The Canucks and Grizzlies will now be operated through Orca
Bay Sports & Entertainment, the organization announced yesterday.
The Orca Bay corporate identity replaces Northwest Entertainment
Group, and will also oversee GM Place (which opened yesterday)
and Winning Spirit retail stores. Orca Bay Chair/CEO Arthur
Griffiths: "With the opening of a new arena which will serve as
home to our Canucks and Grizzlies, we thought it made sense to
mark the new era with a new name and look." Orca Bay Vice Chair
John McCaw, Jr.: "We hope our organization grows to reflect the
strength, unity and loyalty exemplified by the Orca" (Orca Bay).
Orca Bay now holds 100% of the Grizzlies, 100% of GM Place and
87% of the Canucks. Griffiths estimated the assets of the
company at C$400M -- with GM Place worth C$165M (VANCOUVER SUN,,
8/23). Griffiths added that the name was chosen to reflect the
organization's West Coast heritage and that he will remain as
Chair and CEO of the organization. John McCaw, Jr., will remain
as Vice Chair. Other personnel: John Chapple was named
President and CEO, and Michael Korenberg as Deputy Chair and
General Counsel (Vancouver PROVINCE, 8/23).
