The fate of the NHL Oilers now rests with Edmonton's
City Council "after Edmonton Northlands approved a deal last
night to give the team rent" for $1, according to Johnson &
Findlay of the EDMONTON SUN. The Northlands board passed a
motion to let the Oilers play in the Coliseum for $1 a year,
"provided city council agrees to hand over C$2.4M a year to
help cover an expected C$4.8M deficit." The motion was
seconded by Mayor Bill Smith, and goes to a Council vote
tomorrow. Under the current deal, the Oilers paid C$2.8M
for rent, using money collected by the city through a ticket
tax. Local investors who've bid to keep the team want to
rent the facility for $1 a year, "yet still keep most of the
ticket tax and game concession" revenues. In return, the
local group would give Coliseum management to Northlands for
all non-Oilers events. Northlands says the deal would result
in a C$4.8M a year operating deficit, of which "it is
willing to pay half" if the city pays the rest. Smith said
that the council vote "should be a no-brainer," but Johnson
& Findlay write that the council must "consider the flood of
calls that have come into City Hall" recently, the "majority
of which have been opposed" to the city using taxpayer money
to help the team (EDMONTON SUN, 4/23). Team and Northlands
officials say the assistance "isn't for the team but for
Northlands," a non-profit organization which oversees the
Coliseum. Councilmember Brian Mason, however, called such
aid "money straight for the team" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 4/23).
In Edmonton, Donna Marie Artuso writes under the header,
"Miffed Council Will Back Oilers Deal" (SUN, 4/23). Also in
Edmonton, Scott Haskins writes, "I want to know who votes
no. I want to know who should receive a standing boo the
next time they set foot in the Coliseum" (EDM. SUN, 4/23).
