Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/12/2010 (3585 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

The clock is ticking on a number of fronts for Winnipeg fans and any of the consequences would potentially change the sporting landscape in our Prairie town.

The most tangible change Winnipeggers could see unfold in the coming days is the announcement of a funding package that will allow a new football stadium to be built. Or not.

On the backburner is our city's bid for an NHL franchise which appears to be shifting its focus from Phoenix and the Coyotes to other troubled franchises. Let's look at the stadium issue first.

Depending on whom one talks to, either a deal could be announced soon or the entire project is on the verge of collapse.

The Blue Bombers and the sitting provincial government, both of whom have their futures tied to the success of this development, have been hinting at an announcement for weeks now.

None has come as there have been a number of sticking points in need of resolution. Last we heard there remained some work to be done but the end was potentially near.

But there remains a strong possibility that if there's no announcement by Friday, and nothing is expected today or Thursday, this deal could crater.

Wrangling

Mayor Sam Katz and Premier Greg Selinger have had their people wrangling over the details for more than a month now and could be on the verge of bailing the Bombers out. That would make this stadium a reality. If they can't come to terms on how to fund what is now believed to be a $200-million project, plans for a new stadium will be tabled and the entire process will start anew.

Any bailout, however, will come at significant cost to the football club and there should be concern about how the team can handle a chunk of debt in the tens of millions.

The Bombers have only recently extricated themselves from debt and most of that was done through cost-cutting measures and forgiveness packages from the municipal and provincial governments.

Now they're going to be on the hook for as much as $60 million. Yes, they'll be moving into a new stadium and there will be new revenue streams. But at the end of the day this is a CFL franchise and that's a big nut to take on.

Bombers chair Bill Watchorn has assured us there's a business plan in place that makes sense and all will be revealed once a new deal is announced.

Watchorn and the board don't have much choice in this matter as they need a new stadium but don't have the money to build one. They are forced to rely on what Katz and Selinger come up with and then make it work.

Now to hockey. It appears the dream of relocating the Coyotes back to Winnipeg will die its official death in a Glendale city council chamber sometime next week.

At least that's what everyone in the know seems to believe. Glendale city council will be asked to sign a lease negotiated on its behalf by city manager Ed Beasley. The deal, as one insider told us Monday, "will blow you away when you see what they're giving (potential owner Matthew) Hulsizer."

Glendale, it appears, is ready to cover losses in exchange for a long-term commitment for Hulsizer.

The NHL still has a number of trouble spots in terms of franchises and already there's talk of the Atlanta Thrashers as a possible candidate for relocation.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly shared the following concerning the Thrashers on Monday.

"I don't think there's anything we've ever said that would be inconsistent with the concept of trying to be successful in the markets we're in over an extended period of time, giving them every opportunity to be successful," Daly said. "In the event they can't succeed, for whatever reason, obviously you look at other alternatives and relocation is another alternative. I didn't mean to suggest anything was imminent in Atlanta. I obviously think that over time you've got to look at the viability of the marketplace."

Holy lawyer-speak. But before you get all sweaty about the Thrashers, there are any number of hurdles that must be cleared before they're even ready for sale.

First and foremost is a nasty lawsuit among the team's ownership group that has been ongoing for five years and will need to be cleared up before the Thrashers are even placed on the market.

There is talk the Thrashers can be had for as little as $125 million and that might entice someone to pick them up and try to make a go of hockey in Atlanta. If and when that fails, relocation would become a consideration but that's a little down the road at this point.

So stay tuned folks. The NHL talk will now move from a roar to a whisper. But the stadium news, whichever way it unfolds, might just give you something to scream about.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca