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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.