Greenberg family would 'likely participate' in new Senators ownership group

One of Ottawa’s most prominent real estate executives said he isn’t ruling out being part of a possible new ownership group of the Ottawa Senators.

Roger Greenberg, the executive chairman of Minto Group, said his family would “likely participate” in possible new ownership if the team goes up for sale.

However, he cautioned that the family of the late Eugene Melnyk, who owned the team for nearly 20 years until his death last month, needs to decide to sell before anything else happens.

“It’s amazing the number of people that speak to me and ask me if we will,” Greenberg told CTV News on Tuesday. “I guess it’s the logical extension of having a successful group with OSEG that I participate with,” he said.

“First things have to come first, and that’s a decision by the family that they’re going to sell the team. Because until that happens, nothing can really happen.

“So let’s get that decision first and then we’ll see where things go from there.”

Melnyk died last month at age 62 after a lengthy illness. Melnyk’s two daughters are in their early 20s and it is not known whether they want to sell the franchise.

The Greenberg family is one of Ottawa’s most prominent in both philanthropy and sport. They were involved with the original Ottawa Senators when the team first came to the city in 1992.

“We were a small ownership group then. We participated with Rod Bryden when he wanted to buy the team out of bankruptcy. Ultimately that bid did not come through. And we’re heavily involved in sports at Lansdowne.

“So yes, we’d likely participate, if that’s something that’s feasible, when the time comes,” Greenberg said.

Greenberg is the executive chairman of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, which owns and operates the Redblacks and 67’s.

He was speaking after the launch of the Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s new $500-million fundraising campaign to help build the new Civic campus on Carling Avenue.

The campaign is the largest in the city’s history. Greenberg and his siblings and cousin are donating $25 million, the single-largest health-care donation in the city’s history.