The Alberta Junior Hockey League announced Friday afternoon the St. Albert Steel has submitted a request for relocation to Whitecourt for the 2012/13 season.
However, a request for transfer in ownership has not been submitted.
As per league bylaws, the AJHL’s board of governors has appointed a committee, including president Craig Cripps and the chairman of the board, Greg Wood, to investigate the proposed relocation and report back to the board.
A meeting is scheduled for April 6 (Good Friday) between the Steel, the city and the AJHL’s management committee.
Mayor Nolan Crouse is worried St. Albert will lose its second AJHL team in less than 10 years.
“Of course I’m concerned. I’m also concerned that the Steel are asking the taxpayers to replace the lost season ticket sales and replace the lost game day sales with taxpayer money,” Crouse said. “People can draw their own conclusions why they didn’t show up, but the taxpayers should not be on the hook for the fans not showing up.”
The existing five-year agreement between the city and the Steel expires on Aug. 31. The major stumbling block is revenue from advertising in the Northstar Hyundai Arena. The Steel want 100 per cent of the revenue instead of what is considered to be 40 per cent.
Greg Parks, the head coach, general manager and part-owner of the Steel, is not optimistic a deal will get done.
“No. Not at all,” he said. “We’re not getting much love here.”
A meeting was set for Tuesday between the Steel and the city for the AJHL team to advise what its intentions are for the 2012-13 season but at the last minute Parks informed the city he wasn’t going to attend.
Cripps said on Wednesday the AJHL has no role in the contract being negotiated between the city and the Steel.
“It’s a private matter,” he said.
On Wednesday the AJHL’s board of governors conducted a conference call to discuss the status of the Steel.
Steel governor Kelly Smith said he didn’t participate in the conference call, but has been invited to attend next week’s meeting.
Whitecourt has been rumoured as a prime relocation spot for the Steel since last season after an unsuccessful bid by a Whitecourt businessman to purchase the Lloydminster Bobcats.
Parks said on Thursday no decision had been made about the team’s future in St. Albert.
“We’re just trying to stay the course here and figure out what’s best for the Steel and the AJHL,” Parks said. “There are a couple of communities that would love to have an AJHL team so I don’t think that will be an issue.”
Cripps said if a team wants to change ownership or relocate, it requires a vote by the board through the AJHL’s bylaws and regulations.
“There has been no such request in regards to transfer of ownership,” Cripps said.
Crouse said he trusts the process involving a third party review of the situation.
“We offered the Steel a good deal, at least that’s what we thought, but that’s up to the league’s independent body to determine if they think it’s a good deal,” Crouse said. “I’m going to make a case to the independent review panel who I trust to get the Steel to stay in St. Albert and if they look at the situation and say, ‘Look, St. Albert, your fans haven’t shown up and what the city is providing is inadequate,’ then we’ll have to respond at that time.”
“I’m hopeful that they see St. Albert as a favourable location,” he added.
The city has already sent the AJHL a list of possible home dates so the league can schedule 30 home games for next season.
Cripps said the deadline for teams provide scheduling dates is two weeks prior to the annual general meeting.
“They have to have commitment from their facility showing that they have ice for the scheduling meeting,” Cripps said.
