Chris Hansen may have some competition in his attempt to bring the NHL to Seattle.
According to a report from The Seattle Times, two power brokers are forming investment groups to pursue a new arena deal in Seattle.
One is long-time NHL and NBA deal maker Jac Sperling. The New Orleans native helped Minnesota acquire an expansion NHL franchise in 1998 and played a significant role in the sale of the New Orleans Pelicans to Tom Benson, the owner of the NFL’s Saints.
Read the full Seattle Times report
Sperling also has an intriguing NHL tie. He has a long-time business relationship with Tampa Bay Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke, according to Seattle Times columnist Geoff Baker. Before working for the Lightning, Leiweke was the president and CEO of the Seattle Seahawks.
The other prominent figure involved is New York investment banker Ray Bartoszek. According to the Times article, the 50-year-old attempted to purchase the Arizona (then-Phoenix) Coyotes in 2013 with the intention of moving the franchise to Seattle.
The biggest holdup of any possible NHL-to-Seattle discussion is an arena, as there is not currently a suitable home for an NHL team. Hansen’s attempt to build a new facility in the Sodo neighbourhood has hit multiple snags, not least of which is the fact his focus is on an NBA team rather than an NHL franchise, so any potential investor would need to find a new location.
However, according to the report, there is a 66-acre parcel of land in Tukwila that could work as a location for an entertainment complex that would include a new arena.
The other location mentioned as a possible arena home was Bellevue, though The Seattle Times reported one reason why interested parties are “shy about officially dealing with Bellevue is the strong political ties between Mayor Claudia Balducci and King County Executive Dow Constantine, a longtime supporter of Hansen’s bid.”
The Times’ source on the story estimated an arena in either the Tukwila or Bellevue locations would “require up to $500 million in mostly private funding.”
