COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The ongoing National Hockey League lockout could hurt businesses around the Blue Jackets' home arena in Columbus, but it's not expected to cost the county agency that owns the building under a deal arranged last year.
The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/PziPUW ) reports canceled games won't cost local taxpayers because the deal is structured so that revenue from concessions, parking and game tickets goes to the team, not the public entities involved. The plan allowing the team to play at Nationwide Arena rent-free was arranged to help the financially troubled Blue Jackets, keep them in Columbus and preserve economic activity in the arena area.
A team spokesman says not needing to pay rent improves the team's financial picture during this lockout compared with eight years ago, when the 2004-05 season was canceled.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
