A last ditch effort to keep the West Kelowna Warriors where they are is underway.
Alex Draper, the team乌鸦传媒檚 director of business operations, is among a group of dedicated locals putting their time toward drumming up interest for a new ownership coalition.
乌鸦传媒淲e have a couple irons in the fire, but we need more investors,乌鸦传媒� said Draper, who started the effort in earnest last week.
乌鸦传媒淧eople started expressing interest and we thought, 乌鸦传媒榣et乌鸦传媒檚 do what we can then we can look in the mirror and say we did the best we could.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
In addition to private investors looking into the feasibility of a group-ownership plan, Draper said they乌鸦传媒檝e also had support from the City of West Kelowna.
Bob Kusch, West Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 Parks, Recreation and Culture Manager, on Tuesday submitted a report, that recommended council approve the application of 乌鸦传媒淗ome of the 2016 RBC Cup Champions乌鸦传媒� decals on all city vehicles should the West Kelowna Warriors remain.
乌鸦传媒溛谘淮溅They are seeking support from the city to express pride and support for the franchise and recognize the teams乌鸦传媒� achievements,乌鸦传媒� read Kusch乌鸦传媒檚 report.
乌鸦传媒淭he new proposed ownership group believes, that by doing so, the city would assist in their efforts to increase the fan base.乌鸦传媒�
Draper said that乌鸦传媒檚 just the tip of the iceberg. The city has also told them it乌鸦传媒檚 open to releasing advertising space to the team in Royal LePage Place that could offer an additional revenue stream.
乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e told us, 乌鸦传媒榃e want you guys here,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 said Draper.
Draper acknowledges that keeping the team local isn乌鸦传媒檛 going to be easy, but there乌鸦传媒檚 precedence with three community-owned teams in the league.
乌鸦传媒淔or these teams local investment has come together and they have a local board that can pass laws and that kind of thing,乌鸦传媒� he said.
While the specifics are far from being hammered out, Draper said it乌鸦传媒檚 clear there乌鸦传媒檚 a contingent of hockey-minded residents who want it to happen and he wants to help.
乌鸦传媒淭he other day a 10-year-old in Kelowna minor hockey come up to me and ask, 乌鸦传媒榠f the Warriors leave am I still a Warrior?乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 he said.
乌鸦传媒淵ou hear that kind of thing and you have to do what you can.乌鸦传媒�
The plan to move the team to Delta is still moving ahead, but Draper said that if something happens to keep the team local the current owner would support it.
乌鸦传媒淗e always wanted to keep the team here, the three or four years he was selling it we hoped it was going to be to a local investor,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Warriors乌鸦传媒� owner Mark Cheyne signed a letter of intent to transfer ownership of the club to a Delta businessman last month, with the move subject to approval by the league乌鸦传媒檚 board of governors.
The team was a money-losing venture since moving to West Kelowna from Langley in 2006, Cheyne took over sole ownership of the club in 2009.
With an RBC Cup championship run last season, Cheyne hoped the club乌鸦传媒檚 financial fortunes would finally take a turn for the better. But with community support for the team and attendance remaining stagnant this season, Cheyne said the writing was on the wall.
乌鸦传媒淲e were never even close to breaking even once and after awhile it乌鸦传媒檚 just no fun anymore,乌鸦传媒� Cheyne said. 乌鸦传媒淭he last few years, you look for that light at the end of the tunnel, and when we won it all last year, we hoped that would be it.
乌鸦传媒淚 was told once you get by Vernon, once you get by Penticton, once you win something big, it乌鸦传媒檒l turn around,乌鸦传媒� Cheyne added. 乌鸦传媒淏ut the light at the end never came.乌鸦传媒�
To get in touch with Draper email alex@westkelowna.ca.
