AHL team still destined for Thunder Bay, mayor says

Thunder Bay's mayor says he's not surprised the Winnipeg Jets farm team will play its next couple of seasons in Manitoba.

Keith Hobbs said he was told by Mark Chipman of True North Sports and Entertainment that the team would be moving from St. John's Newfoundland to Winnipeg.

The Jets general manager commented on Thursday that Winnipeg can support two hockey teams for the long term.

But Hobbs said the AHL team will still move to Thunder Bay when the event centre is built.

"We're in constant contact with Mr. Chipman and the Winnipeg Jets, and that's not a surprise to me. So, you know, we need to get this project done though in order to land the Winnipeg Jets AHL farm team."

Hobbs said council needs to move forward on finalizing the event centre.

In the meantime, he said the recent news "doesn't concern me one iota. I knew that was coming."

Chipman "advised us that that was going to happen," Hobbs continued.

"He just needs to get that team away from the East Coast. It's not viable for his operation."

Council will receive a report on how to finance the project at its meeting on March 23.

Other details are also anticipated at the meeting, such as the kind of grants or financial support the city could get from the federal and provincial government.

The meeting is "going to give council something to really chew on," Hobb said.

"We'll probably have to have a special council meeting to make a decision as a result of that report. It's very comprehensive and, I think, a great report. We'll see where it goes from there."

Hobbs added he believes "it's going to be enough to have council make a decision one way or another, whether it's going to go forward."

Exploring options

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the group who could bring an AHL team to Thunder Bay said not much has changed since the team announced it will spend the next few years in Winnipeg.

Scott Brown, the senior director of Corporate Communications of True North Sports and Entertainment Limited says the team could still call Thunder Bay home, if a new arena is built.

 "As far as we understand things are still progressing as they were with the arena project in Thunder Bay. Of course, without any progress on that project there isn't much of a future for an AHL team in Thunder Bay without an arena." 

 Brown said the Winnipeg Jets have also spoken with other cities to potentially host the AHL team. 

"It's an option that our general manager and chairman of the board have both admitted is an option for us to look at down the road," he said.

"There's been conversations with other cities in terms of what the options might be. But, right now, the best option —not our No.1 option as initially planned — is to see how things work in Winnipeg."

Brown noted the move "doesn't have any impact on Thunder Bay. I mean, as far as we understand, things are still progressing as they were."

He said the move from St. John's to Winnipeg was necessary for the ease of "hockey operations."