North Stars Talking About Move

MINNEAPOLIS —  The owners of the Minnesota North Stars are prepared to move the NHL franchise, possibly to Oakland, unless $15 million in improvements are made to Met Center and there is an increase in financial support from the corporate community.

“We need those things to stay,” North Stars co-owner Gordon Gund said Tuesday.

“We’re not looking to make a good deal better. But this just isn’t an attractive opportunity the way things are right now.”

Gund said what is being asked for isn’t a threat: “We don’t threaten. That’s not our style. We’re just saying that’s where it is.”

Whether the North Stars remain in Minnesota might well be decided by Feb. 21. That’s the next scheduled meeting date of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, which owns Met Center and has leased the building to Gordon and George Gund, the brothers who own the North Stars and the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

“We have to know by then if we’re going to get the improvements so we can plan for the 1990-91 season,” said Gordon Gund.

The Met Center improvements the Gunds are seeking include building a larger lobby, adding at least 20 more executive sky-boxes to the 20 already in place, expanding restaurant facilities and replacing all of the seats in the 15,093 seat arena.

Bill Lester, executive director of the commission, said no formal proposal has been received from the Gunds, although discussions between the commission and the North Stars have been taking place. But Lester, who is attending a stadium managers seminar in Point Clear, Ala., didn’t sound optimistic about the improvements being made.

“For the $15 million in improvements the North Stars have been talking about, I think we’d be hard-pressed to approve,” Lester said.

He said the commission would have to analyze the long-term benefit to the commission if improvements were made and that can’t be done without a formal proposal. Gordon Gund said such a proposal should be in the commission’s hands shortly.

Lester said the current lease between the commission and the North Stars calls for the commission to receive 2 percent of all gross revenues generated at Met Center from both hockey and non-hockey sources. Lester said the North Stars receive all revenues from gate receipts as well as from advertising, parking and concessions. The lease has been in effect for about four years and has another 16 years to go, plus two five-year options. Lester said the lease allows the North Stars to leave whenever they desire.

“Compared with most leases,” Lester said, “it’s an excellent lease for the North Stars.”

Gordon Gund said he and his brother have heard from a number of cities that would like to have the franchise. Gordon Gund said a likely relocation spot would be Oakland.

“Where we want to be is in Minnesota,” he said. “But the Bay Area and Oakland are certainly a possibility. My brother lives in San Francisco and that’s a major factor.”

Daniel Finnane, president of the Golden State Warriors of the NBA, said the North Stars initiated “exploratory” talks about joining the Warriors in an Oakland arena. The Warriors currently play in the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, but plans are in the designing phase for a 20,000-seat arena with executive suites included.

“I can only confirm that they have an interest in the situation here, as I hear they do in other geographical areas,” said Finnane.

Gordon Gund did not say what other areas have expressed interest in the North Stars.