NHL in Quebec City a dream come true for fans as the Government and Quebecor works on the project
Quebec City can gear up and get ready to party because there might just be a chance that the city would get back a NHL team.
Having been deprived of an NHL team, fans in the capital city of Quebec are still in grief over the loss of their NHL team, Nordiques, for almost 16 years now.
The Quebec Nordiques, also known as “Nordiques de Quebec” in French, was a part of the NHL until being shifted to Denver, Colorado, in 1995, eventually becoming Colorado Avalanche.
Having lost the team in the past due to financial and popularity constraints, fans are committed to keeping the new team alive and thriving this time.
Alex Main a long time hockey fan when asked about his view said, “I’d love that we have our own team, so that we could cheer them on and see games like other cities do. It’s the only thing that makes us feel left out”.
It is a great way for people to support the French province of Canada, as it has always been under-exposed, resulting in freedom and separation activism as we have seen in the past.
As there are always two sides to a story, there could be problems in store for the hockey fans such as funding the building, maintaining it and a strategic plan on how to attract a NHL franchise to the city. These are some of matters which are causing a
delay in the project.
Quebecor’s CEO, Pierre Karl Peladeau, has formally submitted a proposal of millions of dollars to the municipal government of Quebec City as a way to partner with the city’s $400 million arena and Civic Center project.
Quebecor is a well known Montreal based communications conglomerate.
Conservative MP, Maxime Bernier, expressed his view that due to the interest of Pierre Karl Peladeau, hopes have been raised and it will be more likely that the federal government will contribute money for the development of a NHL ready arena in Quebec City.
Bernier also added that he is not saying for sure but the announcement by Peladeau is good news and the federal government will seriously consider the federal, provincial, municipal and Quebecor partnership.
This public display of funding and sponsoring has also led to outcries from other cities such as Regina and Edmonton that are looking for funds to help them upkeep their recreational centers, causing pressure on the center.
Prime Minister of Canada, Steven Harper, himself has not ruled out the participation of the federal government in the project but says that the private sector must intervene first.
As the Quebec City and province have already provided 45% of the funding for the project, the federal government and private contributors have less to worry about. MPs along with common citizens have publicly endorsed the project while showing old jerseys
of Nordiques.
With more and more support, fans can expect the project to begin much sooner than expected. All that is left now are the players to be selected and team jerseys to be made.
People concerned with renovations of other projects must realise that those projects are completed and providing facilities to the people, but a place where no such facility for hockey fans is present should be prioritized.
Another NHL team in Canada would ensure much better opportunities, monetarily, and exposure to the world in the most positive sense.
Tags: