The "race for the Hartford Whalers is on and it
promises to be lively," according to David Shoalts of the
Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. Separate NHL sources "insist" that
Minnesota and Columbus "have a lock on becoming the team's
home." One source said that a move to Columbus was a "done
deal," with the Whalers playing at the 8,000-seat arena of
the ECHL Columbus Chill for one season and moving into a new
arena at OSU in '98 (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 3/27). Chill
President David Paitson: "They won't come here. It doesn't
take much to see that there is no place for them to play."
The COLUMBUS DISPATCH's John Futty: "Those in central Ohio
who have been trying to bring a professional hockey team to
Columbus aren't showing much interest in the Whalers"
(COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 3/27). Fox Sports Net reported that
sources said the team would play one season in Cincinnati
before moving to Columbus (FSN, 3/26). Karmanos "has
personal ties to Columbus," as his wife is from the area,
and his computer software company, Compuware, has offices in
the city (David Heuschkel, HARTFORD COURANT, 3/27). In St.
Paul, Mayor Norm Coleman "clearly was energized" by the
news, according to Kevin Duchschere of the Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE. Coleman said he "plans to talk to Karmanos before
the end of the week." The state legislature still "must
pledge to finance" $51M in Civic Center renovations and city
officials "must convince" Karmanos and the league that the
area will support an NHL team (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE,
3/27). In Houston, Aeros Owner Chuck Watson said the
Whalers news "will not impact the effort of Watson and
partner Bob McNair to bring an NHL expansion team to
Houston" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/27). Nashville's NHL-bid
majority investor Craig Leipold: "There is not interest in
the Whalers" (TENNESSEAN, 3/27). Shannon Hunt, a
spokesperson for Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, said they
"are very focused on the expansion opportunity. The Whalers
aren't even on our radar screen." Richard Sandomir adds the
Whalers put "expansion hopefuls on the spot: do they see the
expansion process through? ... Or grab now for the Whalers
and their sad sack, losing past?" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/27).
