attempted to entice the council to back his bid for the Phoenix Coyotes in Arizona bankruptcy court by offering the city $25 million US, whether he wins or loses the case, but was turned down, according to the Arizona Republic.
If he wins the court case and is awarded the franchise, the offer would’ve been upped to $50 million.
“The city continues to support the NHL bid and reaffirms its efforts to work within the court process to find a resolution that keeps the team playing in Glendale,” the City of Glendale said in a statement Friday.
Balsillie spokesman Bill Walker confirmed the modified offer to the Republic on Friday afternoon.
“We remain open to having a discussion with them about how we might reach an agreement that addresses their concern,” Walker told the paper.
Glendale lawyers have argued in court that the city could lose up to $500 million US if the Coyotes vacate Jobing.com arena.
But the city could lose even more than that if early attendance figures are a sign of things to come.
According to the Phoenix Business Journal, the Coyotes faced Los Angeles in front of about 2,000 fans in their first home exhibition game on Tuesday.
In the second, against Anaheim on Friday, attendance “improved” to around 3,500, according to arena personnel and fans at the game.
Announced attendance for both games was 4,643 and 6,169, respectively.
The NHL also want no part of mediated settlement that Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has asked to court to consider forcing on the league.
Earlier in the week, Moyes’ lawyers requested that the court force the parties to the mediation table, but the NHL filed documents rejecting that idea on Friday. The league has rejected mediation throughout the five-month saga involving the club.
Jim Balsillie sweetened the pot again, but the City of Glendale still isn’t biting.
Even faced with a mostly empty arena.
Balsillie, the co-CEO of Research In Motion Ltd., reportedly attempted to entice the council to back his bid for the Phoenix Coyotes in Arizona bankruptcy court by offering the city $25 million US, whether he wins or loses the case, but was turned down, according to the Arizona Republic.
If he wins the court case and is awarded the franchise, the offer would’ve been upped to $50 million.
“The city continues to support the NHL bid and reaffirms its efforts to work within the court process to find a resolution that keeps the team playing in Glendale,” the City of Glendale said in a statement Friday.
Balsillie spokesman Bill Walker confirmed the modified offer to the Republic on Friday afternoon.
“We remain open to having a discussion with them about how we might reach an agreement that addresses their concern,” Walker told the paper.
Glendale lawyers have argued in court that the city could lose up to $500 million US if the Coyotes vacate Jobing.com arena.
But the city could lose even more than that if early attendance figures are a sign of things to come.
According to the Phoenix Business Journal, the Coyotes faced Los Angeles in front of about 2,000 fans in their first home exhibition game on Tuesday.
In the second, against Anaheim on Friday, attendance “improved” to around 3,500, according to arena personnel and fans at the game.
Announced attendance for both games was 4,643 and 6,169, respectively.
The NHL also want no part of mediated settlement that Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has asked to court to consider forcing on the league.
Earlier in the week, Moyes’ lawyers requested that the court force the parties to the mediation table, but the NHL filed documents rejecting that idea on Friday. The league has rejected mediation throughout the five-month saga involving the club.