The new collective bargaining agreement signed between National Hockey League players and owners means the growing sentiment in Winnipeg isn’t if the Jets team will return, but when.

The Manitoba capital has been without NHL hockey for more than nine years. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, however, it appears the stars are finally falling into alignment for a return of the game.

First, there was the construction of the city’s $133.5-million state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex, the almost one-year-old MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

Second, the new collective bargaining agreement’s “hard cap,” which ties expenses to revenues, eliminates or, at least, significantly lessens the unlevel playing field between large- and small-market teams. It allows the likes of the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary
Flames to get into the free agent game as never before.

Third, there is a growing belief among some of Winnipeg’s wealthiest movers and shakers that the city needs a team to solidify the momentum and growth built up since the
Jets fled for Phoenix in the spring of 1996.

More important, many of the same high rollers — who would undoubtedly have to own any relocating team — are in much better financial shape than a decade ago.

First, there are the Chipmans, owners of the American Hockey League’s Manitoba
Moose. The family has openly mused about buying an NHL team if the opportunity arose. It has become one of the city’s wealthiest families, largely on the back of its car dealership empire. The Chipmans spearheaded the MTS Centre, which is credited with almost single-handedly revitalizing Winnipeg’s downtown.

The two top dogs, the Richardson and Asper families, have diversified their family business interests and in the process have become considerably bigger players. In the past few years, the Richardsons have re-entered the financial services business with
Richardson Partners Financial Ltd. , while Richardson Financial Group launched a $325-million private equity fund. The Aspers, meanwhile, have become the owners of the largest media company in the country.


Canadian Business magazine places the Richardsons 24th on its Top 100 list of the wealthiest Canadians with $1.25 billion, while the Aspers aren’t far behind, in 31st spot with $1.09 billion.

Other notable growth spurts include Great-West Lifeco Inc. and IGM Financial Inc. , dominant companies in insurance and financial services, respectively, and Wellington
West Capital Inc. , which was once a one-office brokerage but is now a national firm managing more than $6 billion in assets.

However, it is not enough to buy a hockey team; there must also be fans willing to fork out the dough to support it. Preliminary number crunching suggests season tickets would cost about $2,000, or $50-$70 a seat each game, more than double what Jets tickets cost in 1996. That year, the team’s payroll was $17 million and it ended up $25 million in the red. Then there is the cost of parking, hotdogs, beer and souvenirs.

If the latest economic news is any indication, though, there may be enough Winnipeggers who can afford it. The housing market is red hot, the population is growing, the unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the country and the workforce is increasing faster than the national average.

The Winnipeg Real Estate Board announced last month that house sales through its
Multiple Listing Service hit the $1-billion mark six weeks earlier than ever before.
“Every single month this year we’ve been breaking records,” says Ruthe Penner, president of the WREB.

Another positive sign is that, for the first time in the city’s history, the luxury home segment — those worth more than $300,000 — is outselling the $40,000-and-under price range, she adds.

As well, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. predicts Manitoba will be the only province in Canada to see increases in housing construction this year and next.

“What we’re dealing with is a great deal of pent-up demand. Essentially, we’re looking at trying to get growth in our housing stock to match our growth in population,” says
Dianne Himbeault, senior market analyst for CMHC.

Here’s hoping that population includes a few dozen NHL players in the not-too-distant future. IE