Hope springs eternal!

I still have my Hamilton Predators down payment receipt. I was ready to stand in line all night to get my Hamilton Coyotes seasons tickets. Sound like an NHL fan, a Hamilton booster and  idiotic optimist? You got me for it's a blend of all three.
Tomorrow we learn more about six proposals from outside interests who want to get their hands on some civic property namely, Hamilton Place, the Convention Centre and Copps Coliseum. Of course this is good news for all taxpayers since we won't be on the hook down the road for tax subsidies HECFI  lived on since day one of it's inception. One wonders what these suitors actually want to do with these three excellent properties? Well we know the three local bidders only want what works for them. Carmen's Group for example is only interested in the Convention Centre and Sonic Unyon is only after Hamilton Place. The three big boys, all multinationals who would run all three facilities range in ascending order from GlobalSpectrum/Live Nation owned by Comcast Spectacor who happen to own the Philadelphia Flyers to SMG/Forum Equity who manage 77 arenas including the homes of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders, to the biggest of them all AEG Facilities/Katz Group owners and operators over a hundred stadiums and arenas around the world plus the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, LA Galaxy home to David Beckham and Robbie Keane plus running the Staples Centre home to the Lakers and Clippers. Trust me when I say whenever the NHL plays games in Europe to open the NHL season it's playing games in AEG operated facilities and Philip Anschutz the world's 124th richest man at 7 billion is one of the most powerful figures within the NHL. In other words if Phil sends a message via twitter or pigeon to New York Gary Bettman is listening. And so what to make of the interest of these three international groups. Are they here to manage the building for the Bulldogs? Do you think they're hear to host a Star Trek convention? Maybe they want the Moody Blues to play three straight nights instead of two, do you think? Or do you think the three biggest players in arena and stadium management believe it's only a matter of time before the NHL succumbs to it's losses in the desert and moves the struggling, gasping, buried in debt Phoenix Coyotes to a friendlier venue and more supportive city not to mention supportive hockey nation.
We know from all the studies done over the past decade including last weeks study by the Conference Board of Canada that Southern Ontario is ready for a second National Hockey League team. Only one city has a building (yes it needs to be renovated and upgraded but it has a downtown footprint doesn't it) in operation that could handle an immediate transfer in a hockey mad country. Sure we all know the Sprint Centre managed by AEG is NHL worthy but it is not exactly located in a hockey mad location. Remember the Scouts failed in Kansas City in a previous incarnation. Nope there are two hockey mad markets that are ready for expansion or relocation to be found in Canada and they are Hamilton and Quebec City where currently the shovels are employed moving snow not earth. In other words folks even as other media explore for the umpteenth time the market that is Seattle where local folks are trying to resurrect the NBA and bring in the NHL to make the operation viable (the existing building would need massive changes to configure for hockey) only one city stands prepared to open its arms to immediate relocation and that is Hamilton. And now that it's not Jim Balsillie thumbing his nose at Gary and his rules but influential existing partners in the very clubby NHL bidding to take control of the HECFI venues one does even though one does know better, get there hopes up. Knowing that within a half hour drive of Hamilton 750 thousand people could become their customers these big players I believe have set their course for Hamilton to grab any team that may be relocated to Canada and to market and promote concerts that can't be held in Toronto due to Leafs and Raptors schedules in the Air Canada Centre. And remember both Gary B. and his right hand Bill Daley have said out loud ever since their court dates in Phoenix (and trust me they didn't want to say this out loud) that the Toronto Maple Leafs do not have a veto when it comes to a team moving into their market place. Hmmmm, should I get my hopes up or not? I certainly can't wait for tomorrow's presentations by the bidders (wonder if council will go in camera) to see what their intentions might be then we can all wait in line together outside of Copps overnight if needs be to get our Hamilton Coyotes seasons tickets. By the way should we start the name the team contest before tomorrow's briefing or after?