The meeting between MacDonald's team and the city took place earlier today. It apparently well real well and comments from some council members after the meeting shows their satisfaction with the presentation.
Colisée de Trois-Rivières: la cohabitation, la troisième option...
One in particular, Valérie Renaud-Martin, said that she found that MacDonald's team were serious and passionate about this project and it fills her with confidence to know that. She said that co-habitation is a strong possibility, but she feels that the ECHL has to absolutely be a part of this.
Another member, Francois Bélisle, said that he has no issue with the Canadiens not taking part in this meeting because they are not the promoters of the project, they're affiliates. And he'd rather hear from the guys who will actually run this project. He also said he was satisfied with the presentation. It was honest, realistic, precise, and wasn't unnecessarily fancy.
Another council member, Denis Roy, said that now they know how serious both promoters (Patriotes & ECHL) are and both deserve for the city to properly evaluate both proposals. There are still more details to iron out with both projects in order for the city officials to finalize their analysis, especially if there is to be a co-habitation.
ECHL au colisée: des retombées annuelles de 10 M$ [VIDÉO]
Some details that came out of the meeting:
- The cost to run the team will be about $4-million. But the estimated return for the city would be about $10-million. Not to mention a lot of jobs will be created for the region.
- M-A Bergeron, who will run the team, said that even if he removed himself from his role, as a TR native, he is thrilled with what this project offers to the city.
- He also said what Dean MacDonald said the other day, if the Canadiens were not going to affiliate themselves with the ECHL team in TR, they would not be there trying to accomplish this.
- There is no official contract between this ECHL project and the Canadiens, but this wouldn't be happening if they didn't know there would be one. MacDonald said those details will be easily finalized, but that they need to make sure this project is accepted by the city first. Because if it isn't accepted, then there is nothing to negotiate with the Canadiens.
- MacDonald mentioned that Glenn Stanford, who is also part of this project, has operated two AHL franchises affiliated with the Canadiens. He is very well known.
- He said that the Canadiens have currently 8 players under contract playing in the ECHL (more like 4 now, but had 7 at one point) and that the Habs would like to have them all in one place.
- Later in the day, MacDonald and Bergeron met with a few higher ranking officials to discuss some more technical and financial details.
- Bergeron reiterated that since the start, they are open to co-habitation. They've had a positive attitude throughout this process and will continue to have one. They want to assure everyone that they will be good and cooperative citizens. For what it's worth, the man who made the proposal to the city for the Patriotes has also said they are willing to co-habitate.
- They have until Friday to submit their full and official business plan to the city in order for them to properly analyze everything. There is no timetable for the city to make their decision.
- The ECHL team would be ready to begin in the 2021-22 season.
