clarinews@clarinet.com (02/04/90)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (UPI) -- George and Gordon Gund say they have no choice but to consider moving the Minnesota North Stars. ``Our financial backs are against the wall,'' the brothers said in a letter to the ``Sound Off'' column of the Sunday St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch. The Gunds, who also own the NBA franchise in Cleveland, defended their demands made earlier in the week for $15 million in improvements to Met Center, the home of the North Stars in Bloomington. ``We're not at all happy that the situation has gotten to the point here leaving Minnesota has become an attractive alternative to doing business here,'' they said. The Gunds, who have asked the NHL for permission to move to Oakland, said the franchise has been losing money since 1985 and the loss last season was nearly $7 million. They projected a loss of up to $4.5 million this year. ``These are cash losses which we have funded from out own pockets,'' they said. ``No team can sustain losses at these levels.'' The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, which owns Met Center, insists it doesn't have the money to make the improvements, including better seating, more luxury suites and general updating of concession areas and restroom facilities. The Gunds have rejected an offer from the Minnesota Timberwolves to move to the new basketball arena in downtown Minneapolis. Even though they would pay no rent for three years, the brothers said they would get no money from parking and suites and very little from concessions. ``We would lose twice as much money downtown as we are now losing at Met Center,'' they said. The Gunds said they need more support from fans and coporate sponsors but they got none in other comments in the ``Sound Off'' column. ``Don't let the North Stars blackmail Minnesota,'' said Mike Schadauer, of Minneapolis. ``Let them move to Oakland. Let them find that winning is even more important in an area that doesn't care about hockey.'' He said fans are telling the Gunds ``that years of incompetent management and sloppy, brawl-filled play don't hold the entertainment value of NBA or college basketball and college hockey.'' Perry Miller, of St. Paul, said the team may be only a trade or two away from becoming a real contender but, he said, ``unfortunately it may be too late to do anything to save this team.'' ``Let `em go,'' said Chris Campbell, of Inver Grove Heights. ``Let's hear it for the Oakland North Stars.''