Spirit of Manitoba President Cam Osler told Winnipeg City
Council the Spirit of Manitoba will "give up" their quest to keep
the team in Winnipeg if the Jets' majority owners do not extend
the deadline to buy the team to August 31, according to the
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. If the extension is granted, the Spirit will
need a C$1M advance from the city for pre-construction technical
work to keep construction of a new arena on schedule. The city
has pledged C$37M for the new arena (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 8/9).
NAY-SAYERS: At a meeting yesterday between the Winnipeg City
Council and the Spirit of Manitoba, Winnipeg External Auditor Ken
Houssin said there is no guarantee the Spirit can hold down
players' salaries to such a level that the Jets can survive in
Winnipeg. A City Council Committee reported the Spirit may have
to sell the Jets by 2000 if their revenues fall short by 10% per
year and players' salaries escalate at the same rate (Nick
Martin, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 8/9).
FANS CAUTIOUS: Scott Taylor reports fans "aren't beating
down the doors" to buy season tickets for the Jets next season
due to concerns over the movement to keep the team. Jets VP of
Communications Mike O'Hearn: "Our season ticket sales have just
surpassed the 4,000 mark. That's terrible" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS,
8/9).
