Whalers Fish for New Home

Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland said his state could not afford to appease Hartford Whaler owner Peter Karmanos any longer and decided to say goodbye to the state’s only major league sports franchise.

After two months of negotiations, the sides said they remained far apart on several issues, with the main sticking points linked to a new arena deal. The team has agreed to pay a $20.5-million penalty to leave at the end of the season, a year before its four-year commitment expires.

The team rejected the state’s offer to build a $147.5-million arena and to guarantee the club revenues of $50 million a year.

The team wanted to play at the arena rent-free and refused to sign a lease longer than 10 years. The state, which said it has lost nearly $60 million subsidizing the Whalers in recent years, was seeking $2.5 million in rent payments and wanted to tax tickets 10 percent to help pay off construction bonds.

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Detroit announced it has exercised the option on the contract of its scoring leader Brendan Shanahan through the 1999-2000 season.