Sounds like the Florida Panthers are getting some traction with their request for financial assistance from Broward County.
From the Sun-Sentinel:
Broward rejected the hockey club’s last two requests for more public funds, and hoteliers and coastal cities opposed the diversion of tourist taxes away from beach renourishment and tourism marketing.
But county officials view the new request more favorably, saying it directs public money into the county-owned arena itself, not to the hockey team. The Panthers organization lost $36 million last year, and $27.3 million the year before, according to a county consultant’s analysis.
The new deal requires the team to return the county’s money should it file bankruptcy or leave.
While the NHL has been adamant that the Panthers have stable ownership and are not a candidate for relocation, that hasn’t stopped the club from leveraging the possibility of leaving in past negotiations with the county.
The newspaper’s story has all the details of the proposed new deal, which would run through 2028.
The deal will be debated by county commissioners on Tuesday.