| Owner Not to Renew Lease Sherwood Park on the Move?
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| (CBL Newswire) - by Elswick Craic of the Sherwood Mail |
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Sherwood Park Ice owner Chris Wilke, unhappy with the current situation at The Igloo management, is not likely going to renew his lease with the city when the season ends. Instead, Wilke may be looking to relocate the ball club to a new environment. Red Deer, Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Banff are all possibilities for a new home. The Ice have not been a very stable franchise, having moved from Edmonton, after their inaugural season to Banff, then to Sherwood Park (a suburb of Edmonton), only 7 years later.
"We came into ownership of this ball club at about this point last year and there were a few things that we did not like. Not having a very pleasant relationship with The Igloo was one thing that we've just about had enough of. Our attendance is not a real problem, we have a good fan support for a team that is near the bottom in the standings. If management does not want to give us a fair deal, we will be forced to pack up and leave. We've got no choice, if they want this team to be competative and us to put up the money that we are willing to put up, we want a part of the return as well. Currently, they are not giving us any money from the concessions or the parking, the rent is too high for what they are providing us with. We can not discuss any of our other talks with the other cities at this moment, until we sign a deal...whether that is here or elsewhere...anywhere right now is a possibility. Maybe a new home for this franchise is what it needs."
More information is to come in the next week.
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