Management Eugene Melnyk - Lawsuits, rants and more... Part Deux

[GCK]

Worked in Edmonton, and it looks like the same type of arrangement is what is going to happen in Calgary .............. why can't it happen in Ottawa?

Edmonton was a terrible deal for the city. The Calgary deal makes more sense but it’s unlikely to fly in Ottawa.

 

[Fandlauer]

I support public funds for a downtown arena, as long as it doesn't involve Eugene Melnyk. That being said, if anyone thinks any public funds will be going into a stadium when we are running record breaking deficits due to Covid, then they are out of their goddamn minds. That ship sailed in March. It ain't happening.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I support *some* public funds into an arena...or any other big project. But yes, Melynk has to be out of the picture, and whoever owns the arena has to provide some means of letting the city get a cut of revenues. How they can do that is up to both parties, whether it's a number of dates in the year where the city can host an event (say, a concert, or convention or in Ottawa's case, some diplomatic or commercial event) and get the revenue from it, or a percentage of concessions/parking fees or whatever. Plus a handful of days per year devoted to public/non-profit use (high school/university championship games, perhaps a summer camp or two, several public skates, etc).

I do not support any owner getting an arena for free, or nearly free, or paying next to nothing in property taxes. Yes, big projects to require public money...but not funding the biggest chunk of the project. Not for billionaire owners and businesses. This isn't a tiny mom & pop operation where a gratis section for parking is beyond the means of a typical shopkeep owner.

 

[supsens]

I support *some* public funds into an arena...or any other big project. But yes, Melynk has to be out of the picture, and whoever owns the arena has to provide some means of letting the city get a cut of revenues. How they can do that is up to both parties, whether it's a number of dates in the year where the city can host an event (say, a concert, or convention or in Ottawa's case, some diplomatic or commercial event) and get the revenue from it, or a percentage of concessions/parking fees or whatever. Plus a handful of days per year devoted to public/non-profit use (high school/university championship games, perhaps a summer camp or two, several public skates, etc).

I do not support any owner getting an arena for free, or nearly free, or paying next to nothing in property taxes. Yes, big projects to require public money...but not funding the biggest chunk of the project. Not for billionaire owners and businesses. This isn't a tiny mom & pop operation where a gratis section for parking is beyond the means of a typical shopkeep owner.

Well having 20+ millionaires in town helps, plus the other jobs that go along with it. I know some people say that arenas have no benefit but ten years of tv contracts and out of towners spending cash on game nights must add up.

 

[ottawah]

There will be no new arena with public funds in Ottawa for some time. Certainly no one wants anything to do with Melnyk based on how the last deal went down, but aside from that they have been hit with a triple whammy. The cities foray into light rail is turning into a white elephant and while that is in complete shambles, there is no way they will put funds towards an arena. Next, the city, provincial and federal governments are bleeding money and will have no choice but to severely rein in spending in the next decade (doubly so in Ottawa due to continued light rail costs against the backdrop of a massive move away from public transit). Lastly, the NHL and especially Ottawa has no real idea of how much revenues will drop over the short term, but they could easily be looking at a 50% revenue drop over a two year period. And medium term is still undefined. When fans can go back will they? Or did they decide they did not miss it that much? And many businesses are likely to look to try and cut costs (or go out of business entirely) and tickets will be one of the very first expenditures cut. Until fans are fully back in the seats, no one is investing that kind of money into a new building when there is a workable one already.

Does anyone think the Edmonton or Calgary deal could have gotten done today? They absolutely would not have. Even if this all settles in two years and the revenue returns, governments will likely be in cost cutting mode.

 

[DueDiligence]

Tobias Lutke of Shopify is worth over $8 billion right now. Hopefully with his Ottawa connections someone will convince his to make EM an offer he can't refuse!

 

[Wondercarrot]

I prefer CTC to Montreal. So do 3 of my Hab loving relatives that come up here for games

Why?
Let’s leave out location as a comparable (the biggest complaint) - the Sens did what they had to do early on to survive.

The Bell Center has such great sight lines, the arena is so steep that it feels like you are on top of the ice everywhere. It also has a huge lower section so it seem like more people are directly in on the action without it broken up by suites etc.
It also seems as though the lighting over the crowd is darker with more light concentrated on the ice which makes it feel like all the attention is focused on the game.

I love that game experience, can’t say I really care much about the concourses anywhere other than ensure they are much wider than at CTC. Some are better or worse but all I really care abt is the game viewing experience.

 

[Wondercarrot]

So what?

Again, it's their responsibility to negotiate the best deal for themselves. They can use levies, ticket surcharges and property taxes to recoup their investment. Not to mention, the fact that these types of projects are tourism drivers. They bring people in from outside of the city and create residual benefits for many businesses spread across the site. Both proposals estimated millions of annual visitors to the LeBreton developments as well as 20,000+ new jobs. It's extremely short-sighted to just look at a dollar amount going to the construction of one building and say it's not worth it.

Short-sighted. This is more beneficial to the city of Ottawa than Melnyk.

20,000 news jobs?! lmfao
Pretty much every single study ever done on the return on investment by a city into sports stadium shows that it generates very little additional income for the city. It implies that the money spent at the stadium and surroundings would not have been spent by the population in the community.
You want a stadium then use the only reasonable and defendable argument - a hockey team brings (or should) some Civic pride, some excitement etc to the sizeable chunk of the population that cares.
Any economic argument is silly, and has been debunked.

 

[JD1]

Why?
Let’s leave out location as a comparable (the biggest complaint) - the Sens did what they had to do early on to survive.

The Bell Center has such great sight lines, the arena is so steep that it feels like you are on top of the ice everywhere. It also has a huge lower section so it seem like more people are directly in on the action without it broken up by suites etc.
It also seems as though the lighting over the crowd is darker with more light concentrated on the ice which makes it feel like all the attention is focused on the game.

I love that game experience, can’t say I really care much about the concourses anywhere other than ensure they are much wider than at CTC. Some are better or worse but all I really care abt is the game viewing experience.

Why?
Let’s leave out location as a comparable (the biggest complaint) - the Sens did what they had to do early on to survive.

The Bell Center has such great sight lines, the arena is so steep that it feels like you are on top of the ice everywhere. It also has a huge lower section so it seem like more people are directly in on the action without it broken up by suites etc.
It also seems as though the lighting over the crowd is darker with more light concentrated on the ice which makes it feel like all the attention is focused on the game.

I love that game experience, can’t say I really care much about the concourses anywhere other than ensure they are much wider than at CTC. Some are better or worse but all I really care abt is the game viewing experience.

I prefer the concourses at CTC, exiting the building but most of all i don't like the steepness you referred to. There's a reason those rails are there...it's not safe without them.

 

[Wondercarrot]

I prefer the concourses at CTC, exiting the building but most of all i don't like the steepness you referred to. There's a reason those rails are there...it's not safe without them.

Well fair enough, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Tobias Lutke of Shopify is worth over $8 billion right now. Hopefully with his Ottawa connections someone will convince his to make EM an offer he can't refuse!

Why would he do that?


People have to stop hoping for a Knight in Shining armour, to come along and make their dreams come true ..... it's not happening.

If there is ever going to be a new downtown arena in Ottawa, in ten years, it has to involve the current owner.

That's just reality.

 

[GCK]

Why would he do that?


People have to stop hoping for a Knight in Shining armour, to come along and make their dreams come true ..... it's not happening.

If there is ever going to be a new downtown arena in Ottawa, in ten years, it has to involve the current owner.

That's just reality.

There is no way Eugene still owns this team in 10 years.

 

[DueDiligence]

Why would he do that?


People have to stop hoping for a Knight in Shining armour, to come along and make their dreams come true ..... it's not happening.

If there is ever going to be a new downtown arena in Ottawa, in ten years, it has to involve the current owner.

That's just reality.

Why? the same reason people all over the world own teams or businesses for that matter. Because they want to and have the means to do so. Many people have the desire to own a team but few have the means. Lutke could buy the Sens and would still have 95% of his wealth intact.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Why would he do that?


People have to stop hoping for a Knight in Shining armour, to come along and make their dreams come true ..... it's not happening.

If there is ever going to be a new downtown arena in Ottawa, in ten years, it has to involve the current owner.

That's just reality.

Why would it have to involve the current owner? That is far from reality

 

[JD1]

Why would he do that?


People have to stop hoping for a Knight in Shining armour, to come along and make their dreams come true ..... it's not happening.

If there is ever going to be a new downtown arena in Ottawa, in ten years, it has to involve the current owner.

That's just reality.

I wouldn't bet on Melnyk being alive in 10 years

 

[JungleBeat]

I wouldn't bet on Melnyk being alive in 10 years

Wtf

 

[JD1]

Wtf

Their talking about a new arena in downtown ottawa in 10 years and whether it will involve Melnyk. I'll be surprised if he is alive in 2030

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

There is no way Eugene still owns this team in 10 years.

And you know that how?

Besides, that is not the point.

In order for an Arena to be built in the Down Town core, in about ten years from now, it would have to begin now, and that involves dealing with the current owner, no matter how distasteful that might be to some people, it's the only way forward if that is the collective goal of the community.

If you're suggesting that any plans to build a down town arena can only begin when there's a new owner .......... then you're looking at closer to 20 years.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Why? the same reason people all over the world own teams or businesses for that matter. Because they want to and have the means to do so. Many people have the desire to own a team but few have the means. Lutke could buy the Sens and would still have 95% of his wealth intact.

Is there any documented interest ( from Lutke ) in owning any sports franchise?

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Why would it have to involve the current owner? That is far from reality

Like I said earlier ..... the time line to end up with an arena in the downtown core, in about ten years from now, has to begin today ............ and who is the owner of the Senators today ........ you guessed it EM.

Eventually he will not be the owner, for one reason or another, but the fans will still be here in ten years, and I for one would like to attend games in the Down Town core, and get there by public transit.

He is not going to do it on his own, that is clear, so any plan (like in both Alberta franchises) will involve the City and some level.


Who knows, perhaps a deal with the City/Province creates the conditions for EM to consider selling the franchise, or to receive offers for the franchise, in the next decade, before the arena is completed.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I wouldn't bet on Melnyk being alive in 10 years

That could be true, but the road to a new NHL arena in the downtown core in about ten years, needs to begin sooner rather than later... when EM is out the picture.

 

[BatherSeason]

Lol, melnyk was asked to build an arena out of pocket.

He knew that this would be the case, why even put in a bid then?

 

[BatherSeason]

why can't it happen in Ottawa?

You already know the answer to this question and that #1 reason has proven time and time again that he doesn't play well with others.

 

[GCK]

And you know that how?

Besides, that is not the point.

In order for an Arena to be built in the Down Town core, in about ten years from now, it would have to begin now, and that involves dealing with the current owner, no matter how distasteful that might be to some people, it's the only way forward if that is the collective goal of the community.

If you're suggesting that any plans to build a down town arena can only begin when there's a new owner .......... then you're looking at closer to 20 years.

Lots of groundwork was completed already. Location is set, parameters of land acquisition and soil remediation are done, construction including soil work is about 3 years.

Melnyk will be out before the current local broadcast deals expire since he will only get a fraction of the existing deal.

 

[Sweatred]

I wonder how valuable 80 events a year at a downtown rink is to the light rail system and the city of Ottawa. It is a predictable revenue stream