Balsillie seeks 20-year lease at Copps for Hamilton team

Jim Balsillie issued the following statement today:

Mayor Eisenberger and Council,

I'm writing to you about my longstanding commitment to bringing an NHL franchise to Hamilton.

Hamilton has always been and remains now my first choice for locating a potential seventh NHL franchise in Canada. I am not considering any other site locations at this time.

Our commitment is to bring the NHL to Hamilton and to draw to Hamilton thousands of supportive Southern Ontario hockey fans, in the best un-served hockey market in the world.

We think it's good for Hamilton's local economy, good for the NHL, and the best location for this proposed franchise. But most importantly we think this would be great for the Hamilton community, for a wide range of businesses, organizations and important causes that would be supported and stimulated by an NHL franchise in Hamilton. That has always been my view.