It will happen, Copps was designed to be expanded (by lifting the roof of the facility) to accommodate the NHL and future private boxes, it presently has a 17,500 seating capacity, he already has a lease agreement with the City of Hamilton in principle for the arena, He was aware prior to submitting his bid that Pittsburgh would not come up with a new arena, if Mario could not do it he won't and his is aware of the fees to put the team in Hamilton(Toronto and Buffalo) the demographics of the area support three teams which his business case shows, there are approx. 7 milion people to draw from, this is not an expansion team where Toronto or Buffalo could stop the move, the leafs do not want to because of the natural hate for Hamilton.
He has been working on this for at least a few months, I know this because, well I just do.
Stan ,
here is how i belive it's goona take place. Jim Balsillie buys the team and says no im not moving it and have no plans on moving it .
IF the areana deal goes thru as everyone thinks it will, great for 10 years . Otherwise he has a case alot sooner than many think .(moving)
just like he denyed a number of times he wasnt intrested in buying the team , now he is the new supposed owner(announced offically tommrow). he is a great poker player .
you might very well be correct in your thinking but it might be 10 years(if a new arena is built in pittsburgh) before anything like that takes place.(moving the team)
i belive he is goona give it the honest go in pittsburgh . if at anytime the fans choose to stay away im pretty sure it will only strengthen his will to change locals.
he got his foot in the door . thats step one
does he own a team in pittsburgh ? will know tommrow
is his heart in hamiltion/waterloo ? it certinally is .
Pens fan have no room to become complacent over the coming years . we already know he has inquired to move the team .
Bettmen might not let him now, but poor attendance over a number of years will change manys thinking .