Penguins fans uniting against KC - Page 5

Coach · 01-19-2007, 10:56 AM

I haven't seen it on the front 2 pages, so if I missed it, I apologize.

http://www.helpthepens.com/

runnercyclist · 01-20-2007, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

That's the best the can come up with? Looks like they'll be losing their team if this is all the smarter they are.

I live here, you're giving them too much credit.

Eleazar · 01-20-2007, 09:25 AM

Penguins souring on Plan B
Governor calls deal hard to beat, but team balks at splitting development rights, parking

Saturday, January 20, 2007
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Gov. Ed Rendell yesterday said the arena deal being offered the Penguins is better than others struck recently in the National Hockey League, but the team has balked at a proposal to share development rights and parking revenues with Pittsburgh casino backer Don Barden.

Another issue that has come up in the talks is $10 million the Penguins may owe Isle of Capri Casinos Inc., which lost to Mr. Barden in the bidding for the city's casino license.

According to Mr. Rendell, the Penguins agreed to pay that amount if Isle of Capri failed to win the casino license but the team still secured a new arena in Pittsburgh.

During an interview yesterday, Mr. Rendell, coming off a late-night round of negotiations with the team Thursday, said the Penguins' share of the arena financing would be a "fraction" of what Pennsylvania's other professional sports franchises -- the Steelers, Pirates, Flyers, Eagles, and Phillies -- contributed toward their new homes.

"I believe the offer we put before the Penguins is the best of any offer that's been made to any NHL team for a new [arena] in recent times and it's also by far the best of any offer made to any Pennsylvania professional sports team for a new stadium," he said.

Mr. Rendell added that the Penguins' share under a sweetened Plan B funding formula would be "significantly below" the 18 percent the Pirates paid toward the construction of the $260 million PNC Park.

The Steelers paid about 44 percent of the $281 million cost of Heinz Field. Under Plan B, the Penguins initially would have paid about 20.7 percent toward a $290 million arena.

An October Post-Gazette survey found that since 2000, NHL teams have contributed anywhere from nothing to 30 percent of the cost of building new arenas.

While the governor touted the proposed Plan B deal as hard to beat, the Penguins apparently felt otherwise during a 90-minute meeting Thursday that broke off without an agreement.

According to sources, team representatives, including co-owner Ron Burkle, were stunned when state and local officials proposed that the Penguins share development rights and parking revenues with Mr. Barden, who was a surprise visitor to the negotiations.

The team saw the proposal as a worse deal than it would get under an extension available next year at Mellon Arena, one that would allow rent-free use of the building and give the franchise control over all building revenues, including parking.

In addition to sharing parking revenues and development rights, the state, city and county also want the team to pay rent at the new arena, in excess of the roughly $2 million a year it pays SMG at Mellon Arena, sources said.

Team officials saw the latest proposal as a setback after a "very positive" Jan. 4 meeting, they said. They were surprised to see Mr. Barden, who was invited by Mr. Rendell, and the proposals for sharing development rights and parking revenues. They also felt the overall plan represented a retreat from the previous session.

Mr. Barden has committed to providing $7.5 million a year for 30 years toward a new arena under the Rendell-crafted Plan B, which also calls for contributions from the Penguins and a slots-financed state economic development fund.

The casino operator said Thursday night he joined the talks to "observe and see if I can be helpful. I want to do everything I can to see that the Penguins stay in Pittsburgh."

The Penguins declined comment on all aspects of the talks yesterday, saying in a statement that "we'll continue to explore all of our options."

One of those options is Kansas City, where the $276 million Sprint Center will open this fall. The Penguins are being offered a deal that includes free rent and a share of building revenues. It's likely that the team will explore that option more seriously in the wake of Thursday's meeting. The Penguins' Mellon Arena lease expires at the end of June.

Mr. Rendell said the proposal to share development rights is a result of a city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority resolution passed in 2005 offering such rights to any casino operator or private investor who commits to building a new arena.

The rights would extend to authority-owned property that now includes Mellon Arena, which would be demolished if a new facility is built across the street. Since neither Mr. Barden nor the Penguins would fully fund a new arena, the authority is talking to them jointly, Mr. Rendell said.

"The way the revenue streams are, neither one is solely responsible [for funding an arena], so together they would probably qualify under the [authority] recommendations," he said.

Asked about the sharing of parking revenues, Mr. Rendell replied, "Parking is on the table for discussion."

Despite the objections by the Penguins, Mr. Rendell believes Plan B is still better than what Kansas City is offering because the team would have to share building revenues there. In Pittsburgh, they would get virtually all such revenues from hockey and non-hockey events, excluding the parking.

The governor said the $10 million payment to Isle of Capri has come up in the talks as a cost the Penguins would have to bear if they stayed in Pittsburgh as opposed to moving to Kansas City.

Isle of Capri spokeswoman Jill Haynes said the company "does not comment on alleged content of confidential business agreements." The team also said it would not comment "on private business deals."

In the aftermath of Thursday's session, it is clear that whatever optimism preceded it now has dissipated. The governor conceded the results of the meeting were mixed.

"We made progress on some things and went back on others and that's very common in negotiations," he said.

Asked where they had fallen back, he replied, "some of the requests for relief from the Penguins."

While the governor had hoped for more progress, he said he still thought an agreement was possible.

"I'm still hopeful but there's a lot of posturing that goes on. That's true in these types of negotiations. That's true in business negotiations. It's true in labor negotiations."

No new talks have been scheduled, but Mr. Rendell said he hoped for another meeting soon.

(Mark Belko can be reached at mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262. )

Sully · 01-20-2007, 09:30 AM

Cochise, that article was the first thing I read this morning. It's the day after my birthday today, and things just continue to look better and better.

I agree with what you said, though. It's a lot more complex than any small dollar figure... but I can surely hope that the slope continues to angle toward us.

**morphius** · 01-20-2007, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I'm stealing that

I'll clean it up for you later this afternoon so that you can read the KC or Bust on it when it is smaller.

PunkinDrublic · 01-20-2007, 10:11 AM

Awesome they posted the hate e-mail that I sent them yesterday.

**morphius** · 01-20-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

I'm stealing that

This one is a bit more readable...

morphius

**Reaper16** · 01-20-2007, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphius

This one is a bit more readable...

morphius

Thanks!

Pitt Gorilla · 01-20-2007, 04:16 PM

It's looking better. Go KC 'Guins!

PinkFloyd · 01-21-2007, 07:56 AM

The Pens just fricking killed Toronto lastnite 8-2.....

Pens will win a Stanley Cup before the Chiefs win the big one...

So; for any of you who have never attented a championship parade in downtown KC --- you might wanna pray that this team is in KC soon...

Sully · 01-21-2007, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinkfloyd

The Pens just fricking killed Toronto lastnite 8-2.....

Pens will win a Stanley Cup before the Chiefs win the big one...

So; for any of you who have never attented a championship parade in downtown KC --- you might wanna pray that this team is in KC soon...

I don't like to pray for sporting events....
... but way ahead of ya, pal.

**Bearcat** · 01-21-2007, 11:30 AM

IMO, the NHL All-Star events are by far the best of any league, and I love watching the young all-star game, skills competition, and obviously the main event.

I haven't gotten to see the Pens much, and Versus doesn't have them scheduled anytime soon. They have Philly on quite a bit, so hopefully they'll change that. I wonder what they'll do if they move here... Fox Sports St Louis already shows plenty of Blues games

The hardest part will be letting go of the Avalanche.

tk13 · 01-21-2007, 11:42 AM

I still cannot believe they sprung Barden back into this again. What a slap in the face. The whole thing reeks of corruption.

Sully · 01-21-2007, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

I still cannot believe they sprung Barden back into this again. What a slap in the face. The whole thing reeks of corruption.

And the fact that he is asking for shared money from the Pens is even worse. If they get the hometown discount, then great... but they seem to be giving up a lot.

Thig Lyfe · 01-21-2007, 12:05 PM

I like the name Kansas City Penguins.

|Zach| · 01-21-2007, 12:08 PM

Ya know,for some reason...

I just have a bad feeling about all this.

I really hope it works out for us.

01-19-2007, 10:56 AM
Coach Champs! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $5978476	Penguins fans uniting against KC I haven't seen it on the front 2 pages, so if I missed it, I apologize. http://www.helpthepens.com/
Posts: 53,180

01-20-2007, 09:25 AM	#62
Eleazar Beyond the Rapids Join Date: May 2003 Location: Langley, VA Casino cash: $-370000	Penguins souring on Plan B Governor calls deal hard to beat, but team balks at splitting development rights, parking Saturday, January 20, 2007 By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Gov. Ed Rendell yesterday said the arena deal being offered the Penguins is better than others struck recently in the National Hockey League, but the team has balked at a proposal to share development rights and parking revenues with Pittsburgh casino backer Don Barden. Another issue that has come up in the talks is $10 million the Penguins may owe Isle of Capri Casinos Inc., which lost to Mr. Barden in the bidding for the city's casino license. According to Mr. Rendell, the Penguins agreed to pay that amount if Isle of Capri failed to win the casino license but the team still secured a new arena in Pittsburgh. During an interview yesterday, Mr. Rendell, coming off a late-night round of negotiations with the team Thursday, said the Penguins' share of the arena financing would be a "fraction" of what Pennsylvania's other professional sports franchises -- the Steelers, Pirates, Flyers, Eagles, and Phillies -- contributed toward their new homes. "I believe the offer we put before the Penguins is the best of any offer that's been made to any NHL team for a new [arena] in recent times and it's also by far the best of any offer made to any Pennsylvania professional sports team for a new stadium," he said. Mr. Rendell added that the Penguins' share under a sweetened Plan B funding formula would be "significantly below" the 18 percent the Pirates paid toward the construction of the $260 million PNC Park. The Steelers paid about 44 percent of the $281 million cost of Heinz Field. Under Plan B, the Penguins initially would have paid about 20.7 percent toward a $290 million arena. An October Post-Gazette survey found that since 2000, NHL teams have contributed anywhere from nothing to 30 percent of the cost of building new arenas. While the governor touted the proposed Plan B deal as hard to beat, the Penguins apparently felt otherwise during a 90-minute meeting Thursday that broke off without an agreement. According to sources, team representatives, including co-owner Ron Burkle, were stunned when state and local officials proposed that the Penguins share development rights and parking revenues with Mr. Barden, who was a surprise visitor to the negotiations. The team saw the proposal as a worse deal than it would get under an extension available next year at Mellon Arena, one that would allow rent-free use of the building and give the franchise control over all building revenues, including parking. In addition to sharing parking revenues and development rights, the state, city and county also want the team to pay rent at the new arena, in excess of the roughly $2 million a year it pays SMG at Mellon Arena, sources said. Team officials saw the latest proposal as a setback after a "very positive" Jan. 4 meeting, they said. They were surprised to see Mr. Barden, who was invited by Mr. Rendell, and the proposals for sharing development rights and parking revenues. They also felt the overall plan represented a retreat from the previous session. Mr. Barden has committed to providing $7.5 million a year for 30 years toward a new arena under the Rendell-crafted Plan B, which also calls for contributions from the Penguins and a slots-financed state economic development fund. The casino operator said Thursday night he joined the talks to "observe and see if I can be helpful. I want to do everything I can to see that the Penguins stay in Pittsburgh." The Penguins declined comment on all aspects of the talks yesterday, saying in a statement that "we'll continue to explore all of our options." One of those options is Kansas City, where the $276 million Sprint Center will open this fall. The Penguins are being offered a deal that includes free rent and a share of building revenues. It's likely that the team will explore that option more seriously in the wake of Thursday's meeting. The Penguins' Mellon Arena lease expires at the end of June. Mr. Rendell said the proposal to share development rights is a result of a city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority resolution passed in 2005 offering such rights to any casino operator or private investor who commits to building a new arena. The rights would extend to authority-owned property that now includes Mellon Arena, which would be demolished if a new facility is built across the street. Since neither Mr. Barden nor the Penguins would fully fund a new arena, the authority is talking to them jointly, Mr. Rendell said. "The way the revenue streams are, neither one is solely responsible [for funding an arena], so together they would probably qualify under the [authority] recommendations," he said. Asked about the sharing of parking revenues, Mr. Rendell replied, "Parking is on the table for discussion." Despite the objections by the Penguins, Mr. Rendell believes Plan B is still better than what Kansas City is offering because the team would have to share building revenues there. In Pittsburgh, they would get virtually all such revenues from hockey and non-hockey events, excluding the parking. The governor said the $10 million payment to Isle of Capri has come up in the talks as a cost the Penguins would have to bear if they stayed in Pittsburgh as opposed to moving to Kansas City. Isle of Capri spokeswoman Jill Haynes said the company "does not comment on alleged content of confidential business agreements." The team also said it would not comment "on private business deals." In the aftermath of Thursday's session, it is clear that whatever optimism preceded it now has dissipated. The governor conceded the results of the meeting were mixed. "We made progress on some things and went back on others and that's very common in negotiations," he said. Asked where they had fallen back, he replied, "some of the requests for relief from the Penguins." While the governor had hoped for more progress, he said he still thought an agreement was possible. "I'm still hopeful but there's a lot of posturing that goes on. That's true in these types of negotiations. That's true in business negotiations. It's true in labor negotiations." No new talks have been scheduled, but Mr. Rendell said he hoped for another meeting soon. (Mark Belko can be reached at mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262. )
Posts: 80,659

01-20-2007, 09:30 AM	#63
Sully It Goes On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $10026331	Cochise, that article was the first thing I read this morning. It's the day after my birthday today, and things just continue to look better and better. I agree with what you said, though. It's a lot more complex than any small dollar figure... but I can surely hope that the slope continues to angle toward us. __________________ "And I don't wish that girl any bad luck," he said, "but I hope she gets hit with a car." - Tommy Lasorda
Posts: 18,295

01-20-2007, 10:11 AM	#65
PunkinDrublic Stay down bitch! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Plano, TX Casino cash: $6450670	Awesome they posted the hate e-mail that I sent them yesterday. __________________ Disappointing my parents since 1976
Posts: 9,151

01-20-2007, 04:16 PM	#68
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $2980194	It's looking better. Go KC 'Guins! __________________ Your son is a bench warmer because of your weak genetics not because of the coach Norlin Mommsen is disgusting.
Posts: 46,007

01-21-2007, 07:56 AM	#69
PinkFloyd I've Become - Comfortably Numb Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Cameron, Missouri Casino cash: $10003795	The Pens just fricking killed Toronto lastnite 8-2..... Pens will win a Stanley Cup before the Chiefs win the big one... So; for any of you who have never attented a championship parade in downtown KC --- you might wanna pray that this team is in KC soon... __________________ Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, 'Where have I gone wrong?' Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.'
Posts: 3,089

01-21-2007, 11:30 AM	#71
Bearcat Would an idiot do that? Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Arizona Casino cash: $2844931	IMO, the NHL All-Star events are by far the best of any league, and I love watching the young all-star game, skills competition, and obviously the main event. I haven't gotten to see the Pens much, and Versus doesn't have them scheduled anytime soon. They have Philly on quite a bit, so hopefully they'll change that. I wonder what they'll do if they move here... Fox Sports St Louis already shows plenty of Blues games The hardest part will be letting go of the Avalanche.
Posts: 55,279

01-21-2007, 11:42 AM	#72
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $2012500	I still cannot believe they sprung Barden back into this again. What a slap in the face. The whole thing reeks of corruption.
Posts: 54,919

01-21-2007, 12:05 PM	#74
Thig Lyfe Banned Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Thigpen's America Casino cash: $10004900	I like the name Kansas City Penguins.
Posts: 25,680

01-21-2007, 12:08 PM	#75
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $5336768	Ya know,for some reason... I just have a bad feeling about all this. I really hope it works out for us.
Posts: 53,431