|
Post by wade on Dec 7, 2015 23:32:37 GMT -5
I'll know more in the next 48HRS...but...
Bentley Generals are before Lacombe Town Council tonight witnessing a vote on an Arena upgrade at the LMC which would be part of an agreement with the Gens' to transplant operations full term.
|
|
|
Post by Mr. Perfect on Dec 7, 2015 23:40:59 GMT -5
Only makes sense for them. Way larger arena capacity, larger city to play in, and an actual new locker room. Hope it works out for them.
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 8, 2015 9:53:02 GMT -5
The Generals will find out next Monday at a fourth and final City council meeting, whether or not the proposal they made will be jolted into immediate action. Last night, City Council voted unanimously in favour of "wanting" the proposed arena improvements...but...the overall feasibility of the project will now go under review for the week between meetings.
For the Generals part, they've been desperately scurrying around trying to make things workable & affordable in Bentley for the past 16 years. Bentley Arena Staff have worked tirelessly to essentially "drive" the Towns' worn out & expired 50 year old facility around on three bald tyres and a penchant for oil. The Army has been forced to raise a White Flag. This unwinnable battle cannot & will not go on another year..
The endless issues that come with an aged & worn out rink are ONE major issue. The other is the ever-thin crowd sizes. Averaging attendance in the 100-125 range measured against the expenses of travelling to opposite ends of this massive Country has left the team in a financial state which they cannot & will not push further past the point of this current season playing out of Bentley.
The Army MUST either be given a transplant or they'll be forced to disconnect from all robotic support systems and will be subsequently folded if a suitable donor cannot be secured.
|
|
|
Post by Pete on Dec 8, 2015 18:07:01 GMT -5
Hello Wade I know what you are saying in Shellbrook the crowds are pathetic
|
|
|
Post by miffer31 on Dec 8, 2015 19:14:26 GMT -5
Nothing is for ever but it is still a sad day for sum for some die heart fans, I'm sure, if is happens. Also, could be just a ploy by the Generals. Hope something good comes out of it for the Generals.
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 8, 2015 20:11:19 GMT -5
It isn't a ploy.
The Executive has sunk 100's of HRS of personal time into crunching numbers and engineering the proposal they finally offically tabled last night. This time is over and above the OT time they've had to work to re-arrange the schedule (a few times) for games THIS season.
That...and the fact this Army is predicated upon straight shooting business people who deal honestly and fairly.
Believe me...it's well past the point of ploys and posturing. Not many posters here are able to wrap their buckets around the MASSIVE expenses Bentley Generals have encountered while soaring up to the absolute peaks of amateur hockey.
The Army is on a death watch. No fooling around.
|
|
|
Post by naitch2727 on Dec 9, 2015 9:53:51 GMT -5
Wade...I know how hard this must be for you. Your passion for the Generals goes without question. I hope it all works out for the best.
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 9, 2015 10:24:01 GMT -5
Wade...I know how hard this must be for you. Your passion for the Generals goes without question. I hope it all works out for the best. I've been medicated through perspective for quite awhile already. The towering expenses measured against slippery revenues have been well documented going back to the first time we flew X-Canada in 2004. It has always added up to something with an end point. Bentley has been...by far...the smallest centre to EVER produce a perennial top level SR AAA powerhouse. Team Executive has worked magic, many times over, to make it happen. They've been threatened, thrilled, thanked and ever thoughtful through it all. But ...Yes...this is hard. Details are being filtered from the source at this time. I've asked whether or not it would be possible for the team to move to Lacombe but maintain their birth name. It seems nobody is quite ready to answer that question, which, for me...is the hardest one of all to pontificate.
|
|
|
Post by bentleygeneral on Dec 9, 2015 18:21:33 GMT -5
hope they can keep the team there. Great organization.
|
|
|
Post by Don Robertson on Dec 9, 2015 20:05:41 GMT -5
Wade...I know how hard this must be for you. Your passion for the Generals goes without question. I hope it all works out for the best. I've been medicated through perspective for quite awhile already. The towering expenses measured against slippery revenues have been well documented going back to the first time we flew X-Canada in 2004. It has always added up to something with an end point. Bentley has been...by far...the smallest centre to EVER produce a perennial top level SR AAA powerhouse. Team Executive has worked magic, many times over, to make it happen. They've been threatened, thrilled, thanked and ever thoughtful through it all. But ...Yes...this is hard. Details are being filtered from the source at this time. I've asked whether or not it would be possible for the team to move to Lacombe but maintain their birth name. It seems nobody is quite ready to answer that question, which, for me...is the hardest one of all to pontificate. Back in the mid 80's we lost our sponsor And changed our name from Real McCoy's ( yes I see the irony ) to Motts Clamatos and our group decided we'd out work everyone and win the Allan Cup from Rockton a village of about 150 in Flamborough. We called ourselves Flamborough to broaden our base cause we now had former NHL players and the Hull boys Blake and Booby Jr After a couple big years we had to start playing games in Brantford ( cause the rink only held about 350-500 seating much like Bently whose rink I have been in ) and whored our name out to be Flamborough/Brantford Motts Clamatos and played to large crowds, we had to to survive and the next year in 1987 we won the Allan Cup as the Brantford Motts Clamatos with 11 former NHL players in front of huge crowds. Our entire board of Directors was from Flamborough and I'm not sure who used who the City of Brantford or our group but at the end it didn't matter we won and it worked. This may not not help Bently but it sure seems similar to me and made made me think back to the good times. We need good organizations like Bently for the good of Sr AAA hockey because we don't have enough of them Regards Don Robertson
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 9, 2015 20:59:12 GMT -5
I still think there is a scenario where the name "Bentley Generals" gets protected in any kind of change of venue.
But...as I've already said...I don't know much for specifics at this time.
I knew the big trip to Clarenville would be costly. To be honest...If I had to do it all over again knowing today would be the consequence...I'd still go into Clarenville with the team we took and cull the Bous' herd. Expensive mission...came up short of the ship...but...that "W" over Clarenville stays VERY high on my personal list.
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 10, 2015 16:55:28 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 12, 2015 20:54:43 GMT -5
The Mayor of Lacombe checked into a FB page where the Generals possible move was being discussed and dropped what might be considered a strong hint toward the direction of the Monday vote: He revealed that City Council has already recieved a letter from Lacombe Minor Hockey endorsing the Gens coming to town. This came as somewhat of a surprise to me as I'd quietly assumed local minor hockey teams would be uneasy about losing ice time to an Adult team. I think...maybe...Gens executive has seen that hurtle coming and probably massaged some solutions before the problem had time to grow.
The Mayor also noted he's recieved positive feedback from local businesses as well.
Maybe this is really happening?
|
|
|
Post by cowbellgal on Dec 13, 2015 15:55:58 GMT -5
As long as the team is still there, even though in a new location, isn't that the main thing?
|
|
|
Post by wade on Dec 13, 2015 20:52:57 GMT -5
As long as the team is still there, even though in a new location, isn't that the main thing? I guess it's up to the individual. As someone who grew up in Bentley and watched the Bentley Generals rise up from a laughing stock SR B team and become the flagship Senior Hockey team of the last decade+, a part of me kinda looks at this as an encore to what's been a better show than I ever dreamed it could be. And another, less grounded & more esoterical part of me...wonders if the Hockey Gods will even recognize the new address the next time a prayer is mailed to them from some mortal soldier down here in Bent...Sorry...Lacombe. I know this...I'm prolly going to annoy & offend a lot of people by REFUSING to stop calling them the Bentley Generals. I actually followed a SR team in Lacombe back in the late 80's....after the original Generals had shut down. They had a top level SR team in Lacombe...known as the Merchants. I
|
|