THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701150440
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: THE NHL IN HAMPTON ROADS
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: 68 lines
Hartford Whalers owner Peter Karmanos Jr. told the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press Tuesday night he was so impressed with the Hampton Roads' presentation that he would consider moving his team to Norfolk.
Karmanos' lease in Hartford expires following the 1997-98 season. The Whalers, who have demanded a new arena in Hartford, are expected to move to another city.
Karmanos told the Minnesota newspaper that St. Paul remains his first relocation choice, but that Hampton Roads is on his short list. Columbus, Ohio, also has been mentioned as a strong candidate to land the Whalers.
Eleven applicants from nine cities made formal presentations to the NHL's executive committee Monday and Tuesday, including Charlotte businessman George Shinn, who is seeking a franchise for Hampton Roads.
If Karmanos were to pursue a move to Hampton Roads, it is unclear whether he would consider selling the team to Shinn or trying to cut his own deal with the region.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the league's executive committee will reconvene in mid-February, probably in the South Florida area, to begin making decisions on expansion.
Bettman said franchises would cost at least $75 million and that ``there's likely to be some expansion,'' but wouldn't commit to a number of teams or when an expansion decision will be made.
The NHL is expected to expand by two or four teams by 2000.
EXPANSION VISITS: Hampton Roads and other expansion candidates may get visits from NHL officials in the next few weeks, said an official with Raleigh's effort.
Carl Scheer, general manager of the Charlotte Checkers minor league hockey team and the prime consultant for the Raleigh effort, said NHL officials told him the league's executive committee might visit expansion cities this month.
``I think they will come down to visit with us in the next couple of weeks,'' said Scheer, whose group is having trouble coming to terms on an arena deal. ``That means we've got a couple of weeks to get the (arena) deal done. Quite frankly, I know Mr. Bettman. It's the guys who put the arena deal together who get an early shot. He's been pretty consistent about that.''
Bettman was consistent on that point again Tuesday night in a press conference in New York: ``Before we have an expansion team playing, we want to know that there is an appropriate, new, modern facility we can be assured of.''
Shinn has a deal for a $143 million, 20,000-seat arena in downtown Norfolk, but funding must be approved by 15 localities, the state and the Hampton Roads Sports Facility Authority.
OTHER PRESENTATIONS: A city-by-city look at the four presentations from groups outside Hampton Roads Tuesday:
Raleigh: Probably the least-impressive presentation of the day because of the lack of an arena deal. Felix Sabates, the Charlotte businessman who would head the ownership group, said he told the owners: `` `We're working on it.' We're the largest television market in the country without a major sports team. There were no questions about the market. Most of the questions were about the arena.''
Oklahoma City: Probably the weakest presentation of the day from the smallest and poorest of the eight U.S. applicants. Nonetheless, officials said their plans for a 20,000-seat arena sets them apart. Said Oklahoma City Mayor Ronald J. Norick: ``We got good vibes.''
Nashville: Craig Leipold, who heads the group that would own a Nashville franchise, didn't mince words. ``We had a kick-ass presentation,'' he said.
Atlanta: Another strong presentation from a group expected to finish first among applicants. The ownership group is headed by Ted Turner, a media mogul and owner of the Atlanta Braves and Hawks. MEMO: Staff writer Lewis Krauskopf contributed to this story.