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scamperdog
11-08-2005, 08:48 PM
Cougars and City of Prince George Ink New Agreement
Created: Nov 8, 2005
Prince George, BC- The Prince George Cougars, along with the City of Prince George, are pleased to announce that they have come to terms on a new building agreement at the CN Centre. The agreement, which was approved by City Council last night, is a 3 year term, with a 2 year added option. Both parties are extremely excited to be operating under the new conditions.

“I am thrilled that we have managed to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. We're excited about how well the team is doing this season, and are looking forward to working with the City to ensure many more years of Cougars Hockey at the CN Centre”, states Cougars Business Manager Brandi Brodsky.

On behalf of the City, Mayor Colin Kinsley says he is pleased to see a deal reached that works for both parties and to add his congratulations on the teams’ success this season. We encourage the community to get out to a game and show their support for this very exciting team.

In return for use of the CN Centre, the Cougars will pay the City 12.5% of gross ticket sales up to $1,500,000 and 15% thereafter. The new lease will also provide an opportunity for the two parties to renegotiate the agreement based on gross ticket sales.

The next step is to formalize the terms in a new agreement to be signed by both parties, and to receive final approval from the WHL’s Head Office says Director of Leisure Services, Tom Madden. Madden, says the Cougars are a cornerstone of the CN Centre operations and looks forward to working with the team for many years to come.

Jovorock
11-09-2005, 08:22 AM
Thats good, I really didn't want to see the Cougs move to Edmonton or somewhere else. PG is a great hockey town and all they need besides a new owner is a good product on the ice and the fans will come.

Chipper
11-09-2005, 09:32 AM
It sounds like the Cougers have built in an escape clause just like the ICE have This is the only concern for me. Do you know what the fan base number is? in Cranbrook the magic numer is 2800 averaged atendance all year. Hopefullly this will be a non isue and the suport is already there so you can enjoy Couger hockey for many years to come.

Sput
11-09-2005, 01:41 PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2005


Cougars sign three-year CN Centre lease


by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor

The Prince George Cougars are staying put.
As reported in The Citizen three weeks ago, the Western Hockey League franchise and the City of Prince George have agreed to a three-year lease agreement for CN Centre. Add on a two-year option, and the contract should keep the Cougars here for this season plus four more.

The lease, now official but awaiting signatures from both sides and final approval by the WHL head office in Calgary, takes effect immediately. The city and the Cougars were operating under the terms of the former deal, which expired at the end of July.

"We're really happy with the outcome," said Cougars business manager Brandi Brodsky.

"There are allowances for extra icetime that we can use for things like a skate with the team, or the skills competition -- things that are for the fans."

The Cougars will pay the city 12.5 per cent of gross ticket sales up to $1.5 million, and 15 per cent on revenues above that figure.

As owner Rick Brodsky said during negotiations, the franchise was seeking a clause that would allow a reaction to lower revenues. Once the benchmark for WHL teams in terms of ticket sales, the attendance in Prince George has slumped by nearly 50 per cent -- the product of non-playoff seasons and a sense of dissatisfaction with the management of the team.

Brandi Brodsky didn't furnish the exact figures, but said the Cougars would be eligible to renegotiate the lease if revenues from ticket sales drop below the levels of the past few seasons.

"Should the revenues fall under a certain point, based on gross ticket revenue and not attendance, there would be an opportunity to change things around," said Brandi Brodsky.

"It's a number that's not going to allow us to just jump ship -- it's a well thought-out number, and it's tough to peg something like that on attendance alone because you have different revenues from children or senior tickets. It's not meant to be an easy-out for anyone. This is nothing like the lease the Kootenay Ice have in Cranbrook at all (where attendance figures triggered an opt-out clause in the summer of 2004), and we never felt that lease was a model we wanted to follow."

The Cougars get no money from building concessions, including the new pilot project allowing for beer sales in a downstairs lounge.

"We get no revenues from the concessions, as was the case in the past, but what we do some revenue sharing with (the city) on is with the signage," said Brandi Brodsky.

"Some WHL teams don't get money from their back-lit signs, where we do. Because the beer is a pilot project, how that will be handled in the future is still up for discussion. We're not interested in having beer be available in the general seating area, it's working well in the place it is now -- we've had no problems at all."

Lease negotiations between the Cougars and the city heated up after training camp when Tom Madden, the director of leisure services, became a central figure in talks. Discussions had stalled prior to that point.

"I'm thrilled we have managed to come to a mutually-beneficial agreement," said Brandi Brodsky.

"We're excited about how well the team is doing this season, and are looking forward to working with the city to ensure many more years of Cougars hockey at CN Centre."

Sput
11-09-2005, 01:46 PM
It sounds like the Cougers have built in an escape clause just like the ICE have This is the only concern for me. Do you know what the fan base number is? in Cranbrook the magic numer is 2800 averaged atendance all year. Hopefullly this will be a non isue and the suport is already there so you can enjoy Couger hockey for many years to come.


According to the artical in the paper it isn't a drop dead number strickly bases on season ticket or attendance, but based on gross sales. So taking this year as an example, I have heard the seaosn ticket numbers have dropped from last year, but now with the team doing well the gross ticket sales numbers are climbing, slowly yes, but climbing.

All in all it is good news for PG. There is still, as always, work to do to make the deal work for everyone. Now with some stability in the building, a winner on the ice, and (hopefully) a written commitment that the team IS here to stay, the fans will begin supporting this team. The guys in the ice are doing all they can, it is up to the fans and the management to do the rest.

Chipper
11-09-2005, 01:54 PM
According to the artical in the paper it isn't a drop dead number strickly bases on season ticket or attendance, but based on gross sales. So taking this year as an example, I have heard the seaosn ticket numbers have dropped from last year, but now with the team doing well the gross ticket sales numbers are climbing, slowly yes, but climbing.

All in all it is good news for PG. There is still, as always, work to do to make the deal work for everyone. Now with some stability in the building, a winner on the ice, and (hopefully) a written commitment that the team IS here to stay, the fans will begin supporting this team. The guys in the ice are doing all they can, it is up to the fans and the management to do the rest.
I agree Sput this is a great thing for the Cougers and fans in P.G. This will take the presure off the rumours of Edmonton. I hate those rumours and the people that continualy say them, We always get that in Cranbrook too and no reason for it. Congratulations and have a great year :thumb: .....until we meet again. :burningma

Sput
11-09-2005, 01:59 PM
After the announcement yesterday, Brandi was on the radio talking about the deal and the rumors. All over the news she was saying that they have no intentions of leaving, and that people will walk up to them and tell them that the management is lieing to the public and that they know for a fact the team is leaving. No idea how stupid this makes some people look. I think there are more rumors produced in this town than pulp and 2x4s, and with three pulp mills and 30 some sawmills in the area thats a pretty high number.

Beaner
11-09-2005, 02:07 PM
Hopefully this will put the move rumors to bed, but probably not. The only way those rumors will stop is for them to start filling the arena like in the past. Fortunatley for the Cougs it looks like the finally have their team back on track. A couple good playoff runs will do wonders for them.