THUNDER BAY -- One more year for the Winnipeg Jets farm team in St. John’s isn’t bad news for this city, says the leader of the group planning to bring the American Hockey League to the Lakehead.
In an email to tbnewswatch.com, Gary Green said the extension of the St. John’s Ice Caps was necessary to accommodate the farm team as they await progress to be made with the proposed events centre.
He said the one-year extension is “good news” for all parties.
“They still need to be accommodated for the 2016-17 season,” Green wrote. “Their first priority has always been and still is to play in Thunder Bay starting in the 2017-18 season.”
Once news of the extension broke last week, rumours began circulating True North Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the Jets and part of the Thunder Bay Live consortium, might wait for relocation dominos to fall around the league and explore their options moving westward.
American cities such as Fargo and Kansas City have been mentioned as possible alternate cities.
Green cautioned the arrangement is still predicated on final approval from all three levels of government to make the event centre a reality.
City council will gets its first look at the final report on the event centre Sept. 15. It includes more technical details, an updated business plan, a traffic and parking study and a guaranteed maximum cost.
After a public meeting Sept. 24 and another look by council near the end of the month, the city should be ready to officially ask the federal and provincial governments for funding. The city is hoping those decisions will be made by March.
