Other Sports Kansas City: Bargaining Chip Again?

T-post Tom · 01-17-2009, 01:42 AM

News of preseason game in KC worries Isles fans
BY KATIE STRANG | [email protected]

Scott Spagnola, Matt Buck and Glen Masciello have been talking about opening an Asian Fusion restaurant for six months now. As diehard Islanders fans, they thought it would be a great idea to open it in the area of the Lighthouse Project, pending its construction.

Now the three friends fear that might not be an option.

Yesterday, the Islanders announced they will play an exhibition game in Kansas City in September. General manager Garth Snow said the locale is "just another city," but fans are aware that city has been rumored as a destination if an NHL team decides to relocate. And that has lots of fans worried.

"What is Nassau and Suffolk County going to have left?" Masciello, 31, of Lynbrook asked, pointing out that the Jets already have abandoned Long Island.

The trio agreed that owner Charles Wang has been polite despite the lack of progress in developing a new facility for the team but that this might be a move toward exerting more pressure on county officials to break ground on the Lighthouse Project.

"As quiet as Wang has been, this could be a side-door pressure tactic," Spagnola said. "Although I'd rather see him stomping around out here about it in his underwear instead."

Chris Boyce, 24, of Babylon, also believes this could be an attempt to expedite a new arena. "Honestly, I think it's a thinly veiled threat at this point, that they will move from here if we don't start developing now," Boyce said.

That makes Boyce, who has attended between 20 and 25 games a year since he was 6, nervous that the team could pack up. "I'm scared," Boyce said. "It worries me that if we can't get a shovel in the ground this summer, this team is gonna move, and I don't even know if Kansas City can hold a franchise."

When asked how they'd feel if the Islanders did move to another city, Marilou, 52, and Jen Christian, 29, of North Bellmore, responded in unison. "Devastated," they said.

"We are Long Islanders," Jen said, "and that's what this team is."

Marilou Christian said, however, that the team needs more than just a new facility. "I think they need a new stadium," she said, "but I think they need a new team on the ice, too."

Whether this is a political power play or not, many fans are worried that the team is in danger of leaving Long Island.

"That would be awful," said Robert Maurer, 37, of Hicksville, who grew up during the Islanders' dynasty years. "They've got to get the Lighthouse Project or else I can see them leaving."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey...,6267342.story

T-post Tom · 01-17-2009, 01:44 AM

KC has the arena, but no major sports teamBY ANTHONY RIEBER | [email protected]
January 16, 2009

If you built it, will they come?

That's what the city of Kansas City is asking about its less than 2-year-old arena, which sits without a functioning professional sports team to call its own.

Is that where the Islanders come in?

"We're not looking to take anybody's team," said Paul McGannon, head of NHL21, a local group trying to bring a team to Kansas City. "But if for whatever reason things don't work out on the Island, we would gladly accept a four-time Stanley Cup champion."

The 18,000-seat Sprint Center opened on Oct. 10, 2007, without an anchor tenant. The only professional sports team that plays there is the Arena Football League's Kansas City Brigade - and that league recently canceled its upcoming season because of the economy.

The exhibition game between the Islanders and Los Angeles Kings that was announced yesterday will be the second in arena history. Los Angeles played the St. Louis Blues in front of 11,603 fans last Sept. 22.

The inclusion of the Kings in both games is no surprise because the Sprint Center is managed by international sports conglomerate Anschutz Entertainment Group; its CEO, Tim Leiweke, is the president of the Kings and a powerful member of the NHL's Board of Governors. The former Kansas City resident has been a longtime proponent of bringing the NHL to Kansas City.

Kansas Citians remember that Leiweke promised in 2004, when the arena project was approved, to have a major-league team "playing here the day you open your doors." Leiweke could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The glittering arena has six NHL-ready locker rooms, but for now has to accept being mostly a concert and entertainment venue. Garth Brooks did nine sold-out nights in 2008; Britney Spears brings her "Circus" tour there April 2.

The NCAA men's basketball tournament will hold first- and second-round action at the Sprint Center in March. Other than that, the only other scheduled sporting event is professional bull riding.

Kansas City once had an NHL team, of course. The Kansas City Scouts played there for two seasons, from 1974-76, before becoming the Colorado Rockies and then the Devils.

The city has failed in recent years to lure the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators. The Penguins seriously flirted before an agreement was reached to build a new arena. The Predators got a new lease and new ownership group.

"We're tired of being the bridesmaids," McGannon said. "We're serious."

It's unclear if the NHL truly wants to tap into this market or is just using the empty new arena as a bargaining ploy to stare down recalcitrant municipalities. And it's unclear if this market is really drooling over the NHL.

Kansas Citians care about the Chiefs and college basketball and the Royals, said Kansas City Star sports editor Holly Lawton. Hockey? Not so much.

Said Lawton, "I think it's very safe to say there has not been a groundswell of excitement in bringing a hockey team here yet."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey...,2063735.story

**pr_capone** · 01-17-2009, 01:45 AM

The Kansas City Islanders would make no sense at all. [/cross thread quasi-humors]

T-post Tom · 01-17-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pr_capone

The Kansas City Islanders would make no sense at all. [/cross thread quasi-humors]

I got a fever and the only prescription is 'cross thread quasi-humors'.

01-17-2009, 01:42 AM	Topic Starter
T-post Tom Busy in a Kohl's restroom Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Milk/Honey/Gazland Casino cash: $1767293	Kansas City: Bargaining Chip Again? News of preseason game in KC worries Isles fans BY KATIE STRANG \| [email protected] Scott Spagnola, Matt Buck and Glen Masciello have been talking about opening an Asian Fusion restaurant for six months now. As diehard Islanders fans, they thought it would be a great idea to open it in the area of the Lighthouse Project, pending its construction. Now the three friends fear that might not be an option. Yesterday, the Islanders announced they will play an exhibition game in Kansas City in September. General manager Garth Snow said the locale is "just another city," but fans are aware that city has been rumored as a destination if an NHL team decides to relocate. And that has lots of fans worried. "What is Nassau and Suffolk County going to have left?" Masciello, 31, of Lynbrook asked, pointing out that the Jets already have abandoned Long Island. The trio agreed that owner Charles Wang has been polite despite the lack of progress in developing a new facility for the team but that this might be a move toward exerting more pressure on county officials to break ground on the Lighthouse Project. "As quiet as Wang has been, this could be a side-door pressure tactic," Spagnola said. "Although I'd rather see him stomping around out here about it in his underwear instead." Chris Boyce, 24, of Babylon, also believes this could be an attempt to expedite a new arena. "Honestly, I think it's a thinly veiled threat at this point, that they will move from here if we don't start developing now," Boyce said. That makes Boyce, who has attended between 20 and 25 games a year since he was 6, nervous that the team could pack up. "I'm scared," Boyce said. "It worries me that if we can't get a shovel in the ground this summer, this team is gonna move, and I don't even know if Kansas City can hold a franchise." When asked how they'd feel if the Islanders did move to another city, Marilou, 52, and Jen Christian, 29, of North Bellmore, responded in unison. "Devastated," they said. "We are Long Islanders," Jen said, "and that's what this team is." Marilou Christian said, however, that the team needs more than just a new facility. "I think they need a new stadium," she said, "but I think they need a new team on the ice, too." Whether this is a political power play or not, many fans are worried that the team is in danger of leaving Long Island. "That would be awful," said Robert Maurer, 37, of Hicksville, who grew up during the Islanders' dynasty years. "They've got to get the Lighthouse Project or else I can see them leaving." http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey...,6267342.story
Posts: 22,376

01-17-2009, 01:44 AM	#2
T-post Tom Busy in a Kohl's restroom Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Milk/Honey/Gazland Casino cash: $1767293	Related Story KC has the arena, but no major sports teamBY ANTHONY RIEBER \| [email protected] January 16, 2009 If you built it, will they come? That's what the city of Kansas City is asking about its less than 2-year-old arena, which sits without a functioning professional sports team to call its own. Is that where the Islanders come in? "We're not looking to take anybody's team," said Paul McGannon, head of NHL21, a local group trying to bring a team to Kansas City. "But if for whatever reason things don't work out on the Island, we would gladly accept a four-time Stanley Cup champion." The 18,000-seat Sprint Center opened on Oct. 10, 2007, without an anchor tenant. The only professional sports team that plays there is the Arena Football League's Kansas City Brigade - and that league recently canceled its upcoming season because of the economy. The exhibition game between the Islanders and Los Angeles Kings that was announced yesterday will be the second in arena history. Los Angeles played the St. Louis Blues in front of 11,603 fans last Sept. 22. The inclusion of the Kings in both games is no surprise because the Sprint Center is managed by international sports conglomerate Anschutz Entertainment Group; its CEO, Tim Leiweke, is the president of the Kings and a powerful member of the NHL's Board of Governors. The former Kansas City resident has been a longtime proponent of bringing the NHL to Kansas City. Kansas Citians remember that Leiweke promised in 2004, when the arena project was approved, to have a major-league team "playing here the day you open your doors." Leiweke could not be reached for comment yesterday. The glittering arena has six NHL-ready locker rooms, but for now has to accept being mostly a concert and entertainment venue. Garth Brooks did nine sold-out nights in 2008; Britney Spears brings her "Circus" tour there April 2. The NCAA men's basketball tournament will hold first- and second-round action at the Sprint Center in March. Other than that, the only other scheduled sporting event is professional bull riding. Kansas City once had an NHL team, of course. The Kansas City Scouts played there for two seasons, from 1974-76, before becoming the Colorado Rockies and then the Devils. The city has failed in recent years to lure the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators. The Penguins seriously flirted before an agreement was reached to build a new arena. The Predators got a new lease and new ownership group. "We're tired of being the bridesmaids," McGannon said. "We're serious." It's unclear if the NHL truly wants to tap into this market or is just using the empty new arena as a bargaining ploy to stare down recalcitrant municipalities. And it's unclear if this market is really drooling over the NHL. Kansas Citians care about the Chiefs and college basketball and the Royals, said Kansas City Star sports editor Holly Lawton. Hockey? Not so much. Said Lawton, "I think it's very safe to say there has not been a groundswell of excitement in bringing a hockey team here yet." http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey...,2063735.story __________________ You seem nice!
Posts: 22,376

01-17-2009, 01:45 AM	#3
pr_capone THREEPEAT!!! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NWMO Casino cash: $9948214	The Kansas City Islanders would make no sense at all. [/cross thread quasi-humors]
Posts: 19,897