Kansas City Penguins?

[RangerBoy]

Former LA Kings president and current president and chief executive officer of Anschutz Entertainment Group Tim Leiweke is looking to lure a NHL franchise to Kansas City for the new 18,500 seat Sprint Center opening up in two years.Anschutz will manage the arena

“If Pittsburgh doesn’t have an arena deal done a year from now,†Leiweke said, “they’re gone. The Pittsburgh Penguins can be the Kansas City Penguins, no question about it. That team here … it will sell out every ticket in advance, end of story. That team will be a huge instant home run here.

“And that kid, Sidney Crosby,†he said of the first pick in the 2005 draft, “is unbelievableâ€

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/13127100.htm

Click to read more...

 

[Riggs]

This isn't news.

 

[RangerBoy]

This isn't news.

If you bothered to read the article,you would have read Leiweke was in Kansas City yesterday morning for a breakfast with the Kansas City business leaders and other people associated with the new arena.60 of the 72 luxury boxes have already been sold at $110,000-$115,000 a pop.The individual responsible for operating the building names the Penguins as a possibe tennant and that's not news.Not idle speculation by a writer

 

[Safir*]

If you bothered to read the article

You have to register to read the article.

 

[Safir*]

I'm pretty confident that the Penguins and the City of Pittsburgh will managed to build a new arena in or around Pittsburgh. Alone the drafting of the young phenomonon has cause a craze in the city and they are going to make sure that Sid stays in PA.

Let's wait and see, how teams operate under the salary cap for a while before we talking about relocation.

The NHL has been in KC before and hasn't been very successfull over there, I think. I'd rather see the NHL in Oklahoma City. They got the CHL's Blazers in town and draw a lot of fans, an average 8,000-10,000. The Ford Center is fully operational arena now and is the temporary home of the New Orleans Hornets. A nice rivalry could develop with the Stars.

 

[Hasbro]

Any time a city wants a new arena there's always some other suitor publicaly offering the B&BD.

 

[Grave77digger]

 

[Hasbro]

Besides we all know they're headed to Houston.

 

[Fugu]

I certainly hope they end up in Houston, or we will never hear the end of it from Squid....lordy help us.

 

[DJmastamind]

As someone said before, The city of Pittsburgh will come through with a new arena. This city is crazy for the Penguins and Sidney, the atmosphere here has been incredible.

Also a new mayor just got elected here, one who I believe will work as hard as possible to keep the Pens in Pittsburgh.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

Is that speculation or wishful thinking DJMastermind? Does the city of Pittsburgh has the resources to fund its third new sporting facility in 5-8 years? It looks like the suitors are doing their homework and preparing to woo the belle of the ball.

 

[DJmastamind]

Is that speculation or wishful thinking DJMastermind? Does the city of Pittsburgh has the resources to fund its third new sporting facility in 5-8 years? It looks like the suitors are doing their homework and preparing to woo the belle of the ball.

It's a little of both. Yes, we just got a new mayor whom I seem to recall an article in the paper about him doing what he can to keep the Pens here. Second, revenue for the stadium depends on the slot licenses. Either way I do think that something will be worked out.

 

[jamiebez]

I don't think any money from the city will be needed - any new arena will be funded entirely by the slots license. See the following:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05291/590406.stm

I've read elsewhere that some of the other bidders for the license had also promised to build an arena, so the Penguins' chances of staying in Pittsburgh are excellent.

 

[Squiddy*]

Yes that's it.. move a team from one small market to another small market.

 

[Skk82]

I've read elsewhere that some of the other bidders for the license had also promised to build an arena, so the Penguins' chances of staying in Pittsburgh are excellent.

with politicans invovled no one can be certain until the final word is spoken suppodely next summer. especially when they're from pennsylvania.

the penguins may have a few horses in the race, but by no means does that make their cause a lock.

 

[jb**]

I'm pretty confident that the Penguins and the City of Pittsburgh will managed to build a new arena in or around Pittsburgh. Alone the drafting of the young phenomonon has cause a craze in the city and they are going to make sure that Sid stays in PA.

Let's wait and see, how teams operate under the salary cap for a while before we talking about relocation.

The NHL has been in KC before and hasn't been very successfull over there, I think. I'd rather see the NHL in Oklahoma City. They got the CHL's Blazers in town and draw a lot of fans, an average 8,000-10,000. The Ford Center is fully operational arena now and is the temporary home of the New Orleans Hornets. A nice rivalry could develop with the Stars.

Crosby ending up on the Pens will have little to know effect on the outcome of a new stadium. Mario will have to decide whether or not he wants to use private funds to build the arena as IMO the state and the winner of the slots license will contribute some funds, not all. I would think the Pens have some type of backup plan for an arena because if they are banking strictly on the outcome of the slots license they are going to be in for a big surprise.

 

[Skk82]

Yes that's it.. move a team from one small market to another small market.

with a competitive team and seemingly young stars for years to come (crosby, malkin, whitney, fleury) the penguins would probably come close to selling 16 or 17 thousands tickets every night, like in the late '90s.

the fanbase has been spoiled with superstars like lemieux, jagr and kovalev but it's a good hockey town. no toronto or detroit, but a solid market.

 

[Squiddy*]

with a competitive team and seemingly young stars for years to come (crosby, malkin, whitney, fleury) the penguins would probably come close to selling 16 or 17 thousands tickets every night, like in the late '90s.

the fanbase has been spoiled with superstars like lemieux, jagr and kovalev but it's a good hockey town. no toronto or detroit, but a solid market.

I know.. I hope the pens stay in pittsburgh.

 

[DJmastamind]

I think the Pens will be here. Thanks to the poster who found that article, I couldn't find it. Of course Slots aren't going to provide all the money, but Mario did say he would use some private funds if I recall correctly.

Either way the Pens need a new stadium. There just aren't enough seats to produce a profit, even if they sell out every game.

 

[jb**]

I don't think any money from the city will be needed - any new arena will be funded entirely by the slots license. See the following:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05291/590406.stm

I've read elsewhere that some of the other bidders for the license had also promised to build an arena, so the Penguins' chances of staying in Pittsburgh are excellent.

You are incorrect. It has been said many times they will use some slots revenue to build a new arena, not build a new arena entirely from the slots revenue. It is up to the person who wins the license to determine if they want to allocate any funds for a new arena. It can’t be mandated by the state, that is why they are paying a 50mm license fee. It is a longshot at best that Mario’s group gets the slots license anyway. I don’t know what their chances of staying in Pittsburgh are but they definetly are not excellent.

 

[GKJ]

Since when was Liewiekie not the president of the Kings?

 

[Old Hickory]

He got promoted

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_31_22/ai_63986307

 

[Transported Upstater]

I know.. I hope the pens stay in pittsburgh.

I think Houston will have a team eventually, I just don't know in which manner they will get one.

I also hope the Pens stay in Western PA.

 

[Sens Rule]

Pittsburgh can support NHL hockey... thus it makes no sense to move them to a pretty similar sized market that doesn't have the history that Pitts does. The NHL has been in Pitts since 1967, that is 38 years of History. When Lemieux and the Pens were dominating the league winning cups to my understanding they were even bigger than the Steelers and Pirates in that market. It would be stupid to move them now. They will eventually get a better arena.

I am a minority in thinking that the NHL could (even should) expand. Houston and Kansas City, Portland, Winnipeg are viable markets that could support NHL hockey. The only teams in the NHL that are question marks are Carolina, Nashville, Columbus and Phoenix but I believe all 4 can support NHL hockey however all 4 are worse markets than the 4 teams I mentioned. If you look long term over 5-8 years I believe expansion to 32 teams is likely and the movement of at least 1 of the 4 franchises I mentioned is possible. (but not probable)

 

[jamiebez]

You are incorrect. It has been said many times they will use some slots revenue to build a new arena, not build a new arena entirely from the slots revenue. It is up to the person who wins the license to determine if they want to allocate any funds for a new arena. It can’t be mandated by the state, that is why they are paying a 50mm license fee. It is a longshot at best that Mario’s group gets the slots license anyway. I don’t know what their chances of staying in Pittsburgh are but they definetly are not excellent.

I think we're splitting hairs here... "using some slots revenue to build a new arena" and "building a new arena entirely from the slots revenue" are not necessarily mutually exclusive statements. For example, if a new casino brings in $400M/year in revenue (not unreasonable), 5% of that over 10 years could easily pay for a new arena that would be funded entirely by slots, yet without using all the slots revenue.

You are right in that the state is not mandating the use of the funds as part of the licensing process, but it doesn't sound like the final decision for a recommendation has been made:
http://www.slotsformario.com/viewnews.asp?NewsID=26

Anyway, my point is that even if Mario's group does not get the license, there is still a possibility that whoever does will build a new arena. Perhaps "excellent" was too strong a word on my part, but I am of the opinion that their chances of staying in Pittsburgh are better than their chances of leaving.

Does anyone know when the license decision is to be handed down?