Dan Friedkin the man behind NHL to Houston

[LT]

Fertita won't be thrilled, but I think Houston can support two arenas.

I think Fertitta would work out a deal with another ownership group if the alternative is a new arena elsewhere in the city. He's not that stupid, he just doesn't want to pay the expansion fee.

 

[TheLegend]

Also because Sarver didn't want to go from 50% control/revenue of Footprint down to 50/50 with the NHL team on a new arena.
From what I have seen of Toyota Center, they have the square footage (though the playing surface is like Seattle where it's like 20 feet or something below the ground as Alexander didn't want the fans to walk up stairs to the arena like most other places. But, as long as you have the square footage, you should be able to renovate to accommodate the latest revenue trends/sources. Another factor is also transit/parking of the current facility to wherever other option you may have in mind.

if this Friedkin person is looking to build another arena in the same area with private money, it's probably going to be a new Entertainment District, like LA Kings arena was or what the GS Warriors did with Chase and redevelop the blocks around the arena.

I think you meant the Suns have full control of the arena. Which they do.

 

[StreetHawk]

I think you meant the Suns have full control of the arena. Which they do.

Sorry, that is what I meant. They had 100% control. So better to maintain that in a renovated arena than drop to 50% on a new one.

 

[eojsmada]

Something tells me he'll be too busy to care a whole lot sometime in the near future.

That would make sense as to why a 2nd owner conveniently comes on the scene

 

[dj4aces]

That would make sense as to why a 2nd owner conveniently comes on the scene

Friedman mentioned a second owner during one of the 32 Thoughts podcasts last year, while discussing Atlanta and Anson Carter's press release. At the time, he didn't seem to know who that second group was, just that one existed.

I think many believed Fertitta would be the end-all be-all to own any NHL franchise in Houston because he controls the only building in town. But if Friedkin is willing to pay what the league wants and build a new barn, he pretty much ticks all the boxes the league is looking for in an owner. I don't see how Fertitta can compete with that, even if he hadn't been nominated to be the next US ambassador to Italy.