New lease announced today

[Stay-Puft]

To anybody that gets the Americans e-mails, the big news was a lease agreement has been signed. Sounded to me like it was about a 10-year deal. Apparently there was no other details announced.

[AMS Faithful]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 31, 2005 3:30 PM PDT


AMERICANS AGREE TO 10-YEAR LEASE


Kennewick, WA – Tri-City Americans today are pleased to announce they have reached agreement with the Kennewick Public Facilities District and Compass Management Group on a 10-year lease agreement that will keep the hockey club in the Three Rivers Coliseum.



“It’s a great honor and a great pleasure to announce today a 10-year agreement for the Tri-City Americans to play in the Three Rivers Coliseum,” said Tom Cornwall, interim director of the Three Rivers Coliseum and the Three Rivers Convention Center for Compass Management Group.



“It’s an exciting time for all of us,” said Americans vice-president/general manager Bob Tory. “A lot has happened in a very short period of time. This took a lot of work and a lot of cooperation and people pulling together in the right direction instead of pulling apart. We were all able to think outside of the box, be creative and in being able to not only put together a lease, but a long term lease that’s going to ensure the future of this hockey club.”



“You talk to anyone in this business and the most important single issue with the hockey team to have is a quality lease,” continued Tory. “That’s what we feel we have today not only so that we can be fiscally responsible and move forward as a business but also so that our fans can enjoy the benefits of what we hope will become a first class facility again as it once was.”



“It was a pleasure to work with the PFD on this agreement and we’re looking forward to many years ahead,” said Americans co-owner Stu Barnes. “We look forward to helping make this place not only a place that people can enjoy a hockey game, but a good night out and a good experience. Our goal at the beginning was to keep the team here long term and by doing a lease like this we certainly taken a giant step in that direction.”



“We talked about establishing a long term relationship when we took over this team and it was important that we get the lease for this building but try and improve the facility and re-establish that great relationship with the City and with the management group,” said Americans co-owner Olaf Kolzig. “This will not only give a better facility to the fans and the players but will create a super tandem between the organization and the City. We are really looking forward to this relationship.”



“Every meeting that we’ve had with Compass and the Public Facilities District board we’ve made miles of progress along the way,” added Americans co-owner Dennis Loman. “I think our discussions from the improvements to the facility to the structure of the lease was very collaborative and really solidified the working relationship that we all can be proud of. We’re here to stay and here to play for the next 10 years.”