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“The thing I enjoy the most at this stage of the game is watching the games. When you own a sports team, you’re the ultimate fan, the No. 1 fan, because so much is riding on the team’s success. My skin in the game as far as being a fan is concerned isn’t going to change one bit. I’m still going to live and die with the wins and losses.”

“We’re happy for Jeff,” said Goudie. “His ideas and entrepreneurial spirit were valuable assets during our startup phase.”

While it’s been a great ride for the 53-year-old Hunt, the job had probably become too much like a job.

“I’ve always said the person that builds a business is not the same person that runs it once it’s built,” said Hunt. “I believe that’s true. The fun for me was these last 10 years evolving Lansdowne and the first years of the team. I’m not saying it’s not exciting anymore, but that feeling of building something is somewhat behind us now.

“There are still some challenges with the 67’s and Fury to get to a better place from an attendance perspective, but I can see we’re on the road to doing that. Yeah, I guess I would have to admit it’s not as much fun for me at this stage. I’m looking forward to another challenge.

Hunt started a carpet cleaning business, franchised it, then sold it for $5 million. At age 32, in 1998, he bought the 67’s for $2.5 million. It’s those business roots that have Hunt eager to try something new.

“I’m looking to do other things — build other things, build other businesses,” said Hunt. “There’s certainly something very specific I’m pursuing that I’m excited about, but it’s too soon to talk about it yet. It could be a neat thing for myself and for Ottawa. Stay tuned on that one. It may or may not come to fruition. If that one doesn’t happen, there will be others.

“That’s what I had the most fun doing in my life — whether it was building my original business or building the 67’s or building everything to do with TD Place and Lansdowne and the Redblacks. Now, I want to build something else. What that something else will be will be determined.”

With a rumour floating around that Hunt would be part of an ownership group buying the Ottawa Senators from Eugene Melnyk, Hunt laughed and said: “No. Absolutely not.”