Adam Dread: Five Years Good For Preds Lease

"Deadline Looms On Predators' Sommet Center Lease"

While both the team of local investors looking to buy the Nashville Predators and the mayor want to keep the NHL team in Nashville, it may be easier said than done.

The ongoing saga over the future of the Predators took another turn Thursday.

Some are hopeful; others aren't sure that a deal can be reached as next week’s deadline looms.

Help from the city and a commitment from potential buyers to keep the team in Nashville remains at the heart of the deal.

Thursday’s home game brought some good cheer, but the story of trying to keep the team in Nashville is much more complicated. Lease changes have been deemed essential to keep the team from leaving town.

“I think the five years is a good number,” former Metro Councilman Adam Dread said. “I think it is a good number we can work with. I think it’s longer than most marriages last.”

As a separate October 31 deadline looms for the potential buyers with current Predators owner Craig Leipold, the city now wants the new owners to keep the team in Nashville for five years.

In exchange, the city would offer incentives, like those changes to the team's lease at the Sommet Center, and pay for upgrades at the arena.

OnThursday, more letters flew between lawyers for both sides.

The buyers' attorney said, "As long as the mayor (Karl Dean) is truly committed to these incentives...requests for a five year commitment...are reasonable, acceptable."

The city's attorney didn't sound so upbeat saying, "My letter does not accept any particular proposal...this (five-year) commitment cannot be contingent on the financial losses of the owners or attendance."

The negotiating details made some fans dizzy outside Thursday’s game.

“It may be a deal breaker, but if they want to stay bad enough, theywill make the deal work,” Dread said.

The bottom line is, putting more fans in the seats remains the real solution to pro hockey in Nashville and one downtown merchant is keeping track of the average attendance so far this season.

That figure, just short of 14,000, won't cut it, no matter what happens with negotiations.

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