Pittsburgh's NHL Team Seeks New Arena Funded by Slots License Hopefuls
Allegheny County Sports and Exhibition Authority is currently offering land and development rights in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to any slots license hopeful committing to construct a new, multipurpose arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mayor Tom Murphy, Mayor-elect Bob O'Connor and county Executive Dan Onorato have already expressed their support for the initiative.
The reason behind the new initiative is the Pittsburgh Penguins' need to replace Mellon arena. The facility was opened back in 1961, and first served as the home of the city Civic Light Opera. Currently, it is the smallest and oldest venue in the NHL. If the team does not obtain a new building sometime soon, it may consider moving to another city with modern facilities. Therefore, Pittsburgh officials are trying their best to prevent the Penguins from leaving the city.
The initiative was timed to coincide with the state Gaming Control Board's December 28th deadline to submit applications for a license to operate slot machines in Pittsburgh. Authority Chairman Mark Schneider was reported as saying that the authority is willing to cooperate on the new arena with any potential applicant. Thus far, it is unclear whether or not the hockey team will stay in Pittsburgh.
