Florida Panthers seeking public funds to offset losses of $20 million

CBS Sports ^ | January 10. 2014 | Chris Peters

[C19fan]

The Florida Panthers claim they are losing $20 million to $30 million a year while operating out of Broward County's Sunrise, Fla., based BB&T Center. In order to offset those costs, the team hopes to rework its contract with the county in order to collect $70 million in tourism tax revenue to cover the costs the Panthers are paying on their arena.

[Buckeye McFrog]

First 2/3 of a billion for an absurd ballpark that’s never more than half full, and now subsidies for a hockey team nobody wants to see.

Had enough yet, South Florida?

[Buckeye McFrog]

Because there are a lot of people who used to live in New England living there?

And what do you suppose those old geezers down in Florida really miss?
Their own team. A Saturday night game.
What they're lookin' for is a cheap deal on a team.
And since we ain't exactly the Boston Bruins...

[BookmanTheJanitor]

"Here's to all that gorgeous....

[llevrok]

Why the f*** would anybody who lives in South Florida have a shred of interest in ice hockey?

Ideally, to tap into the snowbird population. But this "concept" is not working in Phoenix (Road Runners) either.

[Prov1322]

Why the f*** would anybody who lives in South Florida have a shred of interest in ice hockey?

Because of the hundreds of thousands (more likely, millions now) of transplants from New England, the NorthEast, Rust Belt and Canada who are hockey fans. (Maybe not fans of the Panthers...)

And because in a free nation, people are free to...

[SeaHawkFan]

Seattle would be a good option if they could get an arena. For it to work, there would have to be an NBA team to share the facility.

Portland, OR would also be a good option.The arena is already there and Portland is a very good hockey town. Having only the Blazers as a major sports team in the area is a big plus.

[Rebelbase]

All the northerners who moved there and haven’t become half-backs yet.

[Mike Darancette]

Welcome to L.A.

[mikrofon]

Close up shop, along with the Western Conference team that’s struggling (Phoenix?) .... Go to four 7-team Divisions and run the schedule the same way in both Conferences — the present unbalanced grouping is just absurd.

[Dartman]

It starts with three year olds on ponds, and builds from there.

Exactly. I say if you can't have a backyard rink in your town during the winter, due to the weather, you don't get an NHL team.

[Jim Noble]

Welcome to L.A.

Lewiston-Auburn DOES get cold enough...

[Mike Darancette]

Brrrrr.