The future of the BCHL Quesnel Millionaires franchise in Quesnel is in jeopardy, an anonymous source close to the team said.
Rumours regarding the future of the Millionaires have been circulating for more than a week now and have made their way to city hall.
“I’ve heard the rumours,” Quesnel city councillor Ron Paull said.
The decision regarding the future of the Mills in Quesnel rests in part with what the city and the Cariboo Regional District have to say Tuesday evening during an information session on the proposed Mutli-Centre, the source said. However, speaking notes provided to city council for the Multi-Centre information session did not include a reference to the Mills, Paull noted.
The departure of the Millionaires would have a noticeable impact on the local economy.
Each BCHL team contributes, on average, $3 million in economic activity to their host communities, Kit Collins, fundraiser with the Mills, said.
The Sandman Inn is one local business that would feel a serious crunch if the Mills do not lace up for the 2011 – 2012 season.
Excluding the playoffs, visiting BCHL teams generated $15,000 in room revenue for the Sandman Inn and another $10,000 in revenue from Denny’s.
“That represents 160 room nights and 10 full work days for one person,” Rob Moutray, Sandman Inn general manager, said.
The Mills are also an important source of revenue for the city in terms of fees for ice-time at the Vault.
“The Millionaires contract is for $30,000/year,” Matt Wood, communications supervisor for the city of Quesnel, said.
The fee includes practices, home games, exhibition games, hockey school and spring camp.
Playoff games are extra and add $5,311.75 to the city coffers, Woods said.
The impact of a defunct Quesnel Millionaires team would not be restricted to Quesnel. Should the Mills fold, the Prince George Spruce Kings would be the only BCHL team remaining in north-central B.C. and that, Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes said, could affect the team’s bottom line.
“It may increase our travel costs and other things,” Hawes said.
“We would have to juggle our budgets.”
The current owners group includes Bob Sales, Marj Sales, Ron Lucas, Ken Richardson, Colin Keis, Karen Keis, Brad Kotzer, Dan Kuzek, Tim Kirkham, Mirko Pellizzarri, Carole Holtzman, Terry Scanlan, Denise Mufford, Gary Inwood, Kit Collins and Gary Collins.
They purchased the Mills prior to the 2009 – 2010 season, “to keep the team in Quesnel,” president of the Quesnel Millionaires hockey club, Bob Sales said at the midway point of the 2009 – 2010 season.
“That was our idea, to keep the team here. We didn’t want the team to disappear.”
Two years later there is a real possibility the Quesnel Millionaires may disappear.
To be viable, the team has said they need to have at least 800 fans in the stands.
Following the unexpected push into the second round of the playoffs, the Mills managed to sell 500 season tickets for the 2010 – 2011 season, still short of their goal of 750.
The Gold Pan City benefits in other ways from the presence of the Mills.
The players visit local schools, help out in hockey camps and other sports activities in the community and serve as role models for young hockey players.
The Mills also participate in fundraising for local community groups, including the Teddy Bear Toss, Good Cheer and the local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter.
Bob Sales and Dave Sales, executive director with the BCHL, have not returned phone calls.
For more on this story as it unfolds watch Friday’s Observer and online at www.quesnelobserver.com.