Dallas investor Thomas Hicks, who signed an agreement on
Sunday to buy the Stars for $84M, said it is now time to get to
work on building a new arena that the team will share with the
Mavericks, according to this morning's DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
Hicks: "It's very important for Dallas to have an arena
downtown. Don Carter and I will be able to work very well as
partners in the new arena." Dallas City Manager John Ware said
the Stars' sale could get Carter, Hicks and city officials back
in negotiations by January (Richard Alm, DALLAS MORNING NEWS,
12/12).
LOCKOUTS HURT EVERYONE: In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw writes if
it were not for last year's three-month NHL lockout, Norm Green
would "almost certainly" still be the owner of the Stars.
Cowlishaw notes that the absence of revenues during that time
stretched Green's debts in Alberta to the point that he had to
sell the team to cover his debts (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/12).
THE SKINNY ON HICKS: Columnist Kevin Blackistone writes
Hicks bought the team as an investment, not because he wants to
get involved in the day-to-day operations of a sports team like
other professional owners. Blackistone: "He's not a general
manager. He's not a coach. He's never even played the game.
Hallelujah" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/12). In L.A., Helene
Elliott questions Hicks' agreement to keep Green on as a
consultant. Elliott notes that Green "overextended" himself by
over $40M to a Canadian bank, owes another $20M to the NHL and
former business partners, alienated fans in Minnesota, and signed
a lease at Reunion Arena that he "promptly whined about" (L.A.
TIMES, 12/12).
CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE: In Toronto, David Shoalts notes NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman "will be taking some bows" at the Board
of Governors meeting for controlling the talks that led to the
Stars' sale (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/12).
