Glendale confirmed Friday that former Sharks President & CEO Greg Jamison is "one of two bidders talking" to the city and the NHL about purchasing the Coyotes, according to Halverstadt & Sanders of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. City officials “would not share details” on the second bidder, but said that "neither bid would have Glendale sell bonds, a lightning-rod that the Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute said amounted to an illegal subsidy." It is still “unclear when a deal could be inked” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/20). ESPN.com's Scott Burnside cited sources as saying that “no formal offer has been made to buy the team.” Ice Edge Holdings CEO Anthony LeBlanc, whose group was "involved in negotiations to buy the Coyotes for the better part of two years," said that he “believes Jamison’s interest is good news for the team.” LeBlanc: “What I’m hearing through reliable sources is that he’s the real deal.” Burnside noted Jamison left the Sharks over a year ago, but is “still listed on the team’s website as part of the ownership group.” He would have to “sever ties” with his former team if he were to become owner of the Coyotes (ESPN.com, 8/19). The GLOBE & MAIL's David Ebner wrote Jamison “may be the most promising suitor to date.” Under Jamison’s leadership, the Sharks have “flourished, on the ice and off, and are considered one of the premier franchises in hockey, especially in non-traditional markets that don’t see snow” (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/20).
