Leafs Chair Steve Stavro and Raptors VP Isiah Thomas
have agreed to a deal for a joint arena at Union Station,
which "may pave the way" for the Raptors to play next season
at Maple Leaf Gardens, sources tell Damien Cox of the
TORONTO STAR. A formal announcement of the deal is
"expected" next week, with construction beginning in the
fall and an opening set for September '99. Cox notes the
deal is "only valid if Thomas can go back and hammer out the
final details of his agreement to purchase majority control
of the basketball franchise from Allan Slaight, make sure
all of his financial backers are in line and get NBA
commissioner David Stern's approval" (TORONTO STAR, 5/15).
AT THE CONTROLS? In Toronto, James Christie writes that
Air Canada, which has a $45M naming-rights package with the
Raptors for the Air Canada Centre, "doesn't sit at the
negotiating table, but may be sitting at the controls,
driving the deal." Thomas, on Air Canada's role in the
talks with Stavro: "They're not only being acknowledged, but
they will have a loud say in whatever takes place. ... If
they're not 100-percent satisfied and on board, then this
thing will not move" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/15).
