Oilers Stadium Decision Looms

The Katz Group – the Canadian pharmaceutical franchise owner that also owns the Edmonton Oilers and its arena – is making a last-minute push for a new Edmonton arena by Oct. 31.

The Katz Group says its Rexall Place is too antiquated for the National Hockey League and says the Oilers will be forced to leave town if a new arena isn’t built. It’s asked its supporters to petition city council members to agree to a new arena by Halloween – a deadline Katz Group imposed because land purchase options are about to expire.

The email by Edmonton Oilers CEO Patrick LaForge says it’s time to mobilize.

“If you and your organizations support the proposed downtown arena and Edmonton arena district, it is important that you be heard and make your support known,” the email said, according to CTV News. Katz wants the city council to spend $20 million to $25 million to secure the new arena real estate, which is currently occupied by a casino.

The email didn’t sit well with Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel.

“We’ve approved a framework and it’s a bit frustrating that people are looking to us to solve problems, when people need to come to the table and negotiate and find ways to solve the problems – not to try to point fingers at us and say it’s our fault,” Mandel reportedly said.

“Unless other people are willing to bend and to change the positions they have it’s going to make it very difficult to do a deal.”

Mandel agreed that Rexall Place is too old and too small.

Another hurdle is Edmonton Northlands, the nonprofit concert organizer. It wants a non-compete with the Katz Group for the new arena and has reportedly asked for $250 million to bow out of the concert business for 35 years, according to CBC news. Northlands denies making the demands, which were leaked to local media by anonymous sources.