Is the Fairmont Hotel the Issue for NHL Players?

The digital sports newspaper polled 111 players in the league about what city was on their no trade list. Just under 50% said this. Many of the seven cities were listed with the general consensus that it was cold living there. An actual Jet said the ride in from the airport is underwhelming. 

This was a direct quote from the self-identified Winnipeg player.

"I don't think that hotel meets the criteria for the league, but it would be better than staying downtown."
 

This hotel being the Fairmont Hotel in Winnipeg.

Not the first time we have heard criticism of the city by NHL players but when food and hotel are talked about, it feels more like this could be a Fairmont Hotel issue.

In fairness, the Richardson family has repurchased the hotel and it is understood to be under renovations now. The word dated is used by many business travellers so Richardson investment will be appreciated. 

Post Covid though the area around the hotel probably feels deserted. The words "nothing to do" came up often. From the perspective of a young NHL player visiting the city from elsewhere, they are in a hotel where few people are on the street, have limited food options super close to where they are staying and unknown entertainment options in the short time they are around.

Alas, this wasn't supposed to be. The story was that the Sutton Place Hotel would be the new home of visiting NHL players and they'd be within walking distance of all sorts of amenities from their 5-star hotel. Instead we have the slowest construction of a hotel in the history of Winnipeg.  It is now eight years since it was first announced.

The Jets can't do anything about taxes in Manitoba. They can't do anything about winter. No Canadian team can. But they can improve the player experience. Winning is the tonic for a lot a doubters in the league. If a player is interested in winning, they will look for teams that win. If a player is interested in their golf game and not playing in playoffs, they seek something else. And there are players who wanted to be in Arizona, not get media attention and hit the links regularly. Many did not want to go to Salt Lake City.

In terms of playoff experience, the Jets don't get too many complaints about their facility. A team can have a bad facility and still have people lined up to play. Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL have their own players rank their locker room terrible. But who wouldn't want to play on a team that wins?

Teams go through cycles. Chicago and Detroit were the best out there but are rebuilding. For some NHL players, the attraction to play there is less. If they are going to lose all the time, why not play in Arizona? Winnipeg Jets are on an upcycle and we have been able to attract a variety of players. This is a team that pays right to the cap so salary is not the issue. 

NHL athletes are among the elite pay levels that are rarely achievable for the majority in their age bracket. As the theft rings across North America have shown, these athletes are targets so they look for safe and secure places for themselves and their families. There are a number of neighbourhoods in Winnipeg that the players have gravitated to. Those are usually large suburban home with walkable paths. Many players on the Jets have dogs and do walk them all the time. Many are married and have kids who are in the school system so choose areas with schools and sports programs. And there are many Jets who want passionate fans. Some might not care about a quiet church crowd watching but 41 home games and playoffs like this is not what many players want.

Once players are in the Jets system, it has been easier to get them to come back. They see the benefits and are more like to sign contracts. And even when they don't it could be about the length of contract and money. Jets can pay to the cap but they have not been signing crazy contracts like some other NHL teams are for free agents. There are a lot of players getting bought out because they just aren't playing anymore. The Jets don't like burning salary cap that way.

Let's start with the cons that some NHL players have about Winnipeg.

Cons:

Cold

Small market

Higher taxes

Less top retail stores

Less top restaurants

Smaller arena

Fewer sponsorship opportunities

Longer/farther travel schedules

No gated communities

No other big league sports to go see

No year round golfing

No big media

Pros

Passionate fans

A max cap salary team (paying their players right up to the line)

Farm club and NHL club same city

Safe suburban districts

Good schools for kids

Support system for families

A winning team

Good local media coverage

Good coaches

Good health and medical supports

Good neighbourhoods where players live

In terms of the site of the Canada Life Centre, the Chipmans, Thomsons and Richardsons have all done their part to create the entertainment districts between the convention centre and the arena. The Gagladi Family is the builder of the Sutton Place Development which includes a hotel, suites and restaurants that the family own like Chop near the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre. The family owns the Sandman Hotels, the Shark Club, Moxie's and Denny's. It is this block which has had a prolonged delay in being built. 

This block is key to both the convention centre and arena. Some major conventions are in great need of a luxury hotel connected to the the RBC. Likewise, True North needs specialized rooms for 82 regular seasons games for Manitoba Moose and Winnipeg Jets. Officials require rooms as well. Play-offs are additional rooms. 

The hotel has been delayed for eight years as mentioned earlier. It is without doubt that visiting NHL players would be staying at the new 5-star hotel if it was up. The only 5-star hotel the city has is at the airport and not suitable for hockey players due to distance from arena. To reach top level rating, room size is the difference maker. Fairmont and Delta cannot change the structural size of their rooms. This is a key to the 5-star ranking: room size.

The new Sutton Place Hotel still might be two years away from completion but it is probably something that that could help with impressions of visiting hockey players. The entertainment district in five years could feature enough attractions for a player who is in only once or twice a year. Better food offerings, better proximity to arena and other entertainment. While it might not be golf or the ocean, players do not just stay in their hotel rooms.

The impression should be when a hockey player or anyone travels to the city is that there is something to do, somewhere safe, somewhere convenient and ultimately, something cool. And that just isn't happening in a hotel which is an island away from the entertainment district. At least they seem to have solved the high speed Internet issue.