News Article: Melnyk: 'not selling the team — period'

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Nice get ready to be Vegas 2.0!




Minus the winning.

 

[Bileur]

Nice get ready to be Vegas 2.0!




Minus the winning.

Minus the fun.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Minus the fun.

Minus Karlsson.

 

[Masked]

I'm honestly starting to think Melnyk is going to try and move this team. There's no way he can hang on here and he can't afford Lebreton.

If he actually wants to remain an owner, it's his only option. I'm not saying it will work, but I can see him trying his absolute damndest.

I have no clue, and I'm not saying he could, but if there's any individual out there who would try to rip this team from us, it's Eugene Melnyk.

Maybe he takes on partners, maybe he doesn't, but this prick is going to try and Loria us I can feel it.

This is not thinking. This is an absence of critical thought.

He doesn't own an arena anywhere else. He clearly can't afford one anywhere else. If he goes somewhere else, he'll have fewer revenue streams because someone is going to want money to play in their arena.

Takes on partners? To continue the circus theme, maybe there is a sucker born every minute but there is no foreseeable way someone else could co-exist in an partnership with Melnyk if they don't have controlling interest and Melnyk clearly doesn't want to give up control of the franchise. He's got partners in Lebreton and look how that is going.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Minus Karlsson.

Man, even Vegas had Karlsson...

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

He's got partners in Lebreton and look how that is going.

Has there been any recent reports about "how that is going"?

I was under the impression that the current negotiations between the RLG and the NCC were just fine, at least according to Mark Kristmanson, chief executive of the NCC, as reported in the Citizen

In that report (April) Kristmanson said .. he had a “good lunch” about three weeks ago with NCC chair Marc Seaman, Melynk and Trinity executive chairman John Ruddy.
“Whatever comments might be made, as far as we’re concerned, we’re on track and the project is moving ahead pretty well,” Kristmanson said.
Asked about Melnyk’s apparent concerns about the housing market around LeBreton, Kristmanson said RendezVous can alter their blueprint according to market conditions as an agreement on the master development plan nears. Kristmanson said LRT will be a “great driver” of development in the capital across the entire rail line.
Kristmanson maintains a rosy outlook for the project, even though he knows there are challenges.
“We’ll have our ups and downs on this process, but so far, so good,” Kristmanson said. “I’m not dismayed.”
Jon Willing Ottawa Citizen April 19th.


So if you've heard anything else about the negotiations, would you be able to share that with us?

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

So if you've heard anything else about the negotiations, would you be able to share that with us?

Sure.

Jim Watson wants to start seeing progress on one of the city's biggest projects for its downtown.
[...]
But, there's just one problem. The Mayor still hasn't been able to set up a meeting with Ottawa Senators Owner Eugene Melnyk.
[...]
The Mayor has been trying to have a sit down meeting with Melnyk since his commitment level to the new arena project seemed to waver in his meetings with season ticket holders.

Mayor still waiting to talk Lebreton Flats with Senators' owner - OttawaMatters.com (June 6, 2018)

Add these storylines to an already bubbling pot of controversy and you have the most dysfunctional situation in the National Hockey League. The owner of the team seems reluctant to meet with the mayor, which has seemingly put the LeBreton Flats arena project in jeopardy. At this point, Senators fans can’t even use a future downtown arena as a distraction from the current mess.

https://www.tsn.ca/senators-new-coo-has-a-major-challenge-on-his-hands-1.1111678 (June 13, 2018)

 

[pzeeman]

Sure.


Mayor still waiting to talk Lebreton Flats with Senators' owner - OttawaMatters.com (June 6, 2018)


https://www.tsn.ca/senators-new-coo-has-a-major-challenge-on-his-hands-1.1111678 (June 13, 2018)

Not to defend Melnyk, but afaik talking with the mayor is not on the critical path right now in the project. The project is not at risk until there is a need to talk with the city.

Having said that, a good manager would make sure that this is ready to go when it gets to the point that the city needs to involved, it's smooth sailing.

I still think the Lebreton partners will step in at some point to make sure it won't fail.

 

[Charliebox]

Everyone is all depressed and upset about the recent happenings but I'm really starting to see the positive in all of this. With all these disasters happening (and especially if they trade EK - that would be the nail) I just can't see a way that Melnyk can continue to own this team.

Many of us saw this coming a couple years ago. Those of us who saw the moves in/out and could read between the lines of the analysts comments saw this coming. Since then, the owner has basically pissed off/offended/alienated basically every segment of his fan base. It's not just those of us who watch the money anymore. People who care about the 'personal' are pissed about the handling of Turris or the recent Hoffman/EK situation. People who care about the city are pissed about Lebreton. People who care about social issues are pissed about how they have handled the Randy Lee situation.

Melnyk has gone from simply annoying the hardcore hockey fans to basically being detested by everyone in this city - from casual fan to season ticket holder.

The miracle run (and looking back now, it WAS a miracle) just put things off by a year. In retrospect, it was probably the worst thing that could have happened to the health of this franchise.

I really don't see how he can come back from this. He could placate one segment of the fan base (say, by firing Randy Lee), but he won't get us all back - no chance in hell. Unless he's completely delusional, he has to realize this. Ottawa is a small market. He needs all types of fans from all backgrounds to be 'all in' to make it work and fill the building. There's just no way he's going to get us all back. It would take years and years.. possibly a decade and I really don't think his pocket book can afford to wait that long.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Sure.


Mayor still waiting to talk Lebreton Flats with Senators' owner - OttawaMatters.com (June 6, 2018)


https://www.tsn.ca/senators-new-coo-has-a-major-challenge-on-his-hands-1.1111678 (June 13, 2018)

Don't know if it was the same radio interview, but I did hear an interview, on the radio, within the last couple of weeks, where Watson said there was contact made with the RLG (Melnyk) and a meeting was supposed to be in the works, sometime in the next month.


However, the Negociations are with the NCC, and "how it's going" as far as I know is as described by Mark Kristmanson, chief executive of the NCC, as reported in the Citizen in my previous post.


ThePriorityDeal said, seemed to be casting a negative cloud on the negotiations, and seeing how the negotiations are still between the RLG and the NCC ....... nothing here, in what you posted, seems to change what was reported in the Citizen.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Don't know if it was the same radio interview, but I did hear an interview, on the radio, within the last couple of weeks, where Watson said there was contact made with the RLG (Melnyk) and a meeting was supposed to be in the works, sometime in the next month.


However, the Negociations are with the NCC, and "how it's going" as far as I know is as described by Mark Kristmanson, chief executive of the NCC, as reported in the Citizen in my previous post.


ThePriorityDeal said, seemed to be casting a negative cloud on the negotiations, and seeing how the negotiations are still between the RLG and the NCC ....... nothing here, in what you posted, seems to change what was reported in the Citizen.

And you don't think it's curious that, for a project of such magnitude, that Kristmanson hasn't been quoted in public more recently than mid-April? Especially given the unease and Melnyk's non-committal?

It's so very you to request more information and then change the parameters when you don't like the information provided.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

And you don't think it's curious that, for a project of such magnitude, that Kristmanson hasn't been quoted in public more recently than mid-April? Especially given the unease and Melnyk's non-committal?

It's so very you to request more information and then change the parameters when you don't like the information provided.

Well the NCC typically requires themselves, and anyone they negotiate with, not to talk to the media about the negotiations in detail. So I suspect that's why there has been practically nothing of substance in the media for months.

Melnyk's RLG is in negotiations with the NCC, so how can you claim that is "non-committal"?

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Well the NCC typically requires themselves, and anyone they negotiate with, not to talk to the media about the negotiations in detail. So I suspect that's why there has been practically nothing of substance in the media for months.

Melnyk's RLG is in negotiations with the NCC, so how can you claim that is "non-committal"?

Yeah, you're full of shit. I'm not going to try to convince you that Melnyk's been non-committal in the press. That's a fact and if you think you can argue a stone cold fact then this is well beyond pointless.

 

[Grizwald]

Melnyk has gone from simply annoying the hardcore hockey fans to basically being detested by everyone in this city - from casual fan to season ticket holder.

The miracle run (and looking back now, it WAS a miracle) just put things off by a year. In retrospect, it was probably the worst thing that could have happened to the health of this franchise.

I really don't see how he can come back from this. He could placate one segment of the fan base (say, by firing Randy Lee), but he won't get us all back - no chance in hell. Unless he's completely delusional, he has to realize this. Ottawa is a small market. He needs all types of fans from all backgrounds to be 'all in' to make it work and fill the building. There's just no way he's going to get us all back. It would take years and years.. possibly a decade and I really don't think his pocket book can afford to wait that long.

Totally agree! Melnyk has put this franchise on life-support and the lack of respect Melnyk has earned from the fan base is irreparable. My fear, though, is that Melnyk is in fact completely delusional - most sociopaths are.

 

[Heady Topper]

Don't know if it was the same radio interview, but I did hear an interview, on the radio, within the last couple of weeks, where Watson said there was contact made with the RLG (Melnyk) and a meeting was supposed to be in the works, sometime in the next month.


However, the Negociations are with the NCC, and "how it's going" as far as I know is as described by Mark Kristmanson, chief executive of the NCC, as reported in the Citizen in my previous post.


ThePriorityDeal said, seemed to be casting a negative cloud on the negotiations, and seeing how the negotiations are still between the RLG and the NCC ....... nothing here, in what you posted, seems to change what was reported in the Citizen.

Do you have a link or proof of any of this?

 

[NorthCoast]

Do you have a link or proof of any of this?

Audio from the meeting:

Kristmanson: "Okay, we're all here to resolve the arena portion of the project estimated at 500 million plus land development clean-up of 300 million."

Ruddy:"Very excited to get this moving. The long-term revenue potential of this 3.5 billion dollar project will be massive and will be a huge windfall for everyone who invested"

Melnyk: "I can't afford the arena cost."

Kristmanson: "Okay, the NCC will cover the clean-up".

Melnyk: "Still can't afford it."

Ruddy: "Tell you what Eugene, Trinity will throw in 300 million of future condo profits."

Melnyk: "Still can't afford that. I'll move the team instead"

Ruddy: "How can you afford to move the team if you can't even pony up 200 million for this project. Do we need the hockey team?"

Kristmanson: "Yes, you only get the land if the team is the centerpiece"

Melnyk: "Okay, I thought about it. I want back in on the huge windfall."

Ruddy: "Great. So now you do have the money?"

Melnyk: "No"

Ruddy: "Fine, OSEG will give you 400 mil for the team and do the project ourselves"

Melnyk: "No, i'm not selling the team. I just want the windfall."

Watson: "Your an idiot"

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Do you have a link or proof of any of this?

All I know is what I heard (in the radio interview .... I think with Mark Sutcliffe?), and the Mayor said his office was contacted by the RLG, and a meeting between the Mayor and the RLG is in the works, within the next month ........ so by the end of the month.

 

[Take a Bath Son]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bettman on <a href="#Sens hashtag on Twitter">#Sens</a> drama: “There have been lots of headstones placed on franchises over the years, but none of the burials ever took place. This is a moment in time, more sensational than anything else.”</p>&mdash; Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) <a href="">June 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I don't know what to make of that pun.

 

[branch]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bettman on <a href="#Sens hashtag on Twitter">#Sens</a> drama: “There have been lots of headstones placed on franchises over the years, but none of the burials ever took place. This is a moment in time, more sensational than anything else.”</p>&mdash; Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) <a href="">June 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I don't know what to make of that pun.

What does this even mean?

 

[Korpse]

What does this even mean?

It means Ottawa doesnt need to reloacte or a new owner. According to Bettman.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Sure.


Mayor still waiting to talk Lebreton Flats with Senators' owner - OttawaMatters.com (June 6, 2018)


https://www.tsn.ca/senators-new-coo-has-a-major-challenge-on-his-hands-1.1111678 (June 13, 2018)

The City of Ottawa has next to no say on the matter.

Melnyk is an ass but if things are falling apart, it isn't because Melnyk won't meet Watson.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

What does this even mean?

That people often claim the end is coming and nothing happens.

 

[Heady Topper]

All I know is what I heard (in the radio interview .... I think with Mark Sutcliffe?), and the Mayor said his office was contacted by the RLG, and a meeting between the Mayor and the RLG is in the works, within the next month ........ so by the end of the month.

Sorry but your word isn't worth much to me. If you can, provide a link.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

I don't know what to make of that pun.

What I do know is that if Bettman can't see the eventual burial coming he's dumber than I thought.

 

[Sensung]

What I do know is that if Bettman can't see the eventual burial coming he's dumber than I thought.

Bettman is many things, but dumb is not one of them. The fact that you think he is reflects poorly on you, not him.