Kings in Salt Lake City without support: Girard must apologise, says PLQ

PLQ finds it “embarrassing” to note that unlike what we saw in Quebec, the Los Angeles Kings will be playing for $0 support in Salt Lake City. Liberal MP Frédéric Beauchemin believes Minister Eric Girard should apologise.

Two weeks before a budget that Francois Legault declared “largely in deficit,” the controversy over King's visit to Quebec continues for Finance Minister Eric Girard.

Journalism It was reported on Monday that Luc Robitaille's team had not only agreed to play in Utah's capital without any sort of support, but they had also agreed to repeat the event for several years.

Recall that in order to bring part of the Los Angeles Kings training camp and bring two warm-up games to the Videotron Centre, from October 2 to 8, 2024, the Quebec government granted a subsidy of $5 to $7 million to sports and entertainment in Quebec.

Ten days before going to Quebec, the Kings, without a single dollar of public money, will play an off-season game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, in Salt Lake City, a city that dreams, like Quebec, of having a National Hockey League. Commercial franchise.

An alarming comparison

Named event “Frozen Fury”which has been around for several years, will be held Sept. 23 at the Delta Center, built in 1990, where the Utah Jazz (NBA) play, and which offers 4,000 fewer seats than the Videotron Center in the hockey format.

“Fewer seats in the amphitheater, ticket sales comparable to Quebec, yet Utah only invested $0!” […] “It's embarrassing,” liberal finance critic Frédéric Beauchemin reacted to Channel X.

The Minister of Finance “should apologise,” according to member Margaret Bourgeois.

“The comparison between Utah's and Quebec's investments in terms of grandstand seating is troubling,” Mr. Beauchemin told our parliamentary office.

“The complete lack of investment from Utah calls into question the CAQ's funding priorities. Eric Girard must recognize this disparity and correct the situation,” opines the liberal-elect.

QS says CAQ negotiates poorly

“Once again, we have proven that the CAQ negotiates poorly and fails to get what is best for Quebec,” commented Solidarity MP Alexandre Leduc.

The QS Parliament Speaker added: “Now, this government must take responsibility for its poor financial decisions and stop passing the burden on to the workers who carry our public services so far.”