Senators Chair Rod Bryden said yesterday that he
"hasn't set a firm deadline" for Canada's federal and
provincial governments to "come through" with tax relief,
according to Barre Campbell of the OTTAWA SUN. But Bryden
was "clear" that the team would be put up for sale if
"nothing happens." Bryden said that "recent indications" by
government officials have "given him reason to believe" he
will receive some tax relief to "keep the team" in Ottawa.
Bryden, who added that the province has "indicated it will
move on" a retail sales tax on "major sports venues" in
Ontario: "I'm optimistic that will have a significant effect
on the tax level on the Corel Centre" (OTTAWA SUN, 10/19).
Bryden is also arguing that since the Ottawa Senators
Foundation is sponsoring the team's home games, it makes
them "charitable events and therefore exempt" from the
provincial amusement tax. Bryden, who said that the team
"could save" C$3.5M if the amusement tax was "lifted": "We
may have to defend ourselves in court, in the event that
they interpret it differently" (OTTAWA SUN, 10/19).
