May 12, 2009

Hamilton officials: If we spend it, Coyotes will come

Apparently even having an owner who's publicly announced he wants to move to your city doesn't absolve you of spending public money to lure him: The CEO of Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, says it would take $85 million in renovations to make the 24-year-old arena "NHL-ready" if the Phoenix Coyotes were to move there. Included would be an upgraded dehumidification system to keep the ice from melting, which makes sense, plus removing the roof and adding 50 to 60 extra luxury suites, which would better be described as "profit-ready."

Of course, it is possible that Hamilton could negotiate for Coyotes owner Jim Balsillie to pay more in rent — out of those added suite sales, perhaps? — to cover the renovation costs, which would be only fair. Not saying it's likely, but this is Canada, after all.

In other Coyotes news, the court overseeing the team's bankruptcy has given the NHL a deadline of today to turn over documents related to a possible sale of the team to a new owner who would keep it in Arizona. One possible buyer: none other than Chicago White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry "Leverage Man" Reinsdorf, who not only got a new baseball stadium out of Chicago by threatening to move to Tampa Bay, but oversaw the Montreal Expos relocation process, and so would be the oddest white knight ever.