Any news?

[HAF]

Welcome aboard Freebird32. It's good to see more Ams posters showing up over here. If you have any questions or comments just let me know.

[Chipper]

Looking at this logically, I would think that the board has already decided and made a decision when they voted 11-9. If they go ahead and move that would open the door for lawsuits. Now does Robison really want another franchise added to the league? He has already stated many times no. He likes the way the format is now. So with that all said it would be logical for Porter to come crawling back to the town and suck up to the locals. Do I want this to happen? HECK NO!!!!! I want the group of 14 to buy the team. I have already pledged to them $2000.00 Porter is going to have to sell the team in the long run. No way can he make any money from the loyal fans for what he has done. Perhaps that is his plan. Trying it one more year and showing the Board that he is losing money and can not keep his team in TRI and applying for the move again next year with more ammunition. Now if he wants to be a nice guy then he sells the team to the group, if he wants to make money then he needs to take the Edmonton offer, and if he wants to be a jerk, then he keeps the franchise here and runs it in the ground to get what he really wants and thats a move to Chilliwack. Hmmmm what would you do if you were in his shoes??? Logical solution.... sell to the highest bidder and push for a expansion team that he can have in Chilliwack.

I believe when Ed was giving the interview he was saying that obviousy the Ams market was not worth 4 milion so thats why the expansion option was a posibility for the group looking to buy the franchise. They could posibly do it this way and take a year off and start the 2007 season as an expansion, while the curent owners would either move to Chiliwack or be sold to the Oilers for 4 million and they would be able to control there own interests, but it all has to be done before the Bantom draft on May 4 i think? If there will be an expansion so they could get there first draft picks and there management team together that would only give them a couple of weeks to prepare if thats the way the league wants to go.

[Freebird32]

That makes perfect sense to me now. Thanks for that explanation Chipper. That would be the reason the Tri-cities would get the expansion team... I do think that time is too short though. This was posted in the local news..

The Americans situation remains status quo---KNDU spoke with team co-owner and president Darryl Porter today, who told us that the ownership group and the Western Hockey League continue to work on a number of options to satisfy all sides and that hopefully something could be on the table for the league's board of governors next week.

Although he didn't want to get too specific about possibilites, Porter does say the four million dollar offer to sell the team to the Edmonton Oilers remains on the table and that even coming back to run the team here hasn't totally been ruled out, although he admits that's a long shot.

And so we wait.

[Brad]

I am confused by the starting in 2007 date. That would be two seasons (2005-06, 2006-07) off. If they were going to draft this May, wouldn't they slate them to start play in 06-07? It seems one of the two franchises would be really crippled at the bantam draft. Whomever Darrell May and the scouting staff goes with would be fine, but the other team would only have about a week to prep for the draft.

[Chipper]

I am confused by the starting in 2007 date. That would be two seasons (2005-06, 2006-07) off. If they were going to draft this May, wouldn't they slate them to start play in 06-07? It seems one of the two franchises would be really crippled at the bantam draft. Whomever Darrell May and the scouting staff goes with would be fine, but the other team would only have about a week to prep for the draft.

Yes thats what I mean when I say 2007 season I maybe should have said 2006-2007 season but I usualy go it by the year that you finish playing in and not looking at the begining of the season my mistake.

[Ams Hockey Fan]

Whatever they decide to do, I hope they decide quickly as I am sick of the drama! I would rather see our AMS stay here and let Porter get the expansion team if that's what they want. Personally I think he shouldn't be an owner in the WHL as he has shown he isn't trustworthy!

[AMS Faithful]

WHL’s governors to re-examine Americans move to Chilliwack



A number of scenarios will be presented Monday in a telephone conference


BY STEPHEN SNELGROVE VANCOUVER SUN



WHL I The future of the Tri-City Americans franchise and its potential relocation to Chilliwack will be re-examined by the Western Hockey League on Monday.
The league’s governors have been summoned to participate in a 9 a.m. conference call, at which time commissioner Rob Robison will set out a number of scenarios for the future of the franchise. The governors are expected to vote on one of those scenarios Monday.
“I will be making a report to the governors based on the decision to deny the application for relocation. We’ll be looking at that matter as well as our overall strategic plan for the long term,” said Robison.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in discussions with the City of Kennewick, potential local investors and the current ownership group. We have some options to discuss with the governors and we’ll look at those options and see what is best for the league long term.”
The league’s board of governors gathered in Calgary on March 31 for an emotional six-hour meeting to discuss the Americans’ initial application to relocate. The board voted 11 to nine in favour of the move, but 14 votes, three-quarters of the governors, were needed for Tri-City to move forward with the plans.
The other four U.S.-based franchises, as well as Brandon, Saskatoon, Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Prince George, voted against the move at that time.
The American-based teams were concerned the move would significantly affect the integrity of the league’s U.S. division and hurt the remaining teams financially due to the loss of a key rival.
Considerable discussions have taken place behind the scenes since that date, led by chairman of the board Ed Chynoweth, to try to find a workable solution for the Tri-City ownership group.
Darryl Porter, spokesman for the Tri-City ownership group that also includes former Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke and New York Rangers GM Glen Sather, said Friday he wants to remain in the WHL, but doesn’t believe that’s possible in Tri-City.
“We’ve been very clear that we want to remain in the league,” he said. “The issue is that we don’t think that we can go back to Tri-City as an ownership group, that’s clear. Two weeks ago our options were to either go back or sell the team, and we don't really want to do that.”
Porter said he appreciates the governors’ willingness to re-open discussions.
“There is lots being discussed about the future of hockey in Tri-City and also the future of our group in the Western Hockey League,” he said. “I just think at this point it’s best to leave it at that and let things sort themselves out on Monday.”
Porter said his group would like the league to allow them to move the franchise to Chilliwack as originally planned, but that it’s prepared to live with whatever should be decided on Monday.
“There have been a whole lot of options considered and discussed over the last two or three weeks and now it’s time to take them to the governors to see what way the league would like to go,” said Porter. “We are just hopeful. There are two or three good options in front of us and any one of them would be fine.”
One of those options, which has been on the table for some time, would see Porter’s group sell the team to a local ownership group. The group is willing to buy the Americans, but not for $5 million, the going rate for a WHL franchise.
The problem is the Americans franchise is worth a lot more money located somewhere else than it is in Tri-City. The Edmonton Oilers, for example, are prepared to pay up to $5 million for a team that would share Rexall Place with the NHL team.
With high demand for franchises in markets such as Edmonton, Chilliwack and perhaps even Victoria, the league may have to reconsider its stance on expansion.
Recent expansion franchises in Everett and Vancouver have been highly successful and that has some people wondering if further expansion may be the answer, allowing Porter’s group to run the new entity in Chilliwack while the league explores ownership options in Tri-City.
“That;s all part of where do we ultimately want to be long term,” said Robison.
“We have a tremendous amount of interest in our franchises. It’s no secret that Edmonton, Chilliwack and some other locations have indicated a strong interest. That’s what we are taking into account, not so much the Tri-City situation, but where we want to be long term. We’re not ruling out expansion, but it’s certainly not something that we envision unless we necessarily have to.”

[Beaner]

This situation is worse than a badly written soap opera.

If they are not going to move The Ams, then I guess the only thing that can happen to make this work is....

1) Porter sells Ams to mystery Local Group of 14 - for less than Porter wanted.

2) Tri -city New ownership pays the Expansion Fee 2M? for an expansion club in Chilliwack that is given to Porter - Start 06/07 ? Maybe Porter gets an Extra 1M for himself and his Partners? Total cost to Local Ownership group for Ams 3M?

3) Big Ed says enough and moves the ICE to the Central Divison for the 06/07 Season.

[Stay-Puft]

It looks to me that Porter and his buddy, ex-AMS owner Toigo, finally cried enough for at least looking at the "re-examination". Toigo has a :burningma for this area since he was the governor. At least Porter has realized not to say too much, like he had for the last month and a half, because word gets around fast. What really iritates me about the whole situation is Porter will not say one word to media in this area and seems to be doing Burke's every bidding. At least Bob Tory has spoken up on the local talk radio show to give some insight when this all went down the last time. Porter wouldn't even come down for the AMS last home game, but did make the trip to Seattle (We win when he doesn't show and lose when he does. Go figure.) He didn't even have the "manhood" to say "thank you" or give his appreciation to the audience at the awards banquet for their support of "his" team throughout the year.

I hope they tell the two-headed couple (Porter and Burke) to sell outright to the local ownership group and not give them an option at a expansion franchise. Porter has already shown his ability to go back on his word twice ("We will keep the franchise in Tri-Cities for at least four years" and "I will set up residency in the Tri-Cities" Sorry, an apartment doesn't count). As someone who runs a business, there is no doubt that your word is everything, no matter what line of work you are in.

If I am wrong on this please let me know, but didn't the Kootenay Ice move from Edmonton because the city could not support NHL, AHL, and WHL?

[AMS Faithful]

Board to reconsider Ams' relocation
This story was published Saturday, April 16th, 2005

By Annie Fowler, Herald staff writer

The future of the Tri-City Americans is up for discussion once again.

Western Hockey League Commissioner Ron Robison has set a conference call for the league's Board of Governors on Monday morning to revisit the Americans owners' desire to move the franchise to Chilliwack, British Columbia.

"What we are doing is providing a status report on how we best go forward and meet our objectives long term," Robison said Friday night. "We are trying to find a solution that is best for the league, the current ownership group and the Tri-City community. I've had discussions with the current owners, the local interest group in the Tri-Cities, the city of Kennewick, and all those involved. It's a complex issue, but one we need to get resolved as quickly as possible."

The Americans ownership group -- which includes Darryl Porter, former Vancouver Canucks General Manager Brian Burke, New York Rangers General Manager Glen Sather and Tri-City General Manager Bob Tory -- applied to the WHL for relocation last month, but its application was denied March 31 after more than six hours of deliberations in Calgary, Alberta.

The Tri-City owners needed two-thirds, or 14, of the governors to vote in their favor. They received 11. Voting against the move were representatives from fellow U.S. Division teams Spokane, Portland, Seattle and Everett, along with Brandon, Medicine Hat, Prince George, Red Deer and Saskatoon.

Robison said he could not say with certainty that there would be another vote by the Board of Governors.

"If it were to be considered É the matter is broader than that," Robison said. "I think we left the meeting (in March) with a decision, but we wanted to update the governors with more information.

"We are looking at how to go forward in the Tri-Cities. If we are going to have hockey in the Tri-Cities, it will have to be with true local investors. That is the primary focus for discussions on Monday. The league has to look at what meets the needs of the rest of the members."

Porter did not return calls Friday night, but he told the Vancouver Sun on Friday afternoon, "We've been very clear that we want to remain in the league. The issue is that we don't think that we can go back to Tri-Cities as an ownership group, that's clear. Two weeks ago our options were to either go back or sell the team, and we don't really want to do that.

"I appreciate the fact that the governors are open to discussing it. There is lots being discussed about the future of hockey in Tri-Cities and also the future of our group in the Western Hockey League," Porter continued. "I just think at this point it's best to leave it at that and let things sort themselves out on Monday."

While Porter and his partners are not looking to sell the team, there is a local interest group willing to step forward to work with or purchase the Americans but not at the going rate for a WHL franchise, which is reported to be $5 million.

The Edmonton Oilers, who would like to own a WHL team, set the bar high in hopes of enticing any owner in the league to sell.

With high demand for franchises in markets like Edmonton, Chilliwack and perhaps even Victoria, the league may have to reconsider its stance on expansion.

Seattle businessman Chris Collins has made it known he is interested in helping keep the Americans in the Tri-Cities, and he has notified Robison and the Board of Governors of his intentions.

"I have put together a solid offer and was willing to sit down and do what I could from sharpening skates to contributing seven figures," Collins said. "I hope whatever they do is best for the community of the Tri-Cities. The rest is a bunch of politics and games."

Several prominent Tri-City businessmen, including Kennewick attorney Diehl Rettig, also have lent their support to keeping the Americans in the Tri-Cities, where they have been since Ron Dixon moved the franchise from New Westminster, British Columbia, to Kennewick in 1988.

Rettig's ties to the team go back before Dixon built the coliseum and moved the team to Kennewick.

"I represented Ron Dixon and worked with the city on contracts and bringing the team here," Rettig said. "I worked with Dr. (Gerald) Berges to work with people to get 2,500 signatures to buy season tickets to bring the team here. The team is what brought the ice here in the first place. It just isn't the team; it's the professionals that it breeds. It's a way of life to a lot of people and a lot of youth who are committed to the sport."

Another possible investor is former Ams star Stu Barnes, now a forward for the Dallas Stars.

"There is no question, this team is dear to my heart," said Barnes, who has been helping coach his daughter Riley's soccer team since the NHL lockout has kept him off the ice. "I just want to help in any way I can."