导出博客文章EDMONTON -- The on-again-off-again deal to build a new rink for the Edmonton
Oilers is on -- again. City councillors and the Edmonton Oilers agreed Wednesday
to split the cost of the final $30 million needed to green light the wavy-shaped
steel-and-glass structure in the citys downtown in time for the 2016-17 NHL
season. "This has been a long and difficult process," Mayor Stephen Mandel told
councillors. "We need to make sure that we build a city that attracts and
retains the younger generation." Construction is to start next spring and the
city plans to pay off some of its debt through increased tax revenues from shops
and businesses expected to spring up around the arena. The total cost, including
the rink and surrounding infrastructure, comes in at $604.5 million. Under the
arrangement, the Oilers are to pay $161.5 million, the city $279 million and
another $125 million is to come from a ticket tax. Last week, Mandel and
political leaders from surrounding regions voted to seek another $25 million
from the province under a regional grant program. The city says it will seek an
additional $14 million in grants for a community rink attached to the project.
"The result today is a landmark agreement that enables our city to move forward
in an enormously positive way," said Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz, who was
not at Wednesdays council meeting, but spoke with reporters via speaker phone.
The decision saves a resurrected deal agreed to by council and Katz in January,
but which had slipped into limbo after Premier Alison Redfords government
refused to provide $100 million. Redford and her predecessor Ed Stelmach never
promised any direct funding, but city council struck the deal in January anyway,
hoping the money would come through somehow. When it didnt, councillors
scrambled to find alternative sources for the cash. Last month, they voted to
use $45 million in provincial infrastructure grant money. On Wednesday they
changed that plan. They now expect that money to accrue from increased tax
revenues around the arena. Political leaders from the capital region narrowly
voted last week to back an application for the $25-million provincial grant.
That left $30 million. Half of the remainder is to come from Katz and the city
expects the other half to be recouped from increased tax revenues arising from
the development. The deal has divided Edmontonians into those who want public
dollars to go to the arena, those who dont and those who are OK with public
money, but say the deal is far too lopsided in Katzs favour. Last week, Mandel
got into an argument with hecklers in council chambers, who demanded he put the
arena on a plebiscite. The city is to build and own the arena and pay for all
major repairs and renovations. The Oilers, in turn, are to pay $6 million a year
in lease payments and pay for day-to-day arena upkeep. Katz is to keep all the
profits from tickets, concessions and parking for all events -- Oilers-related
or otherwise. Katz also is to receive $2 million a year from the city in return
for advertising for 10 years and to keep naming rights for the building,
estimated at $1 million to $3 million a year. In return, Katz has promised the
Oilers will stay in Edmonton for 35 years. The vote was not unanimous. Coun.
Kerry Diotte said the deal was poor for taxpayers when it was first struck in
2011 and is worse now. "This has morphed into a Frankenstein monster. Even the
worst referee in the NHL could see this is way offside," Diotte told
councillors. Coun. Tony Caterina agreed. He said no one knows for sure if the
extra tax revenues from the arena will materialize. The risk tolerance for
taxpayers, he said, is "way too high." Councils decision wrote what many hope
will be the final chapter in what has become the citys longest-running soap
opera. The deal has been talked about for seven years and been on a roller
coaster for the last two. Councillors and Katz first shook hands in the fall of
2011, but the deal fell apart a year later when Katz demanded an extra $210
million from taxpayers and refused to meet with councillors in public to explain
why. He also incurred wrath from fans and councillors when he began talks aimed
at moving the team to Seattle. Katz eventually dropped the Seattle threat and
the $210-million demand, and in January the two sides resurrected the deal, with
Katz off the hook for major repairs to the facility. Katz -- a pharmacy
billionaire who owns the Rexall chain of drugstores -- is currently tenant of
Rexall Place, where the Oilers now play. Its an arena owned by an arms-length
city board. Katz says the Oilers need wider revenue streams to be viable. He has
said he is losing millions of dollars a year, but city council has not been
allowed to see the teams books. The Oilers are ranked in the middle or higher
among revenue-producing teams in the NHL.
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4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. CLEVELAND -- Kevin Love
scored 29 points, J.R. Smith found his aim -- for one half -- and LeBron James
added 23 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their fifth straight, 103-86 on
Tuesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.Memphis rested center Marc Gasol for
the first of back-to-back games against the defending NBA champions.Smith, who
has been in a season-long shooting slump, scored 17 of his 23 points in the
first half as the Cavs, who gave star point guard Kyrie Irving the night off,
built a 22-point lead and ended the Grizzlies six-game winning streak.Zach
Randolph replaced Gasol in the starting lineup and scored 18 points to lead the
Grizzlies. The reigning Western Conference player of the week, Gasol is expected
to play Wednesday in Memphis to complete a brutal three-game stretch for the
Grizzlies, who beat Golden State by 21 on Saturday.Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said
after the game that James, Love and Irving will not travel for the game
Wednesday. Cleveland will start Smith, DeAndre Liggins, Iman Shumpert, James
Jones and Tristan Thompson.Smith came in shooting a career-low 31 percent from
the field and 32 percent on 3s, the lowest mark since his rookie season with New
Orleans in 2004. He also has been slowed by a sore left knee, which he
hyperextended last week, causing him to miss two games.Smith got it going early,
dropping four 3-pointers in the first half. His fourth put the Cavs ahead 56-34,
and he was 6 of 8 at halftime. He missed his first six shots in the third
quarter and finished 8 of 17 -- 6 of 10 on 3s.Cleveland seemed disinterested
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Grizzlies didnt have enough fiirepower without Gasol and Mike Conley, who is
expected to miss another month with a back injury.dddddddddddd.The Grizzlies
were still within eight when James scored on a layup and hit a cutting Love for
an easy bucket to make it 90-74 with 5:11 left.TIP-INSGrizzlies: G/F Vince
Carter returned after missing seven games with a right hip flexor strain. He
played 18 minutes. ... Memphis coach David Fizdale was an assistant in Miami the
four years James was with the Heat. He coached me more than I coached him, said
Fizdale, who got a big hug from James before the opening tip. Youre talking
about a one percentile guy when it comes to basketball intelligence. I think I
learned more from him than he learned from me.... Memphis is 12-0 this season in
games decided by five points or less.Cavaliers: James needs 28 points to pass
Moses Malone (27,409) for eighth place on the career scoring list. ... In
Saturdays win over Charlotte, James became the first player since Wilt
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shoot 70 percent. ... With his 3-pointer in the first, Love became the fifth
active player with 800 career 3s and 6,000 rebounds. James, Carmelo Anthony,
Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce are the others. ... Channing Frye was back after
missing two games for his fathers funeral. ... Smith passed Dale Ellis (1,719)
for 14th on the career 3-pointer list.UP NEXTGrizzlies: After facing the Cavs
again, Memphis hosts Sacramento on Friday.Cavaliers: Clevelands next home game
is Saturday against the Lakers. ' ' '
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