Bulldogs owner eyes new arena in Laval
March 27, 2010
Garry McKay
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/Sports/article/743513
Hamilton Bulldogs' owner Michael Andlauer says he is considering building a new 7,500 seat arena complex in the Montreal suburb of Laval.
The City of Laval has called for proposals to build and operate the $93-million complex and Andlauer, a Burlington resident, confirmed that he is mulling over whether to submit a bid, either on his own or as part of a Montreal Canadiens' bid. Andlauer is also part owner of the Habs.
The Bulldogs recently signed a new three-year lease deal with Hamilton Entertainment and Convention Facilities Inc. to continue playing at Copps Coliseum. But the Laval opportunity calls into question the team's long-term future in Hamilton.
The Bulldogs lease with HECFI does contain a clause that the American Hockey League team would ultimately have to leave if an NHL team came to Hamilton.
"If we looked at it, it would be on the premise of what happens if all of a sudden another group looks to bring an NHL team to Hamilton, and I get notice (to move) in April. What are my options?" said Andlauer. "That's always going to be there, so that could be an alternative.
"It's not something I'm focusing on, though - and I haven't even responded to it."
Andlauer said the City of Laval had "reached out to him" and sent him information.
He said it wouldn't be a stretch for him to take on the project.
"I have a place in Laval," he said. "I've worked with the city, and I've worked with a builder who is based in Laval and there might be an opportunity to look at it."
Andlauer said that there would be pros and cons to having the Montreal Canadiens' farm team based in Laval.
It would give the Habs quick and easy access to their players, and it would make sense financially. On the down side, the players would be under intense scrutiny from hockey-crazy fans and the critical hockey media in Montreal.
"I think there are more Bulldogs fans in Montreal than there are in Hamilton," said Andlauer, who has been critical of both the lack of fan support and political support in Hamilton.
Statistics bear him out. The Bulldogs played two regular-season games at the Bell Centre in Montreal this year. They drew crowds of 14,702 and 15,529, the latter being the largest regular season crowd to ever watch the team play. In 34 games at Copps Coliseum this year, the team is averaging 3,731.
The question of the Bulldogs leaving simmered late last summer when Jim Balsillie was trying to buy the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes to move them to Hamilton. At the time Andlauer was entering the last year of his lease at Copps.
Andlauer said he came very, very close to moving the team to St. John's.
"They asked me to come out and meet with them," he said. "We went out to dinner and the premier of Newfoundland, the mayor of St. John's and every councillor, but one, was there. When we signed our lease renewal at Copps Coliseum, not one Hamilton politician showed up."
Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt said the call for proposals has an April 30 deadline. He added the city hoped to be able to start construction this fall and be opened in December, 2012. Some of the funding for the project will come from the provincial and federal governments, he said.
The complex is to have three ice surfaces, one that will seat 7,500 for hockey and can be expanded to 10,000 for concerts and cultural events, and two smaller ice surfaces with seating of less than 2,500 each.
Vaillancourt said they're not building it with the intent of luring a major hockey tenant. He said that decision would be up to the winning bidder.
Andlauer said if he does go ahead and bid it's not a certainty that the Bulldogs would end up moving there. He said the building could instead house a junior hockey club.
And Hamilton, he said, shouldn't worry about being without a hockey team.
"Hamilton is a proven AHL city," said Andlauer who thinks another NHL team would look at bringing their farm team here if the Bulldogs ever left.
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