wjhl2009fan
Registered User
- Nov 13, 2008
- 9,042
- 0
The relationships between the major players in the the whole Ottawa Senators saga is best described as incestuous. Bryden was in it from the start my friend. Truth be told Firestone, looked good on the surface but didn't have the kind of money necessary to go it alone with Terrace and so they needed investors of which Bryden was one. Jimmy Durrell put them all together along with some of the so called Bank St Mafia guys and between them they were able to come up with about half of the 5m dollar initial fee to the NHL and a promise to build a new arena. It is no coincidence that both Mike Cowpland and Terry Matthews turned them down flat as far as getting involved with the deal. Those two both had real money and knew Firestone and the rest of that crew were merely poseurs.
I know what the "official" story says, but what really went on behind the scenes is a whole lot different. LeBreton was sitting vacant and barren at the time and the "War Museum" wasn't on the radar in the least as it was an unprofitable derelict sitting opposite "City Centre." LeBreton had been talked about off and on for about 15 years as a great place for development as the NCC wanted it off their hands, it wasn't making them a dime and the arena meant lots of income and why it was inititally offered to them through the city/province.
I was still very active in the Ottawa business community at the time and had a very close up view of what really went on and oh my it was high comedy. Those guys left so many people holding the bag it was shameful.
Still there were alot of people against the arena just as they are aginst the oseg bid.