I'm not buying it. The Penguins are not going to put the franchise on the hook for partial costs of a new arena when they can go somewhere else and have a free new one with a richer fan base, especially since Pittsburgh really can't afford the cost of tickets to support a class act team like we once had. All that came gratis because of an owner willing to blow HIS OWN $, same as our old Pirates owner once did.
Say Bye-Bye to the Pens. After 7 years, Mario realizes he can expect nothing better than getting screwed from the state and the city. If either of them were going to come through, they would have stuck it to the taxpayers back then who didn't want to pay for ANY stadiums for ANY teams, but ended up picking up the tab to enrich the present owners at taxpayer expense because they had it forced on them - "Plan B." None of the politicians are going to screw the taxpayers to get Mario well and he isn't going to put himself into a deeper hole to partially finance a new arena, and nobody around here is going to blame him.
"Let me reach out to Mario," Onorato said. "I know he's frustrated, saying he's waited [for politicians to get things done] for seven years. But I've only been county executive for three years, and Mayor Ravenstahl's only been here for several months. The mayor and I are going to make it clear we intend to remove the uncertainty."
"The sooner the Penguins are willing to sit down," the mayor said, "the sooner the uncertainty will go away."
There's no doubt in my mind this will get done," said mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "If they are as committed as we are, the Penguins should never leave Pittsburgh."
The Penguins are regularly drawing large crowds, and sales of merchandise (thanks to stars Crosby and Malkin)are brisk.
There is a large, faithful fan base supporting the Pens that is growing thanks to the appeal of the core of young players.
Mario has lived in Pittsburgh for a long time, and his kids are growing up and going to school there.
He'll do everything he can to keep the team in Pittsburgh.