The Jets and Spirit of Manitoba are going to court over "who
has the right to interest from a C$10M deposit the team's owners
received during the aborted effort to buy the Jets," according to
this morning's WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. Paul Samyn reports "the
question of who is responsible for the failure of the Jets'
rescue plan" -- Spirit or Jets President Barry Shenkarow -- "is
at the heart of the controversy." The team's majority owners are
asking a judge to rule on "what they contend is a straightforward
agreement on who would get the deposit if Spirit was unable to
fulfil its end of the bargain." To back up their claim,
ownership has an affidavit from Shenkarow and press clippings
"quoting Spirit officials saying they pulled the plug on the
effort to purchase [the Jets] because of an inability to raise
enough money." Spirit, however, claims Shenkarow "breached the
agreement because he failed to fulfill his obligation to obtain
NHL approval." Interest on the loan is reportedly C$233,000
(WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 10/18). In Minneapolis, after Monday's
claim by City Council President Jackie Cherryhomes that she was
looking to the state for financial support to atrract the Jets,
Cyndy Brucato, spokesperson for MN Gov. Arne Carlson, said
Carlson sees no support coming from the Legiskature (Minneapolis
STAR-TRIBUNE, 10/18).
