BY SPORTSNET STAFF
sportsnet.ca
It's been seven years since the sale of Maple Leaf Gardens, yet the historic site is once again at the centre of a legal battle.
According to a report in the Globe and Mail, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment is seeking an injunction to prevent Ryerson University and Loblaw Properties from using the name Maple Leaf Gardens in connection with the site.
Loblaw purchased the building from MLSE in 2004 for $12 million on the condition that it would be redeveloped into a food store. Loblaw later reached a deal with Ryerson to convert the upper levels of the building into an athletic centre that would include a new hockey rink and basketball court.
MLSE -- current owners of the NHL's Maple Leafs, NBA's Raptors, AHL's Marlies and MLS's Toronto FC -- fears that Ryerson could sell school products to people who mistakenly believe they are affiliated with the Leafs. The sports giant also feels that the 2,500-seat venue could compete with the Air Canada Centre, the current home of the Leafs, Raptors and various other special events.
The first phase of the development is set to open later this year.
