NHL: Penguins and government officials reach "Impasse" over new arena
{{date|March 6, 2007}}
[[Image:Pittsburgh-pennsylvania-mellon-arena-2007.jpg|thumb|[[w:Mellon Arena|Mellon Arena]] is the smallest and oldest arena in the [[w:National Hockey League|National Hockey League]]]]
The [[w:Pittsburgh Penguins|Pittsburgh Penguins]] future in [[w:Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh]] is skating on thin ice after owners [[w:Ron Burke|Ron Burke]] and [[w:Mario Lemieux|Mario Lemieux]] sent a letter Wednesday addressed to [[w:Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] Governer [[w:Ed Rendell|Ed Rendell]], [[w:Alleghney County|Alleghney County]] Executive Officer [[w:Dan Onorato|Dan Onorato]], and Pittsburgh Mayor [[w:Luke Ravenstahl|Luke Ravenstahl]], stating that the organization was prepared to "aggressively explore relocation", after reaching what the organization called an "impasse." This threat came just three days after Rendell expressed his belief that a new arena deal was close. 

Lemieux and Burke visited [[w:Kansas City|Kansas City]] on January 4, 2007 to explore possibly moving the team if a new arena deal in Pittsburgh could not be reached. The offer from Kansas City includes free rent of the $276 million [[w:Sprint Center|Sprint Center]], which is still under construction. The Penguins would be asked to pay $2.86 million per year to rent a proposed arena in Pittsburgh, better than the orignial offer of $4 million a year, including $1.16 million each year in naming rights, along with an upfront contribution of $8.5 million.

== External Links ==
*{{source|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07065/767027-61.stm 
|title= Text of the Penguins' letter to Rendell, Ravenstahl, and Onorato
|author= Mario Lemieux, Ron Burke
|pub=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
|date=March 6, 2007}}

== Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07065/767027-61.stm 
|title= Text of the Penguins' letter to Rendell, Ravenstahl, and Onorato
|author= Mario Lemieux, Ron Burke
|pub=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
|date=March 6, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_496304.html 
|title= Pens renew threat to leave
|author=Andrew Conte
|pub=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
|date=March 6, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07065/767149-61.stm
|title= Penguins arena negotiations on thin ice
|author=Mark Belko
|pub=Pittsburgh Post Gazette
|date=March 6, 2007}}

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[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Kansas]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:National Hockey League]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Ice hockey]]
Mellon Arena is the smallest and oldest arena in the National Hockey League
The Pittsburgh Penguins future in Pittsburgh is skating on thin ice after owners Ron Burke and Mario Lemieux sent a letter Wednesday addressed to Pennsylvania Governer Ed Rendell, Alleghney County Executive Officer Dan Onorato, and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, stating that the organization was prepared to "aggressively explore relocation", after reaching what the organization called an "impasse." This threat came just three days after Rendell expressed his belief that a new arena deal was close. 

Lemieux and Burke visited Kansas City on January 4, 2007 to explore possibly moving the team if a new arena deal in Pittsburgh could not be reached. The offer from Kansas City includes free rent of the $276 million Sprint Center, which is still under construction. The Penguins would be asked to pay $2.86 million per year to rent a proposed arena in Pittsburgh, better than the orignial offer of $4 million a year, including $1.16 million each year in naming rights, along with an upfront contribution of $8.5 million.

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North America United States Pennsylvania Kansas Sports National Hockey League Pittsburgh Ice hockey