By Dominic Abassi

WHL, City of Nanaimo silent on details after renewed promise of team

Mar 8, 2017 | 3:46 PM

NANAIMO — The Western Hockey League (WHL) is revealing very little information behind a promise to deliver a team to Nanaimo, should the events centre referendum pass.

On Tuesday, the WHL issued a statement from commissioner Ron Robison stating “should the City approve the construction of a new events centre facility which meets WHL standards, a WHL franchise will enter into a 20-year lease and begin operating out of the Frank Crane Arena next season.”

The statement said the promise is contained in the terms of a “memorandum of understanding (MOU) entered into between the WHL and the City of Nanaimo.” It continued to state the team ownership will be “of the highest caliber” and include local investment.

However, when pressed for details, WHL senior manager of communications Corey St. Laurent declined to elaborate on some of the new claims made in their statement, including what a standard 20-year lease would look like and what stake local ownership would have in the club. He confirmed an MOU has been signed with the City.

While Tuesday’s release is the most clear statement to date a team will be delivered to Nanaimo, it is similar to a comment credited to Robison, sent to NanaimoNewsNOW, in late 2016. At the time, the commissioner said “The WHL remains very interested in the City of Nanaimo…should the City of Nanaimo approve the construction of a new facility which meets WHL standards, the WHL will seek the necessary approvals to deliver a WHL team either through relocation of an existing franchise or expansion.”

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The City is adamant the $80 million project will not move ahead without a WHL team to serve as an anchor tenant and their business model is based on it.

Coun. Bill Bestwick told the Nanaimo News Bulletin in February it was a “100 per cent” certainty Nanaimo would get a franchise if borrowing for the events centre was approved.

During a council meeting in December 2016, Coun. Jerry Hong said “If we don’t get a WHL team, I’m not interested in building this. We need an anchor tenant.”

The City of Nanaimo did not respond to requests for comment on details of the MOU with the WHL and what the lease agreement framework would look like.

On Saturday, Nanaimo residents will vote on whether they approve the City borrowing $80 million to build the multi-use venue at 1 Port Drive.

dominic.abassi@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @domabassi