— League plans new team in Oliver —
(OSOYOOS TIMES — July 4, 2007) —
By Lawrence McMahenrnOsoyoos Times
The Town of Osoyoos and the World Hockey Association are edging closer to a deal for the year-old league to play in the local Sun Bowl Arena for the upcoming 2007-08 season.
WHA President Ricky Smith told the Osoyoos Times on Friday he is confident a deal can be worked out.
We are going to play this season in Osoyoos, and I'm excited about it, Smith says.
He added that the Osoyoos Spurs team will play in an expanded seven-team WHA league that will include last year's squads in Armstrong, Lumby, Squamish and New Westminster, B.C., a new team in Fort Vancouver, Washington (to replace last year's Bulls team in Bellingham, Washington), and a new team in Oliver, B.C. “ the Oliver Road Runners.
But there are still hurdles that Smith and the WHA must overcome in order to reach an agreement to play in Osoyoos.
In response to Smith's late-May proposal for a second hockey season for the Osoyoos Spurs, Town Council voted at its June 18 meeting to put strict conditions on the league before it will allow it to play here.
That move followed a problem-plagued first year for the WHA in Osoyoos and some of its other host towns and cities.
In mid-2006, Osoyoos Town Council awarded a six-year contract to the WHA to have the Spurs play in the Sun Bowl Arena. The league got an office, ice time for practices and games, and the majority of revenue from the sale of advertising signs in the arena.
But when the WHA fell more than $12,000 behind in its payments to the Town by early 2007, Council cancelled the contract. In mid-May the league paid off its debt to the Town in full.
In late-May, Smith put forward a request that the Town grant a new contract for the Spurs to play in Osoyoos. He offered to pay the Town two months in advance through the first season, and asked that if the WHA pays and everything goes well, the Town award a six-year contract to the Spurs.
But at its June 18 meeting, Council decided it would offer just a one-year contract to the WHA for the Spurs to play in the local arena, and that would be on very strict conditions.
First, Council said Smith must advertise in two editions of the Osoyoos Times asking individuals or businesses in Osoyoos to come forward if they have any outstanding unpaid invoices for the WHA. People would be asked to re-issue their invoices to the WHA and notify the Town that there is an outstanding WHA debt. Council said it wants to be assured that all local debts are paid by the WHA before it offers a new contract to the league.
Also, Council voted to have the WHA pay the full year's fees in advance for the 2007-08 hockey season in Osoyoos.
Even then, Council said it would only grant a one-year contract.
Smith told the Times he has counter-offered to the Town that if he pays for the full season in advance, and if the WHA fulfils all of its obligations in Osoyoos, then he wants the Town to assure him the league will have the option for a contract for two more years.
Mayor Slater told the Times he doesn't think Council would turn down Smith's suggestion.
We want a hockey team here this year, Slater says.
But he adds that the WHA must meet the conditions Council set out in June, ensuring that all area merchants and suppliers are paid.
In other WHA developments, the league has announced the formation of additional teams in Alberta and Quebec, and says it plans an Eastern Division consisting of between seven and nine teams.
