Maine Hockey Team Lawsuit Continues

Despite the ruling, it could be months before further court action. The lawsuit, filed by the team Sept. 6 in Maine, seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent Civic Center officials from giving away dates reserved for the team’s upcoming season after the venue’s renovations are completed.

Also at issue is an unsigned, five-year lease agreement between the parties involving a revenue-sharing plan ironed out in April that the team claims had been changed along with other revisions not agreed to.

Under the agreement, the Pirates were to get 57.5 percent of net food and beverage sales including alcohol and 50 percent of net revenues from above-ice advertising.

However, the lawsuit claims Civic Center trustees sent the team an altered version of the lease in May that doesn’t include alcohol sales revenue or sub-naming rights from above-ice advertising.

Board trustees learned the lease as written would violate state law because the Pirates’ name isn’t on the liquor license and can’t legally collect income from alcohol sales. Instead, the board offered the Pirates 65 percent of food and beverage sales minus alcohol sales.

In the meantime, Portland Pirates Managing Owner/CEO Brian Petrovek announced Sept. 26 that the team will play its full 2013-14 home schedule at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.