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A few of Canada’s greatest identified Dragons’ Den stars, together with a pair of energy siblings from Calgary, have joined a bunch making an possession bid for the Ottawa Senators.
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4 Dragons — Arlene Dickinson, Robert Herjavec, Wes Corridor and Manjit Minhas, alongside along with her brother Ravinder — are working with the bid group that already contains celeb rapper/actor Snoop Dogg, comic Russell Peters and Olympian Donovan Bailey.
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“Ravinder Minhas and I are thrilled to affix the bid for the Ottawa Senators NHL crew,” Manjit Minhas confirmed on Twitter Monday night.
A number of hours earlier, a Enterprise Wire information launch revealed the names of the newest high-profile Canadians which might be changing into a part of the Neko Sparks Group bid for the crew.
“Manjit Minhas and Ravinder Minhas have intensive expertise in constructing international liquor manufacturers, leisure content material and big supporters of variety in sports activities and enterprise,” mentioned Sparks, a Los Angeles-based producer who’s aiming to create the primary Black-led possession group within the NHL.
Within the information launch, Corridor mentioned: “Supporting a BIPOC-led bid is every part for me. This is able to be a big and historic transfer and I’m proud to be bringing hearth to the ice.”
Calgary native Dickinson added, “I’m simply so excited for this. Neko’s imaginative and prescient and dedication are simple to get behind. We’re ‘in’ with our capital, and naturally our dedication to the Ottawa Senators.”
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Sparks mentioned the worth these 5 new buyers convey to the bid is “invaluable,” praising Dickinson as an iconic entrepreneur who’s had important success in advertising and investing. Corridor is among the nation’s most influential businesspeople, whereas Herjavec has intensive buyer and knowledge analytic expertise, Sparks famous within the information launch.
The Ottawa Citizen reported final week that Quebec First Nation neighborhood Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg confirmed it was endorsing the Sparks bid. The neighborhood has a land declare on LeBreton Flats, one of many areas the place the Senators are contemplating constructing a brand new area.
Final March, Senators proprietor Eugene Melnyk died, leaving the crew to 2 daughters. In November, the Senators Sports activities & Leisure board of administrators mentioned the membership could be offered. Might 15 was the deadline to submit buy bids, of which there have been reportedly 4, the Citizen reported.
The Citizen additionally mentioned Monday that actor Ryan Reynolds has shut the door on proudly owning the Senators.
Sources near the Vancouver-born actor instructed Postmedia Monday different teams concerned within the bidding course of have reached out to Reynolds within the final week and he’s turned down presents to be a part of different teams, in accordance with hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch. Reynolds had been a part of a possible bid together with Markham-based developer Chris Bratty and the Remington Group.
As Postmedia first reported, Toronto businessmen Michael Andlauer, Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, and Steve Apostolopoulos, together with Neko Sparks, submitted bids ultimately Monday’s deadline.
The expectation is a profitable bidder will likely be determined by New York-based banker Galatioto Sports activities Companions, the Melnyk property and the Nationwide Hockey league someday this week, mentioned the Citizen.