RSL to be sold?

deedougie · Jan 29, 2007

Reports today say that RSL is done in Salt Lake...Any news about them possibly moving to Rochester?

SoccerPrime · Jan 30, 2007

Re: RSL sold - Any news in Rochester?

This is an inaccurate thread title and article.

Actual quote from RSL owner Dave Checketts:
Checketts also refuted the claim that he will sell the team by Friday. "I said I could have a buyer by Friday," said Checketts, saying that he will weigh all of his options, and has not yet decided to sell the team. The RSL owner refused to comment on whether he had received offers, or what other markets might be interested. He has not set a deadline for his decision.

Here is the real story:
http://rsldeuce.blogspot.com/2007/01/checketts-offered-to-make-up-7m.html

drew_VT_6 · Jan 30, 2007

deedougie said: ↑

Reports today say that RSL is done in Salt Lake...Any news about them possibly moving to Rochester?
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No...no.

drew_VT_6 · Jan 31, 2007

By the way, here's what I posted in the RSL Stadium Deal is Dead thread:

drew_VT_6 said: ↑

Kenn- Good questions.

Well one positive thing that has occured in the past week is that the Rhinos have added Rhinos fan and Shopping Mall mogul, Chris Wilmot as an owning investor in the team. However, it's unclear what type of $$ (or $$$$$$) he brings to the table. And, money is the biggest issue, as the Rhinos struggled to pay their players and staff last year after stadium operating costs. The stadium contractor who was supposed to continue working on the stadium over the course of the season actually walked off the job once his tab got too long. It's part of why Frank DuRoss sold the Baby-Bruins (Providence AHL team) and it's why they brought in two new investors this off-season.

Also, they did not get the full allotment of the state funding for the stadium. PaeTec Park in it's current form is really only a $10-$15million dollar stadium with close to $5million of that coming from the owners. The were supposed to get another $16million from NY state, but the amount that was to be allocated by the Governors office, $8million, was never released and will not likely ever be released by the new state governor. Consequently, Phase II of PTP will only really be a $20-$23million stadium.

Right now, they use a modified construction trailer for locker rooms, they had plastic picket fences between the unsheltered "luxury boxes" that had folding chairs for seats and they just covered the press box in time for the Section V fall playoffs in October (is it heated yet? I don't know).

The Rhinos played in a shell of a stadium last year and they really need to invest at least another $10million in it beyond the state funding, to make it a viable MLS stadium.

Then, they would have to come up with an I/O group that has the cash to splash down for whatever expansion/relocation fee they agree on with MLS FO.

All this from an organization that is currently cash poor.

Based on what SoccerSam, who is very close to the situation says, the ownership could come up with the money, once they get to a point where they're ready to head in that direction. But where that influx is going to come from is anyone's guess.
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