The owner of the Portland Pirates said “the ball’s in our court” in negotiations with the Cumberland County Civic Center over a new lease that would keep the team in Portland.

Brian Petrovek, who is also chief executive officer of the hockey team, said he’s received the Civic Center board’s response to his proposal for a wholesale change and increased revenue sharing in the financial relationship between the team and the arena.

The board met behind closed doors this morning for two hours and then said they planned to tell Petrovek what they thought of his plan. Board chair Neal Pratt and Petrovek were planning to speak this afternoon and Petrovek’s statement said the trustees have “shared their thoughts with me.”

“The ball’s in our court,” Petrovek said in a statment released this afternoon. “We will make no further public remarks related to this matter until such time as a final outcome is reached.”

Petrovek has been speaking to officials in Albany, N.Y., about moving the team to that city. Albany is losing its American Hockey League franchise to Charlotte, N.C.

Petrovek has said he has no deal in place with Albany, but wants major changes in his lease in Portland and a long-term deal. The Civic Center board has indicated that it thinks the current lease is fair and doesn’t want to get tied into a long-term deal while it considers proposals to renovate the arena.
 


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