Canalta/SMG/Tigers/City Lease Situation

The Miscommunication Continues

Tigers Release on their Facebook Page

SMG & Tigers reach deal on Fri. Apr. 1st. WHL, SMG & Tigers reviewed & agreed to written contract Mon. Apr. 4, document awaiting signatures

Tigers will make further comment at the appropriate time

SMG/City Reponse

http://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2016/04/06/lease-or-no-lease/

A late afternoon response from acting chief administrator and public services commissioner Karen Charlton briefly described talks between the Western Hockey League team and SMG-Canada, the facility operator and lead city negotiator.

It seemed to contradict the statement from the team that “a deal had been reached Friday, April 1,” between SMG and the team.

“The Medicine Hat Tigers have presented a final proposed licence (lease) agreement to SMG,” Charlton’s brief statement read.

“SMG and the city are currently reviewing the document to ensure the agreement is fair to both the team and city taxpayers and accurately reflects discussions since last week.”

Thoughts

 I find it odd that the Tigers are drafting legal documents and having Canalta Review and sign. If your leasing a place, whether it's a car, or renting a building, it usually goes the opposite direction.

Nonetheless reading between the lines patterns are emerging here. I would put money on it that the Tigers past "agreements" in (June 2015), and (a couple weeks ago) followed a similar process. Verbal talks, Tigers draft a document, the City/SMG reviews their proposal and deems it not acceptable. The Tigers balked saying they had a deal in place. SMG says no that was a proposal we can't accept.

Seeing as the deadline is(Tomorrow) Thursday, if we don't hear a signed lease agreement by the end of thursday. We may see this turn into a nightmare situation, which I really hope doesn't play out.

This Pre-Release also seems like a political move to gain favor of the public. Announcing contract deals before they are 100% completed is poor manners.