NHL: Penguins and government officials reach "Impasse" over new arena

March 6, 2007 The Pittsburgh Penguins future in Pittsburgh is skating on thin ice after owners Ron Burke and Mario Lemieux sent a letter Wednesday addressed to Pennsylvania Governer Ed Rendell, Alleghney County Executive Officer Dan Onorato, and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, stating that the organization was prepared to "aggressively explore relocation", after reaching what the organization called an "impasse." This threat came just three days after Rendell expressed his belief that a new arena deal was close.

Lemieux and Burke visited Kansas City on January 4, 2007 to explore possibly moving the team if a new arena deal in Pittsburgh could not be reached. The offer from Kansas City includes free rent of the $276 million Sprint Center, which is still under construction. The Penguins would be asked to pay $2.86 million per year to rent a proposed arena in Pittsburgh, better than the orignial offer of $4 million a year, including $1.16 million each year in naming rights, along with an upfront contribution of $8.5 million.