Report: Balsillie still interested in buying Predators

NASHVILLE -- Is Jim Balsillie back as a possible owner of the Nashville Predators?

Balsillie, who tried to buy the Predators earlier this year, said in a letter sent by a representative that he's willing to buy the team without changing the team's lease with the city-owned Nashville Arena, where the team plays its games.

The letter, sent to the Metro Sports Authority on Friday, was reported by The Tennessean.

"The existing arena operating agreements will require no changes whatsoever unless they benefit the Authority and the residents of Nashville," Bo Roberts, a longtime Nashville public relations consultant, wrote to the sports authority.

Balsillie tried the buy the team from Craig Leipold in May, but the deal fell apart amidst charges Balsillie was going to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario.

"After having had extensive discussions with him, I am completely convinced that Mr. Balsillie's understanding of the Nashville market at that time was incorrect, and that Mr. Balsillie recognizes that," Roberts wrote in his letter, quoted by The Tennessean. "He is now committed to Nashville as a viable hockey market, one in which he strongly desires to own a franchise; and that he will commit the resources that are necessary to lead to a Stanley Cup for the Predators and Nashville. He is also keenly aware of the recent outpouring of support of the Predators by the community, and our concrete expressions that hockey and the Predators are important to Nashville."

A group of Nashville-area business people are talking to the city about changing the lease to make a purchase of the team work financially. The letter sent by Roberts on behalf of Balsillie says those changes aren't necessary and he will raise the franchise's early-exit fee to $75 million, minus annual operating losss.

Kevin Lavender, the sports authority's chairman, told The Tennessean that the letter was "intriguing." He also noted that the local Nashville group has exclusive negotiating rights with Leipold through Oct. 31.

The letter also said that Balsillie would be open to having local partners as part of the wonership group.

"Specifically, he would welcome the participation of the local investors in the Freeman Group, who have so diligently worked to keep the Predators in Nashville," the letter said.

Source: ESPN.com