Were the Hockey Gods Looking Over Us When They Gave Us Mr. Vinik?

When Mr. Vinik took over ownership of the Lightning he did something that no other owner had done since this team was born in 1992 (sorry Phil). He took over a team with pride and he added commitment, insight, dedication to the community, the fans, the players and he committed his own money.

This past summer he refurbished the rink with $40,000,000 with his own funds. Now that is no chump change. He transformed an unfinished arena into a thing of pride for the first time, 15 years after it first opened.

Now he is taking it to an all new level.....attempting to save Channelside. After reading the below article we can now see that he not only wants to transform and change Channelside, but he wants to make this area a "World Class" entrainment area.

He wants to transform Channelside into restaurants and housing. He wants to take the failed vision of Mr. Davidson and transform the first level of the west parking garage into the retail stores and restaurants. He wants to develop the parking area next to the garage and the Tamp History Museum.

Thank you Mr. Vinik for your vision. When I came to this area in 1973 the area known as Channelside was a waste of property, in an area that I knew from playing along the Great Lakes and their rivers, could be a thing of gold for this area.

I hope you get the chance to make this all happen. Then it will be time for your next play..........a stadium for the Rays. We will then have a year round mega for two of our major sports teams and their fans.

And who can say a community should not help support a vision with tax dollars when they all can take advantage of the return.

You get my vote.

http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-ne...nel-ar-394953/

[Hoek]

Yeah the plans sound incredible. There was another article with more details that escapes me now. This could be an amazing thing for the city.

[Sotnos]

This sounds really cool.

[Coldrice]

Damn right they were looking over us. And, although unpopular as he is... Gary Bettman. He could have mediated the transition to new owners with anyone (Sansone, Hulsizer, Ice Edge, some other fly-by-night group) after the Clown Show. Now he'll never admit it publicly, but he went to great lengths to find our White Knight knowing full that this market is one of the crown jewels in the Non Traditional Markets. Firm footing for quite some time.

A hundred fold more relevant than those rejects to the Southeast of us and their goof-ass group... moreso than PHX too.

Forever thankful.

[thefly]

this guy is just great.

[Top Shelf]

Originally Posted by Coldrice

Damn right they were looking over us. And, although unpopular as he is... Gary Bettman. He could have mediated the transition to new owners with anyone (Sansone, Hulsizer, Ice Edge, some other fly-by-night group) after the Clown Show. Now he'll never admit it publicly, but he went to great lengths to find our White Knight knowing full that this market is one of the crown jewels in the Non Traditional Markets. Firm footing for quite some time.

A hundred fold more relevant than those rejects to the Southeast of us and their goof-ass group... moreso than PHX too.

Forever thankful.

Well said as usual, rice...