DS Talk » help bowl Pakistan A out for 277 and gain Sri Lanka A a firs

EDMONTON -- The on-again-off-again deal to build a new rink for the Edmonton Oilers is on -- again. City councillors and the Edmonton Oilers agreed Wednesday to split the cost of the final $30 million needed to green light the wavy-shaped steel-and-glass structure in the citys downtown in time for the 2016-17 NHL season. "This has been a long and difficult process," Mayor Stephen Mandel told councillors. "We need to make sure that we build a city that attracts and retains the younger generation." Construction is to start next spring and the city plans to pay off some of its debt through increased tax revenues from shops and businesses expected to spring up around the arena. The total cost, including the rink and surrounding infrastructure, comes in at $604.5 million. Under the arrangement, the Oilers are to pay $161.5 million, the city $279 million and another $125 million is to come from a ticket tax. Last week, Mandel and political leaders from surrounding regions voted to seek another $25 million from the province under a regional grant program. The city says it will seek an additional $14 million in grants for a community rink attached to the project. "The result today is a landmark agreement that enables our city to move forward in an enormously positive way," said Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz, who was not at Wednesdays council meeting, but spoke with reporters via speaker phone. The decision saves a resurrected deal agreed to by council and Katz in January, but which had slipped into limbo after Premier Alison Redfords government refused to provide $100 million. Redford and her predecessor Ed Stelmach never promised any direct funding, but city council struck the deal in January anyway, hoping the money would come through somehow. When it didnt, councillors scrambled to find alternative sources for the cash. Last month, they voted to use $45 million in provincial infrastructure grant money. On Wednesday they changed that plan. They now expect that money to accrue from increased tax revenues around the arena. Political leaders from the capital region narrowly voted last week to back an application for the $25-million provincial grant. That left $30 million. Half of the remainder is to come from Katz and the city expects the other half to be recouped from increased tax revenues arising from the development. The deal has divided Edmontonians into those who want public dollars to go to the arena, those who dont and those who are OK with public money, but say the deal is far too lopsided in Katzs favour. Last week, Mandel got into an argument with hecklers in council chambers, who demanded he put the arena on a plebiscite. The city is to build and own the arena and pay for all major repairs and renovations. The Oilers, in turn, are to pay $6 million a year in lease payments and pay for day-to-day arena upkeep. Katz is to keep all the profits from tickets, concessions and parking for all events -- Oilers-related or otherwise. Katz also is to receive $2 million a year from the city in return for advertising for 10 years and to keep naming rights for the building, estimated at $1 million to $3 million a year. In return, Katz has promised the Oilers will stay in Edmonton for 35 years. The vote was not unanimous. Coun. Kerry Diotte said the deal was poor for taxpayers when it was first struck in 2011 and is worse now. "This has morphed into a Frankenstein monster. Even the worst referee in the NHL could see this is way offside," Diotte told councillors. Coun. Tony Caterina agreed. He said no one knows for sure if the extra tax revenues from the arena will materialize. The risk tolerance for taxpayers, he said, is "way too high." Councils decision wrote what many hope will be the final chapter in what has become the citys longest-running soap opera. The deal has been talked about for seven years and been on a roller coaster for the last two. Councillors and Katz first shook hands in the fall of 2011, but the deal fell apart a year later when Katz demanded an extra $210 million from taxpayers and refused to meet with councillors in public to explain why. He also incurred wrath from fans and councillors when he began talks aimed at moving the team to Seattle. Katz eventually dropped the Seattle threat and the $210-million demand, and in January the two sides resurrected the deal, with Katz off the hook for major repairs to the facility. Katz -- a pharmacy billionaire who owns the Rexall chain of drugstores -- is currently tenant of Rexall Place, where the Oilers now play. Its an arena owned by an arms-length city board. Katz says the Oilers need wider revenue streams to be viable. He has said he is losing millions of dollars a year, but city council has not been allowed to see the teams books. The Oilers are ranked in the middle or higher among revenue-producing teams in the NHL. Wholesale Mariners Jerseys .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Stitched Mariners Jerseys . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Mariners Jerseys 2019 . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Seattle Mariners Gear . Newcastle dominated in the early stages but City weathered the storm and then raised its game in extra time. Negredo broke the deadlock from close range after a simple move in the 99th minute before Dzeko took the ball round goalkeeper Tim Krul to seal the victory in the 105th. Sri Lanka A 299 (Udawatte 64, Hasan 4-63) and 131 ( Azizullah 4-21, Nawaz 4-31) beat Pakistan A 277 (Nawaz 68) and 120 (Asitha 5-33, Pathirana 3-27) by 33 runs Scorecard Asitha Fernando, who was Sri Lankas leading wicket-taker in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, claimed seven wickets on first-class debut, including five in the last innings, to secure a slim victory for Sri Lanka A in Leicester. The result meant Sri Lanka A went 1-0 up in the two-match series against Pakistan A in England.Seamer Asitha returned 2 for 42 in the first innings to help bowl Pakistan A out for 277 and gain Sri Lanka A a first-innings lead of 22 runs. Spin-bowling allrounders Ashan Priyanjan and Sachith Pathirana also took two wickets each, after a 104-run partnership for the third wicket between Mahela Udawatte (64) and Roshen Silva (48) had underpinned Sri Lanka As total of 299.Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Naawaz made half-centuries for Pakistan A, but the rest of the batsmen fell away.dddddddddddd From 190 for 4, Pakistan A were dismissed for 277 in 88 overs.Nawaz then starred with the ball as well, as he and seamer Azizullah picked up four wickets each to skittle Sri Lanka A for 131 and set Pakistan A a target of 154.Asitha combined with the other Fernando - Vishwa - and wiped out Pakistan As top order quickly, leaving them 35 for 5 at one stage. Ultimately they were bowled out for 120 in 46.5 overs. Asitha ended with figures of 5 for 33 in 9.5 overs. Barring opener Jaahid Ali (38) and wicketkeeper Mohammad Hasan (24), who came in at No. 9, no Pakistan A batsman managed to pass 20.The two teams will meet again in the second four-day match at Worcester, starting July 10. ' ' '