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A court order due to arena debt - Is this the end for Slovan? |
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The end might be near for KHL's Bratislava ''Slovan'' team. Local government has issued a court order due to the team's debt that has reached nearly 1 million euros for Arena rent.
The city has warned that they are ready to cease the ''Ondrej Nepela'' arena's lease if debts are not repaid. Local council would rather rent the ice for local youth clubs as well as other events.
''Headquarters led by Mayor Matus Vall, in conjunction with STaRZ, is running a series of alternative measures regarding the future of rent and how to use the arena. If Slovan does not pay its debt in the near future, but no later than at the beginning of the new season, one of the possibilities is to terminate all lease agreements with HC Slovan and to use spaces for other cultural and sporting events.'' said a statement.
STaRZ is a company that oversees all the arena operations and revealed that they tried to avoid court but Slovan would not react accordingly.
Hockeybuzz reached out to a KHL executive who said that Slovan is in a very bad state as of right now. He wouldn't comment on if the team had any debts towards their players but acknowledged that the team can't operate the way it has been for the past few years.
''We're strongly considering all the possible options, but whatever happens - unless there is a change in ownership Slovan is unlikely to gain access to play in the KHL.'' the executive said.
There's no secret that at least one or two teams that aren't performing to the highest standards of the new KHL's business development plan will be deducted. Right now - the team is clearly making it easy for the league to decide on who's going to be leaving the league this summer.
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