The World Hockey Association (WHA) appears to in a shambles with allegations of financial mismanagement, the loss of its Osoyoos team due to outstanding ice time bills, and the alienation of its Lumby team due to an alleged refusal to pay for play-off travel expenses.
But Mayor Ian Sutherland said that the WHA's Squamish Cougars team is in good standing.
A current bill, not yet due, shows the WHA's ice time fees total $7,000, but Sutherland said he's not worried.
"I don't think we have any great concerns about getting the money for the ice time," he said. "As far as I know, everything is being looked after on the ice time in a timely way."
Sutherland said team executives have "made no secret of the fact that they had a head office employee that caused them some challenges."
According to the Friday (Feb. 23) Globe and Mail Report on Business, Global Developments Inc., a Vancouver business, alleges that the WHA violated a shareholders' agreement and failed to repay a $277,000 loan. Global also asserts that the WHA company assets are "improperly co-mingled with the personal assets of WHA's president Smith."
In a press release statement, Ricky Smith vehemently denied the accusation, saying that the WHA has never been "party to an agreement or contract" with Global. He said the WHA therefore believes Global has no serious intention of pursuing a lawsuit and: "the lawsuit is merely a manoeuvre with some unknown and possible malicious intent."
Osoyoos Mayor John Slater said the town terminated the Spurs' arena deal because of the franchise's failure to pay.
"It's not fair to the taxpayers," he said.
Officials in other districts said they were unconcern, but a Lumby official said that the Fighting Saints are "a little bit behind" adding: "I hope that they are doing the right thing and if not I guess then maybe we have to look at other recourses."
Lumby fans and team members are angry with the WHA, however, according to a letter from Lumby resident Jim Summerfelt. Smith allegedly told team players they would have to pay for playoff travel expenses, so the Fighting Saints pulled out of the finals, according to Summerfelt.
"They said 'At least that way we go out winners,'" stated the letter. "This league, and the way it was ran, is very questionable."
Several Squamish residents are also angry with the way the WHA dealt with Cougars players, according to a letter signed by nine neighbours of players renting a house on Cheakamus Way.
"The parties, the noise, the street full of parked cars, the garbage, the beer cans and liquor bottles strewn in our ditches and smashed on our street, a shopping cart upside down in the ditch []" wrote the residents. "Let's make a policy: if the Squamish Cougar team is coming back next year thenthe players must be billeted out (preferably) or if they rent a house then they MUST have a team representative live with them as a chaperone."
Smith did not return calls from the Chief, but Cougars team manager Colleen Baldwin said throughout the season, she'd received and followed up on four complaints, which resulted in a one-game suspension for offending players. Baldwin said measures are in place to avoid a repeat of the problems next season.
"Absolutely next year billeting will be in place," said Baldwin. "Some parents had gone on their own to set up this house for them [the players]. It was not sanctioned by the league or team. Next year we won't allow it."
