Hurricanes Owner Peter Karmanos Jr. on Friday said that it is "possible an investment group of nine to 10 people may collectively buy a 15- to 20-percent stake in the NHL team," according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. Karmanos said that "all of the investors were based locally, although he did not name any of the individuals." Karmanos in February said that he "hoped to have as many as 20 or 30 new partners, each investing $1 million to $3 million." He said Friday, "We won't have quite that many, but the ones we will have will invest closer to the higher number ($3 million) than the lower." He added that he "was not sure when an announcement would be made on ownership -- or if one would be made." Karmanos: "I'm not sure a public announcement is something (the investors) would care to have, to have that publicized. But it's still an ongoing thing for now. We're still trying to get more local people." Karmanos said that he "controls 100 percent of the team after buying the 49-percent share owned by the late Thomas Thewes." He added that "despite the Hurricanes missing the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, the team broke even financially" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 7/16).
