Rumor: Seems worthy of its own thread: Sale of team imminent?

[BloodRedArmy]

No idea who this guy is. Probably BS, but....

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[Ouroboros]

When Mike Smith speaks everybody listens.

 

[The Lewler]

Who is this jabroni ?

 

[Deku]

Yeah i'm not getting my hopes up

 

[Fandlauer]

I guess we'll know if he's full of shit after the final. Hopefully he's not.

[mod]

 

[Sun God Nika]

Yeah i'm not getting my hopes up

This, time and time and time again. I'm just waiting for the day he can no longer physically own a team.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Last paychecks went out at the beginning of April, I presume? If this was legit, we would've heard about it before now. Ottawa is too small to keep something like that bottled up for nearly two months.

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

Would be great but my I've already gotten my hopes up about it this season. I won't get excited until someone reputable mentions it (no disrespect to Mike Smith but I don't know who he is).

 

[BonkTastic]

It's an interesting thought exercise to be sure, but "anonymous twitter guy says..." isn't really the kind of authoritative source I want to build a foundation of trust on.

 

[BloodRedArmy]

Last paychecks went out at the beginning of April, I presume? If this was legit, we would've heard about it before now. Ottawa is too small to keep something like that bottled up for nearly two months.

Funny you should say this...


X - Mike Smith‏ @projectsmith
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Remember the last payment would've been made on April 30th to any players on the current roster. When would the loan have been issued? Was the financial problem a few months in the making? Has the team run out of credit?

 

[Tuna99]

If it’s the Cirque and Power Corp team we’ll be in great shape.

This will be the best sports news in Ottawa since Ottawa got an NHL team.

I’ve worked with the Desmarais family, class acts. Top shelf guys. I know peeps that have play led poker with Laliberte, they say he’s awesome.

God please

 

[BonkTastic]

If it’s the Cirque and Power Corp team we’ll be in great shape.

This will be the best sports news in Ottawa since Ottawa got an NHL team.

I’ve worked with the Desmarais family, class acts. Top shelf guys. I know peeps that have play led poker with Laliberte, they say he’s awesome.

God please

I know for sure that Cirque du Soleil have a very special interest in an Ottawa arena - for over a decade, they have used the Ottawa market as a "practice run" for new shows that are about to go on world tour. The Ottawa shows are often to "troubleshoot" a new act, basically like a dress rehearsal for the rest of the world. The Canadian Tire Center is basically Cirque's 2nd home base from that perspective.

Cirque owning (or having partial ownership of) and having advance access to an arena in Ottawa makes complete sense based on the history between that org and ours.

 

[Tuna99]

I know for sure that Cirque have a very special interest in an Ottawa arena - for a decade, they have used the Ottawa market as a "practice run" for new shows that are about to go on world tour. The Ottawa shows are often to "troubleshoot" a new act, basically like a dress rehearsal for the rest of the world. The Canadian Tire Center is basically Cirque's 2nd home base from that perspective.

Cirque owning (or having partial ownership of) an arena in Ottawa makes complete sense based on the history between that org and ours.

I love all of this. And the Desmarais family own a sports excellence program that was tops at the Olympics and I think they own Bauer.

So Lots to like.

They’ll handle this development perfectly. They know all the people that redid the Habs development so lots of experts. Not a yahoo with a horse and beach house in the Bahamas

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Doesn't Cirque also have a number of performing arts schools, as well? If so, that might be something added to a revamped Lebreton proposal that could really pique the interest of the artsy crowd in Ottawa.

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

Doesn't Cirque also have a number of performing arts schools, as well? If so, that might be something added to a revamped Lebreton proposal that could really pique the interest of the artsy crowd in Ottawa.

That would be so great

 

[The Lewler]

You guys are getting your hopes way up again. Off one Twitter post.

 

[Spirit of 67]

So is there really any reason to believe the tweeter?

 

[Puck possession wins]

The same thing that is happening to Ottawa is what happened to Arizona 10 years ago.

With a terrible owner who has no money, and the league basically runs the team.

It sucks, but I wish all the best for you guys

 

[RyCam]

How reputable is this Mike Smith guy?

Would like a better source before getting any hopes up.

 

[bert]

So is there really any reason to believe the tweeter?

These rumblings have been going around for 6 months. Hard to know whats rumor and what isnt, but we do know Eugene is in financial distress.

 

[BonkTastic]

So is there really any reason to believe the tweeter?

No more so tham any other random anonymous source, no.

At this point, at best, we can add it to the "where there's smoke, there's fire" pile that has been accumulating over the past couple of years.

 

[branch]

I just can't understand how someone (Eugene) would hold onto an apparently bleeding asset when he knows there are some really rich people looking on willing to give him a lot of money. Is it just pride at this point? Or is he essentially holding the bag not wanting to sell at a loss until Lebreton happens and the team (his shares) increases in value?

The nightmare can be over, Eugene. Just sign the papers and head to Barbados permanently.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Thanks for the answers

 

[Wondercarrot]

ive heard this as well (both the payroll bridge and Demarais/Cirque still working on closing a deal for the team) , and its not the first time.
im not looking at bank records mind you - but a lot of different people are saying the same things.

 

[Upgrayedd]

I know for sure that Cirque du Soleil have a very special interest in an Ottawa arena - for over a decade, they have used the Ottawa market as a "practice run" for new shows that are about to go on world tour. The Ottawa shows are often to "troubleshoot" a new act, basically like a dress rehearsal for the rest of the world. The Canadian Tire Center is basically Cirque's 2nd home base from that perspective.

Cirque owning (or having partial ownership of) and having advance access to an arena in Ottawa makes complete sense based on the history between that org and ours.

I remain pessimistic but sometimes dream of what these minds could do with input into stadium/site design and even incorporating minor acts into pre and mid period shows in stadium a la vegas, a hybrid hockey arena permanent cirque facility would be unreal!