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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

EDMONTON -- The deal to build a new arena for the NHLs Edmonton Oilers rose from the dead Wednesday, but remains a long way from getting back on its feet. Brian Cushing Black Jersey . City councillors voted to resume talks with Oilers billionaire owner Daryl Katz after Katz officials promised to abandon demands for an extra $210 million in direct subsidies from taxpayers. Both sides are still hoping to get a deal in place to put shovels in the ground by April on the $478-million downtown rink. Mayor Stephen Mandel said the two sides still need to resolve the core issue: the Oilers say they need more taxpayer dollars to make a profit on the deal while the city says they dont. "This is all about money," said Mandel. "I think theres a great vision to build a wonderful downtown and create a bunch of new buildings and all kinds of marvellous things. "But lets face it, at the end of the day if they (the Oilers) dont have enough money to pay their bills, its not good for them and its sure not good for the city." The decision was made after John Karvellas, a vice-president and lead negotiator for the Katz Group, and other Katz Group officials made a pitch to council that talks resume. Council had pulled the plug on negotiations on Oct. 17 after Katz refused to budge on his demands for the extra money. He also twice refused councils entreaties to meet with them to make his case on why the extra millions were so critical. Katz was not at council Wednesday. Katz officials also pulled off the table their demand that city hall break its own tendering rules by directing city staffers move into a proposed new Katz office building beside the arena as an anchor tenant. However, they said the Oilers still need extra public money somehow, perhaps some of the extra property tax revenues expected to be generated by the arena. Along with reopening talks, councillors also voted to bring in a mediator. The mediator will in turn appoint a financial analyst to examine the numbers and see if Katz really does need millions of dollars more to make the deal profitable. Karvellas later told reporters that the work is just beginning and that the Katz Group must rebuild trust with councillors and Edmonton hockey fans. During the stalemated talks two months ago, Katz threatened to pull the team out of Edmonton and move it to Seattle. "Trust to me is a little bit like getting your reputation back when you lose it," said Karvellas. "Its not something you do immediately. Its something you earn through a period of time of consistent conduct, and that would be my objective going forward." Karvellas said the Katz Group refused to attend the two earlier meetings at councils request because, with negotiations crumbling, it felt less like an information session and more like "an invitation to a public hanging -- our own." When asked if their appearance Wednesday could be construed as an apology, Karvellas mulled the question for a few seconds, then said: "Thats not an inappropriate characterization." While talks with the Oilers will resume, city council will also proceed with an in-house proposal to build and run the rink itself and keep the profits. A report on that is coming on Jan. 23. Wednesdays decision was another turn in a long and tortured path of negotiations, accusations, and recriminations since the Katz Group and the city struck a deal in October 2011 to build the rink. Under the original deal, city taxpayers and ticket buyers would pay to build the arena, which, with land, borrowing costs and surrounding infrastructure factored in, is now effectively at $700 million and rising. The Oilers would keep all profits from NHL games, trade shows, concerts and other events for 11 months out of the year. The team would also keep naming rights for the building -- worth up to $3 million a year -- along with $2 million a year from the city for a decade for advertising. Concession sales alone are pegged at $20 million a year. In return, the Oilers would pay the city $5.5 million a year for 35 years and pay to operate and run the arena, estimated at $10 million a year. It went off the rails last fall when Katz said hed had a second look at the numbers and needed millions more, including $6 million a year in operating subsidies. Coun. Kerry Diotte voted against reopening talks Wednesday. He said councillors voted on Oct. 17 to end the deal on the grounds there was nothing left to negotiate because the city had given all it was going to give. "Whats the point of reopening negotiations now?" Diotte asked his fellow councillors. "They (the Oilers) are still making demands above and beyond that (October) 2011 deal, and we at the time said, "Forget it, you cant have anything above and beyond that." Coun. Linda Sloan made a motion, which was defeated, that talks shouldnt restart until the Oilers put new promises in writing. "Theres nothing presented here today (by the Oilers) other than public optics," she said. The Oilers are worth about $212 million, good for middle of the pack in the NHL, and the team regularly sells out Rexall Place. But Katz, who bought the team in 2008, has said the franchise is losing money. He has not publicly ruled out moving the team as a last resort. The Oilers are playing at 38-year-old Rexall Place, one of the oldest facilities in the NHL. Kevin Walter Jersey . Stringing together 11 goals and 23 points in the last 21 games – currently in the midst of a four-game point streak in which hes registered nine points – the 28-year-old impending UFA is asserting himself as a rather integral part of a club pushing toward the postseason (currently 8th in the East, 8-4-1 in the New Year). Brian Cushing Pink Jersey . Zbin, 22, just completed his four-year collegiate career with the NCAA Division II Southern Connecticut State University Owls. http://www.texansfansroom.com/brian-cushing-jersey . Coach Mike Munchak announced the decision after practice Monday, saying Lockers time is now in giving the Titans their best chance to win the AFC South. The Titans had let the quarterbacks compete through the off-season with each starting a game each this preseason. J.J. Watt Womens Jersey . Johnson (5-5) pitched six strong innings to help the Miami Marlins win consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month and keep Cliff Lee winless with a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. J.J. Watt Youth Jersey . "(Zobrist)s at bats have gotten better. Theres more force in his swing," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Hes done a great job. Hes been valuable for us." Andy Sonnanstine (12-6) threw his third consecutive quality start, throwing six innings on just two runs and six hits.HAMILTON, Ont. -- The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed defensive back Brock Campbell, defensive end Bruce Davis, defensive tackle Louis Ellis and running back Brandon Rutley, the team announced Sunday. All four players are imports and will be placed on the clubs practice roster. Campbell, a 6-2, 218-pound native of Cherokee, Iowa, had 110 tackles and three interceptions during his four-year collegiate career at South Dakota State. Davis, a 6-3, 250-pound native of Los Angeles was selected by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft afterr finishing his NCAA career at UCLA. J.J. Watt Authentic Jersey. Davis also suited up in the NFL with New England, Denver, San Francisco, Oakland and Cincinnati. Ellis, a 6-2, 320-pound native of Jackson, Miss., spent time with Miami and Carolina in the NFL, after making 129 tackles, 43 tackles for a loss and 16 quarterback sacks in two seasons at Shaw University. Rutley, a 5-11, 192-pound native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., ran for 1,779 yards and 21 touchdowns while catching 70 passes for 668 yards and one touchdown over four seasons at San Jose State. ' ' '

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