NBA back in Vancouver

[Demolition]

Guess there is another attemp to bring basketball back to Vancouver

A former player with Canada's national men's basketball team says some high-profile investors are trying to bring the National Basketball Association back to Vancouver.


CBC Sports
Howard Kelsey says he speaks for a group, led by Vancouver Canuck owners Francesco Aquilini and John McCaw, that has a proposal to re-locate an existing NBA franchise B.C.

"We have what very few cities have, what you would call a plug and play - practice facilities are here right now," said Kelsey. "You have a ready-to-go GM Place which is one of the best arenas in North America.

"As long as you've got a GM Place, and as long as you got eight or 9,000 fans it's a no brainer," said Kelsey.

The Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001 after six years in Vancouver.

Kelsey says the group is putting an official proposal together in hopes of securing a team - possibly the Portland Trailblazers

Trailblazers are reportedly in financial trouble. Team owner Paul Allen recently made the Trailblazers' finances public. He says the team will lose $100 million over the next three years

Allen blamed the situation on a bad arena lease, along with the lack of a public subsidy.

Kelsey admits an NBA return to Vancouver is a longshot, but says he hopes to find out in a few weeks whether the NBA thinks the group's hoop dreams could be realized.

Neither McCaw nor Aquilini were available to comment.

"from CBC British Columbia"

 

[The Apprentice]

In today's Province the reliable Dave Pratt mentions something of the Canuck group making an official proposal to the Portland Trailblazers who are trying to move or sell. They are going to lose $100 million over the next three years if they stay in Portland.

 

[Argyle]

now...as part of the proposal...are they going to be bringing in the proper grocery stores for these guys to shop at???

Can't wait to here the first..."It's a five tanker day" comment!

 

[The Franchise]

Wow how exciting! another dead beat team that will come here....lose more then they win.....have no fans.....then move again! Can't wait

 

[VancouverBall]

Where do things stand right now? I heard that Aquilini may not be interested. If so, what was Howard Kelsey talking about?

Also, what about the Trailblazers lease with the Rose Garden? I hear that Paul Allen signed a lease good till 2023 and the lease prevents him from moving the team.

But if he files for bankruptcy, would the lease be severed?

 

[dr.j]

Nobody will come back until Vancouver has more stores that sell grits and collared greens. I remember Otis Thorpe and Othella Harrington complaining about that in nearly every "in- depth" interview. We are just not "American" enough. I used to go to about a dozen games a year and would be grateful if there was a team here again. At least we wouldn't have to listen to the local sports talk shows go on ad nauseum about the soon to be golfing Canucks...

 

[VancouverBall]

scroll to page 11:

http://www.metronews.ca/uploadedFiles/Metro_vancouver_0421_2006.pdf