Mayor Eisenberger doesn’t believe Balsillie’s a winner

Mayor Fred Eisenberger won’t bet on Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie’s odds to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and relocate the team to Hamilton.

“I am not betting the farm on that,” said Mr. Eisenberger in an interview.

Just days after Mr. Balsillie unveiled elaborate plans to renovate Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum, Mr. Eisenberger is expressing a certain reticence in his expectation the Waterloo billionaire will get the NHL Board of Governors to move the Coyotes to Hamilton.

“It’s out of our hands,” said Mr. Eisenberger.

Mr. Balsillie was expected to apply June 1 to the NHL’s Board of Governors to relocate the team to Hamilton.

Arizona bankruptcy judge Redfield Baum is set June 9 to decide if the Coyotes can relocate to Hamilton. Mr. Balsillie has said he will withdraw his $212.5 million purchase price for the team by the end of June. If the judge does allow the relocation of the franchise, the NHL has stated it will appeal the decision. The NBA, the NFL and MLB have joined the NHL is asking the judge to keep the Coyotes in Glendale.

Mr. Eisenberger said a judge can decide any number of things, including keeping the team in Glendale.

“You don’t know what the judge will do,” he said. “It is in the hands of the judge.”