Private bill would give immunity to Quebecor contract for new arena

[CHIMO]

QUEBEC — The Quebec National Assembly was abuzz Tuesday over a bill that has not been presented that would shield from legal challenges a contract to manage a new hockey arena — not yet built — for a team the National Hockey League has said repeatedly it has no intention transferring to the city.

Perhaps the catalyst was a news story that the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers are about to be transferred to Winnipeg.

Like Quebec City, Winnipeg is a medium-size Canadian city that lost its NHL team and has been yearning for its return.

In response, the Quebec City daily Le Soleil pitched the possibility the Florida Panthers, like the Trashers, a sunbelt NHL team playing in an empty arena, could become “les nouveaux Nordiques,” replacing the NHL team that left for Colorado in 1995.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Bill+would+give+immunity+Quebecor+contract+arena/4799357/story.html