Legal opinion challenges Abbotsford's agreement with Heat
It seems that there is an element in Abbotsford that is trying to overturn the agreement between the city and the team.
Quote:
Abbotsford council hopeful Vince Dimanno released a legal letter of opinion Thursday stating the deal between the Abbotsford Heat AHL team and the city is illegal.
Andrew Rebane, the attorney from Yearwood & Company who reviewed the contract, said the city should have brought the issue up with citizens through a referendum before signing into an agreement.
"It's our view that the City of Abbotsford did not have the power to enter into that contract because they failed to put the contract to the electors for approval," Rebane told the Abbotsford-Mission Times.
In addition to the legal review, more figures about the subsidy to the team were thrown out. One camp says that the team got $700k the first year and $1.4 million the next. The other side came back with $451k and $1.3 million.
Interesting to see some of the locals challenging the deal. Don't know if this will gain traction or not. It is only legal opinion at this point.
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Well we all know that the heat are only in abbotsford because of the city subsidy. Take that away and you will see the team run away likely as soon as possible. I would see the WHL moving in soon after and would supply chilliwack and abbotsford with a team.
Interesting indeed! Then again, I am not a lawyer, so I don't have any feel for whether this group has any chance of making progress on the issue - plus, we've seen that if the courts get involved, it takes the issue MUCH longer to reach true resolution. But it'll definitely be something to keep an eye on.
Hmmmm.......gee, can't say I didn't see this one coming. If you recall when this whole idea of the subsity came up, I said it wouldn't take long for the people to scream foul.
Well, I have a feeling the AHL might have been hoping to have made it into Victoria last year to have a team near Abbotsford. (or somewhere in the Western Canada or USA).
Team still hasn't been doing that well in terms of attendance, even though their greatest competitor last season (Chilliwack Bruins) took up and moved to Victoria over the past summer. They're up about 120 fans per game this summer - for comparison, Chilliwack was averaging 3400 fans in the WHL last year. This year, they have a BCHL team getting about 2000 fans a game. Somewhere, 1400 fans in the Fraser Valley have gone missing...
This is the year for the Heat to finally break through if they wanted to, so far, it is apparent that that is not the case..
The way I see it, the agreement is done with, and we should be all be glad to have more pro hockey in BC. If I can drive almost an hour to several games each season, then I don't see why people in Abbotsford can't support their own team.
The mayor is saying the agreement with the Heat is bad for the city...
Quote:
Abbotsford's new mayor Bruce Banman would not have signed the deal to bring the American Hockey League to the Fraser Valley city in 2009, he said this week. But, he added, "Hindsight is 20/20."
The agreement states that the local ownership group is guaranteed $5.7 million in revenue and the city - at the cost of the taxpayer - must subsidize the franchise for any financial shortfalls.
However, Banman was quick to point out the financial disaster that would likely occur if the Heat were to be somehow moved out of the city, which would leave the $85-million Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre without a major tenant.
So get another team perhaps? What about Juniors? I'm sure that stuff sells like hot cakes in that country,
abbotsford is so far out of the way from vancouver even though they aren't. there is no transit that goes out there. people from langley who would like to catch a game can't. if public transit arrived it would sure be a lot better
abbotsford is so far out of the way from vancouver even though they aren't. there is no transit that goes out there. people from langley who would like to catch a game can't. if public transit arrived it would sure be a lot better
^^This. I would like to go out to Abby for one of their Loonie, Toonie, Dog and Brew nights ($1 hot dogs, $2 beers), but the only way to get home is to drive.
I would like to go out to Abby for one of their Loonie, Toonie, Dog and Brew nights ($1 hot dogs, $2 beers), but the only way to get home is to drive.
