According to reports, including one by Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, The Remington Group — that includes Hollywood A-Lister and Wrexham FC Owner Ryan Reynolds — is preparing a bid of over $1 billion to purchase the Ottawa Senators. Garrioch said that league sources told Postmedia Friday the Markham-based group, led by Reynolds and real estate magnate Christopher Bratty, is prepared to bid more than $1 billion (all figures U.S.) to buy the Senators and the Canadian Tire Centre.
Garrioch adds:
The belief is Reynolds and Bratty would like to get this deal done as soon as possible and have been aggressive in their pursuit of the Senators. As part of the proposal, we’re led to believe Reynolds and Bratty are committed to building a new rink close to downtown Ottawa that will be surrounded by an entertainment district.
Reynolds and The Remington Group have been linked the potential purchase of the Senators from the moment the team was announced as up for sale. They were among many early bidders who showed interest, but sources suggested their bid wasn’t the highest from potential buyers. The group must have regathered and decided to get aggressive with their push and with NHL sources saying the league would prefer Reynolds is part of the ownership, one has to wonder how much this bid will push their group ahead of the others.
Reynolds being attached is a big deal for the league as he’s already committed to producing a docu-series about the sale and change in ownership, along with the team’s journey to seeking a Stanley Cup. The work he and Rob McEIlhenney have done with Wrexham FC has not gone unnoticed and players are flocking there with the team finding league promotion and a new level of success.
Garrioch notes that if Reynolds and his group are successful, it is expected they will sit down with a group of Ottawa businesspeople, led by FarmBoy CEO Jeff York, to bring them aboard as investors. Part of the goal is to ensure there is a strong community tie-in with the team and that local business owners have a stake in the success of the franchise.
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