Pens' Brass to Check out Houston

[TexasTerror]

Could the NHL come to Houston? The Pens' are looking at Houston this coming week and perhaps we'll see an NHL franchise in the Bayou City...

Lemieux to visit, assess
NHL's Penguins exploring a move; Alexander mum

By JONATHAN FEIGEN

NHL legend Mario Lemieux is expected to lead a delegation from the Pittsburgh Penguins to visit Houston and Toyota Center this week, according to an individual expected to be part of the talks.

Lemieux, the Penguins owner and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, said in December that the franchise, whose lease expires after this season, would "explore relocation offers in cities outside Pennsylvania."

Tad Brown, CEO of the Rockets and Clutch City Sports and Entertainment, which operates Toyota Center, would not describe talks, if any, with the Penguins. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander would not comment.

"We look forward to seeing them if they're here," Brown said. "We'll show them how great a city Houston is and how great Toyota Center is."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4490532.html

[Ivytalk]

Having spent my high school years in Houston, and having spent some time watching the now-defunct Houston Aeros, I'm skeptical. But, hey, it's the fourth-largest city in the US, and hockey seems to be surviving in Phoenix and thriving in Dallas, so they might as well give it a shot. I'd hate to see the Pens leave Pittsburgh, though.

[Pard4Life]

Another hockey team in warm weather? Ugh, get real...

Yeah I know the population is shifting down there.. but so what?

Pens belong in P'burgh, too bad the politicians and power brokers are silly fools.. Pens are going to be huge in a few seasons.. heck they are now...

Can they move to Cleveland btw?

[FUwolfpacker]

The should move to Winnipeg or Quebec. ;)

Seriously though, it would be nice to see them stay in Pittsburgh. They have an impressive base in place and should be a tough team in the next few years.

[Pard4Life]

The should move to Winnipeg or Quebec. ;)

Seriously though, it would be nice to see them stay in Pittsburgh. They have an impressive base in place and should be a tough team in the next few years.

Winnipeg and Quebec do need teams... send the Coyotes back..

[BigApp]

why not Anchorage or Juneau?

[89rabbit]

They already have a sweet deal on the table from Kansas City.

http://feed.insnews.org/v-cgi/feeds.cgi?feedid=144&story_id=2564547

Penguins' Fate is a Hot Topic
Jan 23, 11:52 AM


By George Richards, The Miami Herald

Jan. 23--Sidney Crosby is here at his first All-Star Game not only as the new face of his Pittsburgh Penguins, but of the entire league.

Where Crosby and his Penguins will be playing next season continued to be a topic of discussion Monday.

Team owner Mario Lemieux and Crosby tried to deflect questions surrounding the team, although that was difficult because Lemieux told officials in Kansas City, Mo., on Jan. 4 he would give them an answer on the team in 30 days.

The Penguins are negotiating with state and local officials to try and replace the aged Mellon Center in Pittsburgh. The Penguins play in the league's oldest building, and have a lease that expires at the end of the season.

Kansas City is offering a brand new downtown arena that will be ready for play in October. Kansas City officials reportedly are offering free rent to the Penguins as an enticement to move. . . . (read more)

[BigApp]

didn't KC have an WHL team? the Stars?

[BigApp]

nevermind, it was an NHL team. Kansas City Scouts. They became the Colorado Rockies, who are now the New Jersey Devils

[FUwolfpacker]

Winnipeg and Quebec do need teams... send the Coyotes back..


Agreed.

I got into hockey around the mid nineties. I believe it was the last year of the nordiques (I became an Avs fan once Roy was traded there), and Winnipeg left soon after. Crazy....doesn't seem like it's been that long since those teams moved. Kind of hard to beat the deal the Pens would get in KC though.

[BobbyMo]

this is a damn shame. The pens are part of p-burgh. They have had great attendance this year, and on the local FSN station they are always saying how highly rated the TV games locally are compared to the rest of NHL. P-burgh is football first, hockey second (probably because the bucs are horrible)

[CollegeSportsInfo]

I would love to see Quebec get a team again if Pitt lost them. Portland and Seattle would be my next choices.

[TexasTerror]

State and city officials are trying hard as heck to keep the Pens' in Pennsylvania. Nothing is over on this front. These two sides are having a hard time thus far on working out a deal. I would love an NHL franchise in Houston, but I do not believe it will be the Pens'.

Officials revise offer to keep Penguins in Pittsburgh
ESPN.com news services

PITTSBURGH -- Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said city and state officials have revised their offer to the Pittsburgh Penguins for financing a new arena to keep the team in the Steel City.

"We have given the Penguins a revised offer but in no way, shape or form have they indicated it's over," Rendell said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

On Thursday, a state senator who sits on the board that would build the new arena said an announcement of a new deal was imminent, pending the resolution of details. But on Friday, it appeared that a follow-up meeting between the two sides would precede any announcement of an agreement.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2750628

[TexasTerror]

Article out of Houston saying the Pens won't fly and become the 'Houston Whatevers'...

All signs point to this: Penguins won't fly
Agreement on borrowing money for venue appears to be in place in Pittsburgh

By DALE ROBERTSON

No substantive news is to be interpreted as bad news for those who would dearly love to see the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins become the Houston Whatevers next season.

All indications are the Penguins are staying put. Team officials and local and state politicians are down to haggling over how much the team's new arena in Pittsburgh's Uptown neighborhood should cost, although both parties have agreed to borrow the $290 million price tag the Penguins favor.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Friday he thinks $270 million is sufficient while conceding it has yet to be determined how the money — whatever the sum — will be paid back, calling the matter "somewhat precarious.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4599992.html

[GeauxColonels]

Article out of Houston saying the Pens won't fly and become the 'Houston Whatevers'...

All signs point to this: Penguins won't fly
Agreement on borrowing money for venue appears to be in place in Pittsburgh

By DALE ROBERTSON

No substantive news is to be interpreted as bad news for those who would dearly love to see the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins become the Houston Whatevers next season.

All indications are the Penguins are staying put. Team officials and local and state politicians are down to haggling over how much the team's new arena in Pittsburgh's Uptown neighborhood should cost, although both parties have agreed to borrow the $290 million price tag the Penguins favor.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Friday he thinks $270 million is sufficient while conceding it has yet to be determined how the money — whatever the sum — will be paid back, calling the matter "somewhat precarious.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4599992.html
:hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

[AZGrizFan]

If Pittsburgh loses hockey, the sport is officially dead. As if it's not already....

[TexasTerror]

One step forward and two steps back...

Negotiations to keep NHL Penguins in Pittsburgh crater
By DALE ROBERTSON

It turns out all was not quiet on the Western (Pennsylvania) front.

Negotiations between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pennsylvania officials to keep the NHL team in Pittsburgh in a new arena appeared to go south today, just when everybody assumed steadfast progress was being made to close the deal.

Penguins officials have had almost nothing to say publicly lately, which was assumed to be good news for the city's rabid hockey fans. But a letter sent to the governor, the Allegheny County chief executive and Pittsburgh's mayor seemed to declare an impasse, saying the team intended to "aggressively explore relocation."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4603916.html